Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1946-08-09, Page 7TEMPLE IflJR dancin' with 'ye." But there was only,one that anxious. woman's heart 'was. set up that he might ask her. And there were the fiddles already tuning up and the piano striking their notes twenty times aver to help them dao It, with- out a sign of that one coming. How- ever, owever, hecame at last, but only when Patricia was already Surrounded and again and again, under Mrs. Slattery's observant -eye, had' written a name down en her programme, "There's the gintlemen's dressin'- room in there," said she, before Charles had so much as set . his foot upon the to step, and just as he was thanking her 'for the information, .some impulse seized lier. She stood on' the tips, of her toes—which even with that cohtriving brought her no higher than his nhouldec--and• she whispered one word: Hurry!" said she. ,............. He looked, down at her and smiled but with ' more bewilderment than amusement hi ° his face. "What for.?" he 'asked. "Ye're late," said she.,, LEGAL' McCONNELL HAYS Barristers, Solicitors; Etc. Petrick D. McConnell - E. Glenn Hays SEAFORTH, ONT. -. Telephone 174 A. W. SILLERY Barrister, Solicitor, ,Etc. S'EAFORTH ONTARIO Phone 173, 'Seaforth s MEDICAL SEAFORTH. CLINIC DR. E. A, MCMASTER, M.B. Physician - DR. Pr L. BRADY, 'M.D. Surgeon Office hours daily, .except Wednes- 'day: • 1:30-5 p.m., 7-9 p.m. Appointments fore consultation may be made in advance. JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A., M.D. Physician and Surgeon IN: DR, H. H. ROSS' OFFICE 7 Phones: Office 5-W; Res. 5-J Seaforth. I1ARTiN W: STAPLETON, B,A., M.D. P ysician •and.Surgeon • Successor to Dr. W. C. Sproat • Phone 90-W Seaforth e ' • DR: F. J. R. FORSTER Eye', Ear, Nose, and Throat• Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto. Late assistant New York OptheJ- mei and Aural Institute, Moorefield's "Eye and Golden Square Throat Hos- pital, _London, os-pital,.._London, Eng, At COMMERCIAL HOTEL, SEAFORTH, THIRD WED- NESDAY in each month, from 2' p.m• to 4.30 •p.m,; also at Seaforth Clinic dirst Tuesday of each month. 53 Waterloo Street South, Stratford. JOHN C. GODDARD, M.D. Physician and Surgeon • F Phone 110 . • Hensal'1 4068x52 ..: DR. F. H. ,SCHERK Physician, and Surgeon Phone 5.6 - - Heneall AUCTIONEERS HAROLD JACKSON Specialist in Farm and Household Sales. Licensed In Huron and Perth Coun- " ties. -Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed. For Information, etc., write or phone HAROLD JACKSON, 14 on 661, Sea' forth; R.R. 4, Seaforth. Wade.DENFIELD, ONT. , 'Llcehsed Auctioneer,„ :Pure bred sales, also radii stock and implenients. One Per cent. charge. Satisfaction guaranteed', Por Bale dates; 'Phone X18-71, Greaten, at L •° "Wasn't it for nine o'clock?" ' he inquired, still: at a loss. "Ah., don't talk!" site exclaimed. "Hurry!" And.4saying air more, she just cast her eyes to where Patricia stood at the top of the stairs with three 'young en about' her begging for -her progra me. Whether that was what she meant, he did.not•wait to 'think, but was gone on the moment to throw' his hat and coat to the man who, when this •story first set out, was that Same boy rid- ing for the doctor. ' ' .1. s•• • Within . two • mfautes he was' .up' those stairs, those eyes of Mrs. Slat- tery's speeding after him. "Am I too late for a dance?" he asked Patricia. ' " She showed hini her programme, a • column .,of names., and John Iles- mond's there as large as life across two items in the middle. There was not once space left for Charles in which to write his own. "You've filled it . up very quick,"• said h yn a voice that was odd even to his hearing. "'Tis my dance,"' sale . she, "and they're beta' very kind to 'Me." 'd He returaed ber programme, just bent his. head and walked away. It was onl.' Mrs. Slattery, ,who saw her look that followed him. In her ex citement, she directed three young women to the gentlemen's dressing - room. This •had been his last chance, and to Charlessat seeined that it had- gone. The next day she would be out of his reach and, so far as 'he knew, having regard for the sanctity of the convent life, for ..ever. He found his way to an empty room, designed for couples sitting out, but. too early in the eve- ning as yet to be occupied. There he walked, up and down, up, and ':own, with . his mind 'alternating between the despair of what it seemedt he had lost and 'the .clinging of youth to the hope of what he yet might win. , • A thousand times he toed himself. he had faced and come through situa- 'tions blacker• of outlook. than was this. But by now he was. brought to the conclusion that no adventure was was quite the same 'as love. Finesse --it needed, with all the sub- tle delicacy of force' 'and more 'of shrewdness, it seemed, 'than lie had 'wit to give jt. No such methods as he had 'used' on -the Stradbally' roal with those pressing customers would •serve him here.. -So flimsy a matter as a piece of cardboard with a coli umn of names scribbled in pencil ,stood I between them both, of which, if it were merely a question of •tear ing it in pieces, 'the solution were siinele .enough, and no man's harld_.in the house that night would have been strong enough to keep .it from hive But holding it in the lightest grip of her fingers, she had ,it more safe that :f a regiment of men were guarding There was no way out, and the dif- ficulty was the more galling• to his spirits 'because of its littleness. It appeared there was nothing to be. done but to fulfil his 'duties as a cas- ual guest. Returned. and went down - Stairs, and in the hall he met his host. "Ah, there's the man," said John Desmond, and found` a grip, of the•., hand as strong as his own. "Ye're welcome to the house,".said•he, "anal before ye lay a hand on pine of these. beautiful creatures, 'ye're to come along to. the supper -room and have a drink with me." Had Charles •the wish, there was no gainsaying him. He was drawn along by the arm, arid, the "first dance having just begun,'the supper - room was empty. ;'There's going 10 be no talk about that afternoon," said John Desmond, handing 'him his glace, "There' are.• more 'things make a man- take his drop than the want of it: •if ye don't know' that—and mind ye, I think ye clo—there's the whole world to learn it "Well, there's not much of it I haven't seen' one way. and another" said Charles. John Desmond laid down his gtaas. already in that amiable condition of mind when the shaking of hands is more expressive ..of. friendship than <,ay' writing of words. "Here's' more power to ye," said he as he lifted his glass again, and when that was empty, filled it up to the brim once more. There are stages of into<icatios as' plain to be seen as your hknd before your, face in ane who is young to his cups. . With the hard drinker, they s•eem...to merge one into the other, .when only the practised eye, with an Intimate knowledge of his man, can Mark their passage, .One of .the fits• of these stages is that warm sensa- tion of confidence .in human nature —seep weight of confidence as no ex- perience could support. This is the most deceiving of 'all. In the first flash of .it, an unwary man esiil un- buiden the inmost secrets of his soul to the merest acquaintance, and li~1e to regret it all his life, He who has learnt ,,,wisdom, will choose his com- pany and keep a guard upon himeelf until the hour 15 pas sed. It was not to be supposed that John Desmond would keep sober with such a party in progress as they. were bay:- „Mg av,ing that night at Waterpark. Where were, Moreover, as be had said, snore things than the want of ft preiikin> upon his mind, and to all of the ire .31 agates of that houseit was little less than a ..matter of haw long he' would keep himself with dignity upon his feet. At that moment when he .led ('Charles Stuart by the arm into the empty supper room, he was in pro- .cess of that phase of confidence, de-' siring nothing better than to unbur- den his mind, With a solid founda- tion of experience, however, he chose his confidant with a shrewd knowl- edge of men, remembering, if nothing else, the look he had seen 1 i .Charles Stuart's eye oh that misadveiztrous afternoon when Patricia had driven him frdm the room. Leaning now 'upon his elbows, that rested on the table, he looked once more and closely into Charles • Stu - art's eyes, when, as if thoroughly sat - jelled with . what he found there, be touched his arm, "Have ye got yeer dances with Sophie?'' said he. Charles' brought out his programme, showing him the empty card with a laugh. John Desmond heard the bit- terness in it and, with a swift return of his mind to his own youth, knew what it' meant. , "Were ye late?" be inquired: "I suppose I was. In the letter you wrote me you .said it began' at nine o'clock. I was here on. the stroke. Being a stranger more or leas; I didn't like--" "Yirra, glory be to God, man,. .ye must have been out of this country a long while. Shure; the' invitation says nine till twelve ewhich •,tmeelle..es.,soen.. as ye can get here and as long • as yeer feet'll bear ye. There were some of thim ,fellas, • knowin' • the ropes, were here soon 'afther eight, the may they could be gettin' the girls to give 'em dances while there was room for the spot of a pencil 'on their pro- grammes. Wasn't there • Sophie was ready in her .dress by half -past seven, and she peepin' out through the cur- tains to see who • would be comin'. Shure; I suppose 1 oughtn't to be tell - in' ye that, ,but the world's the world and women '11 be peepin' out of chinks in heaven, the way they can be lookin‘: at 'a man without his see - 'em." - ;This was sound advice and ,such as Charles, had much need of, 'but was no help to him one way ,or another. tben. John Desmond watched the ex- pressjon on, his •face as he listened; knowing that somehow he had not got the right hang of the matter, at which, 'with a rearm rush of that im- Charles. pulse of.confidetl@le,' he suddenly low -1 "It's Pat, is it?" said he.... ered his voice to a similar' note as; when:he made his rare confessions to Father Casey in the confessional. "If ye want to get yeer dance with Sophie," said he, "and will have my advice, yell put no pass,on her whin she says her programme is hull. She's probably written half a dozen' dances down •herself, the way she ,could be Savin' up her . dances' for thine she wants 'ems with, Stick to it'. main, and' say»ye've got to have wan. From al'. acceents, ye can rough and. ;amble it it when 'tis the knives are out and a man needs, some guts ih him to be holdie's his own„ but ye're as timid as a hare with the women" "Where`s the good of being anything else?" said Charles. "Force is no arm and turned his face towards, the good. It 'ud only frighten 'em." door. John Desmond looked at him ,close- "Get hack," said he,' "to the room ly, then drew. back his head and set 'and pick up as many, girrls asye can to laughing as • though he 'had ;been get and -dance with 'em the; way it listening to the colitic innocence of a 'lid seen ye -d be makin' the divvle child. "There's a lot ye'll have. to learn before ye're a match for Miss Sophie," said he.' "Shure,''the only way a man is stronger ^than' a woman is with his arm. Wasn't that wife of mine a lit- tle delicate thing, was Tighter than a featheraand wasn't she-the'oniy hodY had the 'power to keep me 'off The drink.....Couldn't she do just what, she. fat woman at •the door. -fast afther dy- liked•. with me, and wasn't She gettin' in' jto have the nursin' of ye." the' way she'd order• me about• 'the " house, and she jumpiii' down me IN THE DRIVE throat if I so much as opened me While the thirteenth dance was still mouth? -She was indeed. If I'hadn't in progress, Charles Stuart went out liked the feelin' of ler In me throat, of the house and came down the drive I wouldn't have stood it as long .as I to where it entered the thickest part did, and yirra, didn't it get too' Much of the • wood. The drive was, Fut. for me after a while. By' God, there through t'he heart of it and the trees she was, gettin' the way she thought met overhead. Light came only filter - she could do what she liked, and she ed through the leaves or where. a gap met in the branches. In summertime when the Ieaves were full, it was like an aisle, in the interior of a great cathedral whose windows all were full "What did I do?': He held out a of a stained or. coloured glass. • ' large hand, and, there for a moment The moon was up 'that night, chas- in silence they both looked at it. "I ing in and put behind the clouds like, showed •ber that," paid he, "and I a !tare -backed 'rider. galloping across .i told her that if the weight of it ever the sky, and: there was the circus'. fell across the side of -her dainty lit- musicin the distance, that tingling tie head, she wouldn't get Up for a sound of. pianos and violin(," and with week, and there'd be a hassle' in her ,it the thump of feet, coming out . of head for a fortnight. "I'd 'think bet- the open windows of the house: ter of ye, if ye did,' says she. 'b'e'd Charles stood and listened to it all, better start thinitig' that now,' Says watching the -reckless riding of the' I, 'for .'tis hard ' to be thinkin' at all moon, wondering "'what was about to with a sick headache.' Just that," he happen, debating.' in his mind how concluded, wrath a nod of his head, waiting there in that darkened drive "but shure, it, made the hell of a dif- would serve the purpose of his 'heart, ference. Mind ye6, I descriffed most recalling again ands again�'John Des- amiably What it 'ud feel like. And mond's gospel of force,• and planning didn't she go and tell that good wo- a thousand ways in which he yet man we hevn; that Mrs. Slattery, all might bring it to' account, in all of about it. 'Twas herself told'me afther which nothing but failure Stared him me poor wife was dead. 'What did in the face. she say?' said I. 'She'd 'been tryin' With a 'Violent scrapbeets of bos o to get c you to do it for two years, the vlolieS and a Smael ing of chords says Mrs. Slattery to me, -'and This on the piano, the thirteenth dance the way she was b'eginnin' to -think came to an 'end. He could hear /rein ye hadnit the strength to fiord a 'baby' there the stamping, appitnise and lityeer arms,' Now what do. ye• think then the stillness tit te"fr when the • -of tt� tiharles thptzf a' rat deal, ani'' was silent fn : tl?in ing, et•,d,•,ao hip youth Coif. � tg lr :aiiaizist, the wisr Ilo l? of exPe.ri#00 '01$• ails that fie heard he could ha:015 behave With the t'eendermess -'of lig ideal#, to "he "I suppose :it'SS 'true . enough ie your ease,'", its .:aszui rad at last. di ft See hovi1t i l !. be in mine, the. was your wife --that's different," "Different, is it!' cried John Des- mond. "Shure, glolr"5r-rbe, is there 'ever a 'time in herr life when a woman 't. . won '„ ye got hasnto makegotto iterbe ? yeer, wifeHavendlrst,t and whin ye've'dprte that, begorra, haven't ye' got to keep her? Yirra, the man who doses a womala worth having has no sympathy from zKie• 'Tis a fool he is, and that's all there is about it. Did she show yeher programme?" "Yes." "And was it full?" • "Yes, but.. not—not Miss Sophie's,"• "Who's then?" "Pe'tifeia's." If the 'hand of a giant 'had taken John. Desmond • by the sctiff df the neck. and straightened him out, he could 'not have -become more rigid in his surprise than in that moment..Af- ter ed long pause,: during ` which Charles . Stuart stood:711ei•e watching trembling in his heart at what he might say, his muscles relaxed and the -first thing he did with his return- ing.power of movement was to• pour himself out .the' stiffest Glass of whis- ky he had drunk that stay. Stilt he said nothing, but as. it poured down his throat there came back Filth a tumult .of thoughts into his memory the words of Mre. Slattery the night before: "What would .ye do if some young fella proposed himself 'to Miss' Pat to -morrow night?" "Well, hi all the saints!" he said, voicing his thoughts. "She's a cute wan'! "Who, Patricia?" said Charles, `at once in arms to defend her. "No. Patricia? No! Not •'at all. ye..see.a.. -fat . old•-weman•.•shtandi'n" at • the door as • ye came in?" "Yes, she showed me the place Where I was to leave my hat and coat." • ^ "Shure. that's the, wan. teal .think her heart had run to fat, but it hasn't., It's the best of its kind the Almighty God 'ever thought fit' to put into the body 62 a woman.", . light swept into Charles Stuart's eyes. ' "I don't know -what she has to do. with•it," said he, "but just as I was., going into the dressing -room shegot up on the tips of her toes. and she whispered,. 'Hurry!' in my ear.” John Desmond walked round, the; room with 'hie latighter. "Did she!" he cried. ""Did she! Now how the divvle did'she•know?"._ . He tried to work it out in his•mitid and when apparently he could come to no satisfactory conclusion, he turn- ed suddenly, comingeerstraight -to Charles nodded his head: r'D'ye know she's goin' ,into a. con- vent to -morrow?" .,.Yes.,, "D'ye know why I've been drunk every day for the last fortnight?" The amazement in Charles's face was sufficient answer to that. "D'ye remember what .I said just now about the way my wife was try - •in' for two years to get me to bit her over the bead?" ..Yes.". •. He said, it still in amazement. There was no other answer. . He did re- member, but was too confused to ap- ply the memory then. • ,John Desmond took him by the of a' time for yeerself, and when it comes to the fourteenth' dance come .down the drive under the trees, and be welkin' about there as if ye were sick. to- death of it all ;and wanted a white .to yeerself. Do that," said he, "and deft be wastin' time askin' me questions about it: Do that;'. for 'tis a mere'C1Tile'"ye are, and iszi''t that a meek little thing would be lookin' for burglars under lier bed every night before she went to sleep." "What did you do?" said Charles. *S' into ture 'We have to he Oa the :eternal !eel , out . for switches againfit . lie, If Pe miss a signal ft Mai tneazi eoanethIng to the other fellow." The engineer of the Aiesel indicated a switchuan beside the track. `We have to work closely with "Hose • fellows." ' He Closed the throttle and gave her a touelt of the independent' brake. He had fine hands, like those of a pianist. The • battery -powered switch -engine came to a stop at one edge of the vast railway yards—acres and acres of steel withr tracks running east and west as far as the eye could see. We got out of the -gab. Nearby, a passenger 1000•rnotive, its headlight 'flashing and its stack piling black smoke into the air, suddenly opened itscylinder cocks and`spray- ed out a ,cloud of white steam, then; moved off, majestically, down the line to pick up coaches tar its long run., soft heating of 'an owl over his head was a sound intense and sharp in all that silence. • It • was not until -the 'fourteenth 'dance began 'that he' could hope' for anything to happen. When then the; violins started their tuning once again he felt a cold. breath on his forehead, just as when first he had come under the hail df fire with Miramon's troops in Mexieo. Then, no less than now, it had been a sickening weeder' of what would happen in the next ,immediate moment of his life. The speculation of it made his heart beat in places he nev- er thought a pulse was hid. In his throat it came, until in that silence under those trees he heard it throb- bing against his breath. Indeed, this was the greatest adventure of art .It was all very well to talk of force. He feltlike a gigeot} n,...a..gianz:s-.b.ands, that night, -and knew that if Patricia came to him then, even the power of his tongue would' fail him. (Continued Next Week) • "Do you like a brass. band?'' he ask- ed, as they were listening ••tb the mus- ic in the. park. "Yes;"- she '.,said, "a .brass band is very nice, but. I think I would rather have a gold one:'L• (13y< is B., to Winnipeg Free Press) Pgtelit al POWer Wf3 w4. 1t.. l' into' the round4toiise ' a cirele wft'h a'turetable in the eel -Ur and locon ,tlti,T pared in its 42 stall, -•-strangely lsalgnt—enough potents power; if .prePeriy dtrepted, to feed city.. "Yes, 'we send out Toed trains fo UNR;RA. at the tizne," said the: ;rare 'roaster. "They are ,preference trains I-4any of them .originate here. The .carry., canoed' ;sweat, freak.znfeat, zn eluding, horse -meat ; canned vege tables, wheat and .other supplies, W had quite a rush o'n U1�li.IlA. see wheat•' this spring." ' At busy seasons of *the ,yeee, as many as 40 trains go out of those yards in 24 hours, they -told; us -20, east and 20 west. Some pull as mane as 100 cars. We stepped into a forge, where a car blacksmith , was working. The temperature -was nearly 100 degrees. He 'was hammering out a loop for a brake -rigging, a refinement of coach construction that I never knew ex; isted. I watche fl im for a few' moments acrd 'my memory slipped beck to jour- neys I had mads on Canadian trans - continental's and locals, on luxury European specials and in' the fourth= class wooden=bench cars where human beings and their belonging are packed like a pedlar's wares. ; How little I knew about the con- stant watching, 'the constant mending, the constant designing -behind the -miles of safe travel over steel tracks —thousands and thousands Of people; working for the safety and pleasure of the millions that come and go!' _ Sometimes, when a score of tug- boat operators tie up shipping in a big harbor, perhaps we glimpse some- thing of the dependence of human_be Ings on"one�-another.. But, ordinarily; w e travel and come home and eat and sleep and play safely—through the ,vigilance of unknown eyes' and the skill of unknown hands—and nev er 'think df it at all.' What strange, unreasoning crea- tures humans are—who cannot live, without honoring' -the unwritten con: tract that binds them, each •to the other, through the compulsions of the world's work. .They thick so little al r' y;, • We d1 (Continued • bean laat. week) "'What youlig fella- would there 'be?'! said • she,' 'at that m'omeak tQo with nd little trace of her father's cunning. ' "Shure, what riling fella would there be lookin' at me, one way or another? Faith, I .had+ no partners at all at' Stradbally, and who d be wantin' to dative with•. a girI has got a vocation and is gain' into a con vent the very next dak.?"' "Shure, glory be, 'tis that'll 'tice 'era," cried Mrs. Slattery. "Doesn't the world know a man 'ud be lookin' -with .iioth' eyes at Ude -thing, he can't shave, the way' he'd be faflin' over the things he's got and. he not seeing it," "I shall be leanin' up against the wall `' said .Pat. . "Ye will," said Mrd. Slattery, "to get veerbreath from a11 the feints • and Rpt' :Dr. Chase's Kidney- have a song reads of doper Os a regulator of liver, :od jtl e and bowels. The guzckly ,muse t► to healthful activityirall petite and lit 1p to #1,41 tSpr Clean ` out the ,io ns •- i* Cbase'4:' igdnejrailer - Sign l+oug' .11and Ig 540,. *A DX. at'aut the circumstail es, by 'which they live, at all, that they Make *ars sad destroy food, and Mahn aSd• hate each other in the name' of race and - trade! The communications break. The cofitraut is dishonored; and the peoples perish. - Eternal Vigilance "We have to be on the eternal loot out ..", Lumber trains, 'front trains,- stock rains,stock trains, . trains of maohieery, trains from different parts of the cots- . -iiaeat,_blacksmtths-stekkers---deriters' politicians, teachers, engineers—white men, black men, Jews, Hindus—lives running on .the tracks of the worlds nations, each looking for the right-of- way,,.- ' . Surely it is time and, past time. for the building ofa world terminal, Where the problems of allpeoples can be handled with conseientiouseess and skill—where the signals are univere- ally recognized and the. switches are safe! . Our lakes this summer are going to attract thousands of friendly visitors from the States. We want them to enjoy themselves ... it's in our own interest to see they get the very finest t>f'everything we can give them., • WHAT CAN 1 Dot The ,answer is plenty! Here are some of the things anyone can do. These practical suggestions come froth a well-known Ontario Hotelman: 14.: .Know the places of interest 4. Take the time to give any and beauty ° spots in your ' .requested information fully district and tell people all and graciously - about them. 5. In business dealings,• re= 2. When you write your friends member Canada's reputation in the States tell them about for and fairness :the 'places they would really dependsyou. enjoy visiting. ' . courtesy Y 3. Try to make any visitor glad 6. To sum it up, follow the he came to Canada. "Golden Rule.". IT'S EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS . •Worth kis weight in gold! This diagram shows how The Province of Ontario everyone benefits from the profits to ahiiost the same Ontario tourist income. extent...frozn tourist busi- Every dollar is shared this i It works both ways! They treat us royally when we visit them . we can't do less thalp return the com- plinieit. Remember that it costs money to take a holiday .. ness as' it does from the way . 1. Hotels; :2.,; o sto let's see they get a goldrnining industry. It's Stores; 3. Restaurants; up to each of us to see 4. Taxes, etc.; 5. Amuse- good return for every that it goes on growing. menta; 6. Garages. penny they spend. ' Zi4f,'opettaiwzete•woowee7-a-gagfte Artratg Tune InIQntario Holiddy'1 ORB;'i040.44rn., i,thint li t,' Friday and Saturday .�w • A