HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1954-07-02, Page 2±rwt>a9i�9Y7 v 1 gar., aha fi� ,r��+ dui
N EXPOSITOR
,Established 1860
Gbed at Seaforth, Ontario, ea-
Thursday afternoon by McLean
Y. McLean, Editor
.Ottbscription rates, $2.50 a year in
Mute; foreign $3.50 a year. Single
.es, 6 cents each.
fiber of Canadian
Weakly Newspapers
Association.
PHONE 41
Authorized as Second Class Mail
Post Office Department, Ottawa
SEAFORTH, Friday,. July 2, 1954
DOMINION DAY, 1954
It is interesting to recall that on
Dominion Day twenty-five years ago
Canadians were enjoying the great-
est boom in history. For years after
the summer of 1929 was regarded as
being the best in every way -that one
could ask for.
This Dominion Day there appears
to be problems and anxieties. In cer-
tain districts there is some unem-
ployment. In others, sales and pro -
'Auction are down, Yet Canadians
Ire much better off in 1954 than they
mere lin 1929. According to the De-
partment of Trade and Commerce,
the average Canadian is about half
again as well off as he was 25 years
ago.
Based on totals that have been re-
conciled to dollar changes, Canadians
buy 44 per cent more consumer goods
and services than was the case 25
years ago. Personal inrM 1e, after
taxes, is up 51 per cent. Net income
of farm operators from farm produc-
tion is up 51.5 per cent. And despite
increased spending, personal savings
are up 85 per cent. One Canadian in
1.0 owned a car 25 years ago, but last
year the proportion was one in six.
Perhaps conditions are not so bad
after all.
DESIGN FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY
If the Select Committee of the
Legislature on highway safety is
able to convert into legislation some
of the recommendations made to it
by the Ontario Motor League, it will
o a long way in checking the mount-
ang accident toll on provincial high-
ways.
Removal of unscrupulous and in-
competent driving examiners, re-
testing of drivers involved in acci-
dents, and increased driving training
In secondary schools, were among
the first of the recommendations
made.
"Enforcement of traffic laws by
snooping and sniping from ambush
with stop watches or their electronic
modern counterparts is not condu-
cive to obtaining free and intelligent
obedience to the law," said the brief.
"The Ontario Motor League con-
tends, as it has consistently contend-
ed in the past, that the emphasis
,should be on prevention of breaches
of the law, not on punishment for in-
fractions, because the fundamental
purpose of traffic laws is to assure
,the safe and efficient, use of the
Streets and highways.
"The more conspicuous and numer-
ous the constables and their vehicles,
the less serious and fewer the breach-
es of the law by drivers," the brief
continued.
Turning to speed, the brief con-
tended there wasn't the amount of
"established and general usage" as
contended by the advocates of a 60
mile per hour speed limit on control-
led'nccess highways.
"The incompetence of many driv-
ers to cope safely with an emergency
At 60 miles per hour, such as a blow-
out, a wheel failure, a seized brake,
or a mechanical Iock in the drive line only too evident," said the brief.
r'ARLIAIIENT PROROGUES
" Parliament prorogued Saturday
ght after a session which began
Iovember 12 and lasted for 139 sit -
tin days.. It is estimated more than
p' ! 11,000 words --a modern record—
iiere; placed on Hansard during the
Torr;
The throne speech, which warned
t 'Canada mist give its first con -
on to Military strength, while
the ame :time striving foi world
reflected the concern of all
tailovIng peoples as a result of
la a that beset the world.
jy.;1}s;xa
;ag
9
�kllJ.;
THE HiritON F'XPQSJYIOR
'r2; i,9
"Political tension throughout the
world is a grim reminder that the
first concern of the government must
be the maintenance of the necessary
strength to deter aggression while
we continue to strive for the estab-
lishment of peace," Mr. Justice Pat-
rick Kerwin declared as acting gov-
ernor-general, in reading the speech
from the throne.
"Canada," he said, "is meeting ev-
ery commitment we have made for
our national defence and for interna-
tional projects for relief, rehabilita-
tion, technical assistance and the
economic advancement of other peo-
ples materially less fortunate than
our own."
The session produced few surpris-
es, but did accomplish several major
achievements. Chief of these un-
doubtedly was the redrafting of the
Criminal Code. The revision of the
Bank Act made possible far-reaching
changes in the National Housing
Act.
Probably the outstanding feature
of the session was its length, and the
oft -repeated demands of opposition
parties for additional debate time,
and the extent to which these de-
mands, in turn, contributed to the
wordy session. Even at the end, with
prorogation in sight and 8,000,000
words behind them, opposition
speakers coin—plaited about not hav-
ing enough time for full debates.
This, is spite of the fact that iipposi-
tion members of all parties, repres-
enting as they do considerably less
than 50 per cent of the membership
of the House, occupied nearly 70 per
cent of the speaking time.
C areer Qualifications For Farmers
(The Rural Scene)
A high school student with no ex-
perience in farm work, and -no capi-
tal to invest in farm property, thinks
he would like to become a farmer.
But, in view of the extensive tech-
nical knowledge and special skills re-
quired of the farmer today, as well
as the amount_of capital required to
start farming, he wonders if it would
be possible for anyone in his position
to even get established in the busi-
ness.
Our answer is that it all depends
on himself. If he has average physi-
. cal and mental ability, and the char-
acter necessary to success in a voca-
tion in which a man must stand on
his own feet, depend on his own judg-
ment and accept the consequences of
his own actions, he need not worry
about his lack of experience or of
capital. These things can be acquir-
ed.
It is true that it requires more
money to start farming today than
ever it did before; but it is equally.
true that there is more money avail-
able than ever there was before and
there are more opportunities to earn
it and to save it than ever before.
It is true that present day farming
requires a different variety of skills
and a greater knowledge of science
than ever before; but it is also true
that there is more of this knowledge
available and more opportunities to
acquire it than ever before.
The farmer today has to compete
with better skilled and more efficient
farmers both at home and abroad
than his father or his grandfather
did; but none of his competitors is
born with this knowledge or these
skills. They all have to acquire them
even as he' does.
Agriculture today is a modern,
progressive industry offering oppor-
tunities to industrious, wide awake
recruits who are willing to keep
abreast of the times and to make the
efforts it requires, in order to reap
the rewards it offers.
The qualifications necessary to
success in the industry are the same
today as they always were. They are
honesty, industry, thrift, common
sense and enterprise. .
The rewards of honest farming are
a sufficient living with a sense of se-
curity which few occupations can
give, a feeling of well-being in the
knowledge that he is his own boss
and the master of his own affairs,
and a sense of satisfaction in the
knowledge that he gives the world
full value for everything he gets
from it.
There is a real shortage of qualified
farmers in Canada today, and young
men who take the trouble to qualify
themselves for the work will find op-
portunities to acquire farms on
terMs that will enable them to be.
colic bw nera.
SEEN IN THE COUNTY PAPERS
Killed in Car Crash
Word was received, here Wed-
nesday that Bill Sullivan, elder sou
of Mr. Herb Sullivan, was killed
that morning in a car crash in
Nova Scotia.—Brussels Post.
Enjoyed Bus Trip
The senior grades of the Hay
Township School Area enjoyed a
trip by bus to Toronto on Wednes-
day. While there they visited the
Royal Ontario Museum, Old Fort
York, the Zoo, as well as taking a
ride on Canada's first and only sub-
way.—Zurich Herald.
To Hold Camp
A day camp for girls from ages
8 to 12, inclusive, sponsored by
the boys' and girls' committee of
the Zurich Lions Club, and under
the direction of Kathie Kalbfieisch
and Arlene Haberer, is being held
during the week of July 19-23 at
Cedarbrook Camp. Each day's pro-
gram includes such activities as
crafts, singing, games and nature
walks. Zurich Herald.
Attended Christening
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wilhelm and
son, Alfred, of Blyth, visited their
eldest son and brother, Edward and
family, in North Park, Toronto, on
the occasion of the chri tening of
a new grandson, Edwars second
boy. The christening day saw quite
a family- reunion, with Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Wilhelm and their four
sons, three daughters and three
grandchildren present. Mrs. Ed-
ward Wilhelm's parents and broth-
er were there also,—Blyth Stand-
ard. tai,.'(,
Injured By Flash Fire
Case Vaneyl, 22. of Bluevale, was
badly burned about the arms, upper
chest, face and head on Saturday
afternoon by a flash fire in the
grease pit of Huron Motors. Mr.
Vaneyl was using a torch in the pit
at the time, when gasoline and
grease exploded, setting fire to his
clothes. Fellow employees extin-
guished the flames and took him to
Dr. McKibbon's office, next door.
He was rushed to the hospital,
where at last report his condition
was described as fair. It is expect-
ed that he will be hospitalized for
some time with the injuries.—Wing-
ham Advance -Times.
To Open New Pool
Saturday, July 3, has been set as
the tentative date for opening of
the new swimming pool in Judith
Gooderham Memorial Playground.
Only a small amount of work is
left to be clone before the pool will
be ready for use, officials said.
They expect it will be in operation
about 11 weeks. Meanwhile, a
meeting of the Goderich Recreation
and Arena Committee was "held to
discuss plans for operation of the
new pool and of the playground. It
is planned to have arts and crafts
classes at the playground and free
swimming classes Monday to
Thursday mornings with Mrs. M.
Harper as swimming instructor.
Several lifeguards are being train-
ed.—Goderich Signal -Star.
Blind Minister Guest Preacher
A minister who lost his sight in
1940. Canon Edwin Jacques, form-
er rector of St. James' Anglican
Church, Swan River, Man., was
guest preacher at the morning ser-
vice on Sunday in St. George's An-
glican Church here. Canon Jacques
is director of Public Education for
the Canadian National Institute for
the Blind. With the help of his
wife, the Braille edition of the
Bible, and other books procured
through the CNIB, he carried on his
parish duties under blindness. In
1949 he joined" the staff of the
CNIB. He addressed church groups,
seamen's organizations, schools, col-
leges and service clubs on CNIB
as a builder of Christian life. ---s
Goderich Signal -Star.
Escapes With Scraped Knees
Billy Palmer, four-year-old son of
Dr. and Mrs. R. B. Palmer, escaped
with only a pair of scraped knees
after being dragged three blocks by
his father's car last Thursday eve-
ning. The little body had been play-
ing around his father's car, parked
in front of the house on Shuter St.,
when Dr. Palmer came out of the
house and got into the car. He
saw the boy jump over the side-
walk and drove off, thinking the
boy was clear of the car, Dr. Pal-
mer drove all the way to his office
on Josephine St. unaware that Billy
v, as hanging on to the back bump-
er. Several people on the street
and in passing cars tried to draw
his attention, but were unable to
do so. Apparently Billy had been
holding on to the bumper, too
frightened to let go. He was treat-
ed for scraped knees at the doctor's
office and was able to go out to
May the following day.—Wingham
dvance-Times.
•
Observe Silver Wedding
A surprise party was held at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Steiss,
R.R. 2, Brussels, on June 19, in hon-
or of their wedding anniversary.
Aboul. 6® i'i'Iends and relittivrg gath-
ered to convey their congratula-
tioits and wish them many more
.httppy years of married life. In at-
tendance were the best man and
maid of honor of 25 years ago, Mr.
and Mrs. Calvin Cameron, Cran-
brook, and the flower girl, Mrs.
William Grube, Mitchell, formerly
Ida' Nicholls. The couple have three
daughters and a sou, Mrs. Charles
(Winnifred) Mann, Mrs. Harry
(Eileen) Mann, .both of. Listowel,
Miss Jean Steiss, of Brussels, and
Stewart at home. Beautiful gifts
including a chest of silver from the
family were presented to them, af-
ter Mrs. John A. Wilson called the
happy honored couple to their
chairs. The evening was spent by
playing cards and dancing. A boun-
tiful„lunch was served at the close
of the evening.—Brussels Post.
Plan Auburn Centenary
A feature of the Auburn Centen-
ary will be ,the running of a soap
box derby on Saturday afternoon,
July 31. Site of the event will be
the hill west of the Auburn bridge
on the county road. Traffic will be
blocked off and the course will be
laid out on the smooth road sur-
face. Entries from boys and girls
13 years of age and under are in-
vited, and three worthwhile prizes
of $5, $3 and $2, will be offered to
the winners. The event will get un-
der way at 1 p.m. To round out the
afternoon's program, a school reun-
ion will be held at U.S.S. No. 5,
Hullett (Auburn School). Classes
will assemble at 2:30 p.m. Already
several former pupils and teachers
have accepted the invitation to at-
tend this function, which should
provide the right atmosphere for a
centenary celebration. This event
in itself will undoubtedly turn back
the pages of time 'for many former
Auburnites. We understand the re-
sponse to invitations sent out by
the committee has been most grat-
ifying. A great reunion time is in
store for all those attending this
centenary.—Blyth Standard,
CROSSROADS
, (By James Scott)
THE OLD FQLKS
These times there is a lot of
talk about old people. Some very
fine new homes have recently been
opened up for them. In various
centres local rows (often unfound-
ed) have arisen about the proper
care for the aged. The insurance
companies' actuaries are convinced
that each year the- percentage of
older people in our population gets
bigger. In short, it looks as if one
of these days the care of the aged
is going to become a profession
like education, medicine and simi-
lar subjects, including politics.
My own observation has been
that the more "professional" any
human actively becomes, the less
common sense there is in it.
For example, the doctors have
become so professionalized that the
family doctor is fast becoming ex-
tinct and you have to see twenty
specialists to get a sore toe fixed.
The same goes for dentists. In
politics, every M.P. sees himself as
a career statesman and more and
more loses touch with bis main job
which is simply to look after the
interests of his constituents. Teach-
ers are so federated and chock full
of educational practice that hall of
them don't know how to apply the
elementary rules of common sense
discipline in the classroom.
It's a gloomy outlook for the old-
sters if the time ever comes when
looking after them becomes a pro-
fessional career.
Already there are quite a few
people here and about who are
busy like little beavers drawing up
theories and formulae for making
old age beautiful. Just the other
day in London, one such, a Miss
H. El. Carr, made quite a speech at
the opening of the John Dearness
Home. This genius work for the
Community Programa Branch of
the Ontario Department of Educa-
tion. She said that old people
ought to get out of their chairs
and get interested in some mental
and phy'afeal activity. So far, that's
good, did -fashioned common sense.
The way to do this, she confined,
might be to form what she called
lawn councils"' in the homes foff'
the aged.
Cam you imagine anything metria
.ti
1 divorced from reality than that?
You might just as well suggest that
a woman who wants but can't have
children ought to get a couple of
big dolls to play with. Old people,
like everybody else who is worth
his salt, don't want make-believe,
they want the real thing. Why set
up artificial "town councils" when
what is needed is a chance to get
interested in the real thing? My
own observation of such matters is
that there are quite a few towns
which could do with a few ma-
ture minds on their rosters.
The way to beold people alive,
healthy and happyep is not to segre-
gate them and set them to playing
games devised by professional wel-
fare workers •but to so organize
their care that they can continue to
participate in all the activities of
a normal life. In the great propor-
tion of cases, the function of the
home for the aged is simply to pro-
vide care for the physical well-be-
ing of the aged—to give them food,
clothing, shelter and a little help
in getting around.
But the current cry seems to be
that once'you need to go to an old
,people's home you turn into a dif-
ferent person, a creature with half
a mind which needs spoon-feeding
and wrapping in the fuzziness of
cotton -wool thinking.
Without taking thirty seconds at
it, I can name yon a dozen people
in this town between the ages of
eighty and ninety who are as men-
tally alert as any commtfnity pro-
gram planner on the face of the
earth. They will stay that way un-
til the tired organs of the :body let
them down.
If any of these people ever had
to goto a home—and I pray they
won't --they would shrivel up in a
month because their interest in liv-
ing" in the world as It really is
would be destroyed.
No; let's keep the professionals
away from the old folks and let's
make our homes not places where
they are segregated from normal
activities, hat rather =Web' Places
where their ;pdi.'$tcaI handicaps are
wlatslp
1001taid atter, end 1'11 not
mind the tttottgltt of getting 6Td may
''ears Agone
Interesting Items Picked From
Tho Huron Expositor of Twen-
tyfive and Fifty Years Ago
From The Huron Expositor
July 1, 1904
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Elliott, of
Stephen Township, were waited on
at their home previous to their de-'
parture for Manitoba, by a number
of their neighbors and friends, and
were presented with a handsome
silver service.
We regret to say that the family
of Mr. Samuel McPherson, McKil-
lop, is being severely afflicted with
typhoid fever. The first to get sick
was a son and next both parents,
and now we hear that the two
daughters, Katie and Maggie, are
both down. We hope they will all
come safely through and be restor-
ed to their usual health and
strength.
Mr. and •Mrs. James Bolger, of
Belmont, Manitoba, arrived home
for a visit. Mr. Bolger sold out his
butcher business and also disposed
of his farm. He is the son of Jas.
Bolger, of the 8th line, Morris.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Shea, of
Saginay, are visitors at the home
of their nephew, Mr. John Shea,
Beechwood.
Mr. William Rinn, McKillop, re-
cently sold a very fine three-year-
old driver to Mr. McGregor, for
which he received the handsome
sum of $165. This fine animal,
which was sired by St. Blize, was
raised by Mr. Rinn. The another
of tlii9 colt was 21 years old when
it was born. ' Mr. McGregor bas
since been offered considerably in
advance of what he paid for the
colt, but has refused to part with
the animal.
Mi•. John Beattie, who has been
conducting the grocery and crock-
ery 'business under the firm name
of Beattie Bros„ in Seaforth, has
taken into partnership Mr. Wm. A.
Sclater, who has been with him
for some years, The new firm
will continue the old firm name,
but intend going out of the crock-
ery business and devoting all their
energies on groceries, seeds, flour
and feeds.
•
From The Huron Expositor
July 5, 1929
One day last week while one of
Mr. Sol Gingerich's sons was driv-
ing along the Goshen Line South,
near his home, he was struck on
the hand by a stray bullet, fired
from a small-bore rifle. The physi-
cian who attended him had consid-
erable difficulty in locating the
bullet.
Mr. and Mrs, Alvin Restemeyer
of Cavalier, N.D., are visiting rela-
tives in Zurich at present. They
visited Niagara Falls this weekend
and. were accompanied by Mr. and
Mrs. P. J. Haberer.
Miss Carrie Krauskopf has gone
to Detroit, where she has secured
a position.
The home of Mr. John F. Purcell,
Market St., was badly damaged by
fire on Monday afternoon last. A
coal oil stove in the kitchen explod-
ed about five o'clock in the eve-
ning, and almost immediately the
whole room was in flames. The fire-
men made a quick run and peon
had the flames under control, but
not before the back part of the
house, including the contents, were
burned, and the whole residence
badly damaged by smoke and
water.
On Saturday evening while Mr.
R. J. McMillan, of town, was driv-
ing west on the highway into Sea -
forth, accompanied by Miss Mein:
tosh, his car met with a serious
accident. About two miles out of
town the driver of a second car,
in attempting to pass him, ran off
the pavement. To save himself,
the driver made a quick turn and
his car shot across the road and
struck the rear wheel of Mr. Mc-
Millan's car, turning it over in the
ditch. The car was wrecked and
Miss.McIntosh seriously injured.
The motor ambulance of Messrs. S.
T. Holmes & Son was sent for and
she was quickly taken to the Sea -
forth Hospital, where she was con-
fined.
Breaks Leg in Crash
A car -truck crash in Colborne
Township sent one person to Alex-
andra Marine and General Hos-
pital on Tuesday afternoon. Suf-
fering er
ng a fractured Ieg in the col-
lision was Mrs. Howard Feagan, of
R.R. 5, Goderich, who was a pas-
senger in a car driven by 'her
daughter, Sheila. The car was in
collision with a truck owned by
MacDonald Electric, Goderich, and
driven by Gerry Denomme. A pas-
senger in the truck, Lorne Rivers,
suffered a broken thumb. The ac-
cident occurred near McGaw and
was investigated by Constable Jack
Parkinson, of the Goderich detach-
ment, Ontario Provincial Police.—
Goderich Signal -Star.
Staff Honors Teacher
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Creech were
guests of honor at a picnic held
at "Exmoor," the summer home of
S.H.D.H.S. Principal H. L. and Mrs.
Sturgis at Norman Heights on Fri-
day evening. Members of the high
school staff and their guests at-
tended. Mr. Creech, who is leaving
the staff to become principal at
Kingsville High School, was pre-
sented with a leather brief case.
Mrs. Creech received; a cup and
saucer. Several members of South
Huron District High School staff
will'be engaged in camp work dur-
ing the summer vacation. J. B.
Creech will go to ,Oamp Borden to
take a cadet officer's course. F. G.
Meek will be a cadet instructor at
the same camp. E. D. Howey, E.
H. Jones and G. M. Miekle will in-
struct cadets at Camp Ipperwash,
where five local high school bojra
will be in training. J'. M. Mahon
Will go to termite to Mark omen-
inatif)n Papers.-- atoter Titnea.Ad-
vacate. .
"Keeper of the - Trees"
(By MRS. M. C. DOiO)
(Continued from last week),
"I don't know," -said Nels, dream-
ily. "This trip is the most fun I've
ever had, but it's just a little one,
really. I'd like to take a real one
tbrough Iedia Pike Kim and the
Lama. Start out from the same
place they -did and follow the same
route. Haven't they lovely names
in India — Umballa, Benares, La-
hore?"
"They have, and perhaps you'll
walk their streets some day, lad,
but I'll hardly be with you unless
it's in spirit. I have a good diges-
tion and you have a better one,
but I doubt if you or I could eat
some of, those concoctions of curry
and chicken livers and rice without
getting the father of all belly-
aches!
ellyaches! I ate that curry in Mexico
once and I thought I'd never live
to see another sun rise. There,
shut your eyes and gp to sleep,
or the sun will rise tomorrow be-
fore •y-ou are ready for it."
IV
A few miles away Sigmund 'Kel-
son looked at the clock and frown-
ed.
"Isn't Karen in yet?" he demand-
ed.
"A crowd of them went to the
dance at Lakeside," Janet said,
apologetically. "It's the holidays,
you know, Sigmund. We should
feel thankful that we know where
even one of them is. Thank good-
ness, Nels is put for the holidays."
"Humph!!" muttered Sigmund,
folding his newspaper over at the
sports page. "How do you know?"
"Weld!" exclaimed Janet.
V
Many miles away Marion Mc-
Kenzie Merrill threw down her
newspaper with a shudder.
"The more I think of it, Bob."
she declared to her husband, "the
more thankful I am that Dad is
anchored safely on his little farm,
instead of rampaging around this
city, or any city. Did you read
about this old man who was struck
by a street car at the corner of
Wellington and Champlain? Thank
goodness, Dad is home in his bed
at this hour!"
"The farm's the place for him all
right," agreed Bob, pleasantly.
"You always know where you're
at on a farm."
Marion looked at her handsome,
city- raised, city -bred husband.
There was a sardonic gleam in her
eye.
"Oh, you do, do you?" she mur-
mured.
But even if Bob had heard her.
which he hadn't, he would not have
known what she meant.
CHAPTER TWO
1
Colin lay awake a Iong time let-
ting the spring night soak into his
vitals. The frogs' chanted a steady
litany that never slackened; far up
the river a mud hen called in its
deep voice; and in the field across
from the house a snipe, dreaming
perhaps of weasels and skunks,
lifted its voice in startled cora-
plaint.
He was a happy man. If the
age-old theosophical doctrine had
the right idea that our life on this
earth was determined by one's pre-
vious lives, he couldn't have been
such a bad fellow back in the days
of the Pharohs, or whenever it was,
that he was last on earth.
There was Duncan and Mac and
Marion and Janet. good children all.
who in turn would leave the world
a better place than they had found
it. There was this dark -faced lad
of Janet's and Sigmund's who, he
knew, loved himand whom he lov-
ed more; yes, he had to admit it,
than he had -ever loved any of his
own children. The wind blew
ivhere it listeth, but love sprang
up where it listeth, too.
Catherine, his wife, was safe in
the little cemetery at Brig End
Mills. Safe and freed at last from
the pain that, had tormented her
and torn his heart to shreds for
three long years. He had money
enough to live the sort of life he
wanted to live, and how many men
of seventy could do the same? He
thought of some of the old men he
knew who had to strike out from
their dreary rooms at dusk to'" act
as night watchmen and floor sweep-
ers. No lying out for them under
the sky on an April night and look-
ing up at the stars. Then there
were the others, older still, housed
in old men's homes, herded to bed
at a given hour, washed by the
clock, fed by the clock, never a
day they could really call their
own,
Then, saddest of all, were the
ones living with grudging sons-in-
law or daughters-in-law, knowing
themselves unloved and unwanted,
their bed and room already recov-
ered and redecorated in the mind
of a scheming housekeeper.
His luck had, been truly phenom-
enal. His trouble was to ward off
the loving kindness that would have
swallowed him up.
Colin relaxed more deep into
his pile of hay. The Armstrongs
had suppliedpiles of hay to cush-
ion the .har ....ground, and Nels was
sleeping like a log. This trip
would be a good time to follow in
the footsteps of the old Lama and
practice meditation. He had tried
it occasionally on the farm, but
Just when his never aspim spirit seemed abouuch t
to take off and get him somewhere,
a pigeon would light on hie shoul-
der, or the cat would rub against
his leg, or the dog would shove a
cold nose into the palm of this
hand. But he felt too lazy to prac-
tice meditation tonight. Perhaps
tomorrow--tomorrow—
It was the Armstrong dog licking
his face that awakened Nels before
the break of day. Just the faint-
est tinge of rose among the gra
and the birds began'their morning
chorus. Three pairs of robins, two
pairs of red -winged blaekbirds and
a pair of orange -breasted orioles
went about their early chorea un-
der Nets' enchanted eyes, bathing
in the river, searching for
break-
fast, chanting their morningr
imago
—els had never seem Or hoard
anything like' it!
The fettle's Bingle note vas dill,'
Ocularly oqaiSite. Mete wondered
if he would ever -be able to imitate'
it successfully, enough to Berl
other oriole He tried it a couple,
of times; and the sound were tee.
rible. He wished he knew sourer•
body who did bird, calls and` those,
could give him a few tips on hire`
to hold his lips, and tongue. Nell
looked across the dead ashes of the •
fire and there was . Colin, wide
awake. Colin winked at him and
Nets asked in a low voice, "Do yoe
think they know we are here?"
"I should say they do! Haveret
you noticed how the orioles always•
try to keep a leaf or something be -
tweed themselves and us? They;
have their eyes on us, every mtina
ute. The robins are not quite.
suspicious, but don't make any sn&
den movement. Hungry?"
"Starving!" Nels confessed.
tTin't it a fright? After all I ate
last night, and here we go again--,
eating, eating, eating. What win
it be for breakfast?"
"There is Mrs. Armstrong's seal-
er of milk, so we might as well',
make some porridge. We have oat-
meal. How many boiled eggs are,-
you
re,you good for?"
"Three, I think, And I guess we:•
could make some toast without"
burning it if we are careful. Stays'
right where you are, Grandad, ands:
I'll get the breakfast. That is what
disciples are for, 'I'm glad I don't
have to hustle out and beg like
Kim. I'll start the fire first and,
put the water on for the eggs and.
the tea. Will it be all right to
boil the eggs first and then make:
the tea?"
Colin shuddered slightly. ^�
"You mean mwih
tint same water youake boiledthe thetea eggn3t
in?"
'Sure. I can wash the eggs inn
the river if you want me to be,
real particular."
"Do, It would relieve my mind
somewhat. My imagination is in-
clined
clined to • run riot in the early,-
morning hours."
"We'll have to make the por-
ridge in the frying pan. We should,
have another saucepan.''
"And have to carry it between '
meals wherever we go? Not for-
me. I'd rather do a little extras
dish -washing. Are you a true en''-
ough disciple to wash the porridge
dish for your odd Lama?"
"You're sure putting on the heat,
aren't you, Holy One?" Nels
ned goodnaturedly, "I'11 do it this:.
morning, anyway. I never thought"
to bring a pot scraper or a diab
cloth."
"Use gravel from the river:
bank," said Colin. "And be sure -
and put it to soak while 'we eat:
our breakfast. Always soak the -
porridge pot. That's an axiom."
The Pilgrims ate their breakfast
with gusto, although the porridges
tasted a trifle scorched and the -
eggs were as hard as bullets. At
home, they made a fetish of 'boil-
ing them for three and one-half
minutes, but such details seems&
trifling somehow when viewed in
the light of a rosy morn on the,
banks of the Little Beaver river.
Before they got started on their -
way, Pete Armstrong came down
to see'them off.
"Better be on the lookout for a•
place indoors tonight, folks. The'
radio says thunder storms this eve-
ning."
"Any good-natured people further'
up the river?" inquired Colin.
"Plenty of them. Try Carrie Al-
len's. The river goes through her -
maple bush, and you should 'hit it
about noon,• She might let you
sleep in her syrup shanty. Chip-,
and the boys work on the boats,
each summer, and they've likely-
gone
ikelygone by this time and left her with,
all the syrup equipment to gather
up and rash. Not to mention the•
chores at the barn! If you want
to earn a meal and a place to sleep -
by helping a danged hard-working'.
woman for a few hours, your.
couldn't strike a better spot."
II
The sun was well above the tree-
tops when the Pilgrims finally got
started on their way. In the hav-
ersack was a flitch of Pete's home -
cured bacon, half a dozen potatoes,
and a crusty Ioaf of Mrs. Arm-
strong's bread.
"We're doing fine, Nets," ,said
Colin, in a tone of great satisfac-
tion. "Twenty-four hours gone al-
ready anb we haven't spent a cent.
We are just as smart as Kim and
the Lama any day."
But Nels was dubious about the
afternoon. He didn't feel like
working in the afternoon. And
helping somebody with their syrupy
equipment had been his idea too,
he thought morosely. To eat their
dinner in a syrup shanty with a
nice fire going in the :big furnace
was one thing; but to spend the
rest of the day gathering buckets
and pulling smiles out of trees was
quite another, And Grandad was
enough like Kim's Lama that he
would believe in doing someone a.
good turn. No hope either of
Grandad's being so wrapped up ID
meditation on the Middle Way that
he would not notice anybody's need
of help. If they kept wasting their
time, helping this one and that one,
it would take all of his ten days°
holiday to reach the head of the
river.
They_ could hear Carrie Allen
calling 'Whoa!'. to her team before
they reached the bush at all. And
they saw her before she saw therms.
She was a big raw,honed woman in
coveralls with a limp felt hat on
her reddish gray hair. The team
was evidently a quiet one, because
she was twenty yards from them,
stacking buckets and pulling spilee •
which she dropped along with the
hooka into a carpenter's apron tied
about her waist. As she got ahead
of the team in her work she call-
ed "Come„ Dan!" Come, Barney,"
and obediently they rnoved for-
ward along the narrow trail, bump-
ing over protruding roots and tak-
ing
aging an occasional nibble at the un;
derbrush beside the path, just be-
ginning to buret out in leafy green.
The Pilgrr'hne and Carrie reached'
the shanty together, and all three •
sat down on maple Mocks at the
shanty door _to pass the time of
day.
r
•
a
•
•
4
1
•
,
•
r
d
•
d
a
.1
•
4
4
•
•
i
•
•