The Huron Expositor, 1954-08-06, Page 2HURON : EXPOSITOR
Established 1860
Published at Seaforth, Ontario, ev-
itsy
Thursday afternoon by McLean
A. Y. McLean, Editor
of Canadian
Weekly Newspapers
Association.
PHONE 41
Ase6horized as Second Class Mail
Post Office Department, Ottawa
SE FORTH, Friday, August 6, 1954
NEEDLESS SACRIFICE
Last week -end included Civic HA -
clay and the motorists in their thou-
sands were on the highways, taking
advantage of summer weather and
the long week -end.
A glance at the daily papers on
Tuesday, however, revealed that de-
spite the thousands of words that
have been written, the thousands of
lives that have been needlessly sacri-
ficed too many motorists continued to
go blithely on their way, completely
oblivious to the shocking highway.
death toll, and to the way in which
their ignorance of the three `C's'—
care, courtesy, common sense—con-
tribute to it.
Over the week -end in this part of
Western Ontario alone, at least sev-
en persons lost their lives in traffict
accidents. True, some of the acci-
dents perhaps were unavoidable. But
the accidents falling in this category
were but a small proportion of the
total.
Most of them occurred because
those involved neglected one or more
of these simple rules, so necessary on
crowded highways:
1. Get a good night's sleep before
you start.
2. Get an early start before traffic
is heavy.
3. Stop for a rest and stretch your
legs occasionally. -
4. Cut your usual speed by 10 miles
an hour.
5. Be especially careful when pass-
ing other cars.
6. Keep a clear stopping distance
between you and the car ahead.
7, Keep an eye on the cars behind
in your rear-view mirror.
8. Signal for turns well before
turning—and avoid abrupt stops.
9. Pay attention to all road signs
and posted speed limits.
10. Don't drink before driving.
THINGS NOT TO DO
Every town is faced with the citi-
zen who contributes nothing towards
the problems of the community but
destructive criticism. It matters not
what municipal officials propose, this
citizen will tear it apart, criticize it,
but offer no alternative.
There are other ways, of course,
by which citizens can make it diffi-
cult for their town to progress, and
the Nipawin (Sask.) Journal has tak-
en the trouble to summarize them
under the heading, "Thirteen Sure
ways to Ruin a Good Town":
1. Don't pay taxes. Let the other
fellow pay his. Vote against taxes.
Then fuss because the streets are not
kept up.
2. Never attend any of the meet-
ings called for the good of the town.
If you do, don't have anything to
say. Wait until you get outside and
then cuss those who made the sug-
gestions. Find fault with every-
thing that was done.
3. Get all ,the town will give you,
and don't give anything in return.
Write unsigned letters to the editor
-demanding more for your tax
„money.
4. Talk co-operation, but don't do
anything for your town unless you
!get paid for it. And by all means,
_refuse to serve unless you are chair-
man.
5. Never accept an office. It's eas-
ier to criticize than to do things. Ac-
cuse anybody who serves in an elec-
tion office of being a publicity seeker.
6. Don't do any more than you
have to. When others willingly and
unselfishly give their time to make
a better town, howl because that
town is run by a clique.
7. Don't back your fire depart-
nt or your police department. If
e firemen work to bring the insur-
we rates down, tell everybody that
Is what they are supposed to do.
let thank them or the policeman
or'endangering their lives that you
od1
tiuir�i.,�rcllSnX ��'hn7,�air;
might have a safer town in which to
live. Demand special treatments;
raise cain if anybody expects you to
obey traffic and parking laws.
8. Look at every proposition in a
selfish way. If you are not the one
that gets the most good out of it,
vote against it. Never consider what
it will do for the town as a whole.
9. Don't do anything for the youth
of the town. Criticize them as poten-
tial delinquents. Keep your feet on
them. Encourage them to move
away when they grow up.
10. If you have good town leaders,
don't follow them. Take a jealous at-
titude and talk , down everything
they do.
11. Don't work on any committee.
Tell them, "I'm too busy."
12. Don't say anything good about
your town. Be the first to play up its
shortcomings. Pretend that if trou-
ble comes your way it will be resi-
dents of some other town who will
visit you while you are ill, bring in
the fire department if your home is
burning; comfort you if you lose a
dear one; stand back of you in disas-
ter.
13. And don't support your local
retail stores and industries. Claim
the prices and service in stores in
other towns are better. Claim indus-
try hurts the town. But if you need
a donation, ask your local stores and
industries for it. Expect them to
back you, but don't back them.
A NEW DAY DAWNS
There no longer can be any excuse
for husbands drying dishes or, for
that matter, doing any chores after
dinner. What contributes to their
emancipation is a pronouncement of
Dr. R. Maurice Turner, Toronto
heart specialist, who says they
should hit the nearest couch after
dinner for a short nap instead of
helping to do the dishes.
Widows greatly outnumber wid-
owers in Canada, and the imbalance
is growing. At age 85 there are sev-
en women for every man. A much
larger percentage of middle-aged
men and women fall victim to heart
diseases.
Worried by this, Dr. Turner warns
the men of Canada that they should
"take an uninterrupted nap after
dinner to relieve the strains and
stresses of the day." This applies
particularly, he emphasizes, to hus-
bands who are middle-aged.
RAIN COMES
There may have been a few holi-
day -bent individuals who regretted
seeing rain fall over the week -end,
but their complaints would have -lit-
tle effect when compared to the joy
expressed by the farmer and by ev-
eryone who is interested in agricul-
ture.
The continuing dry weather was
becoming increasingly serious and
farmers were facing heavy losses as
crops and pastures dried up. While
the rains were accompanied by hail
and wind in some centres, the result-
ing damage would be of little mom-
ent compared to the great good
which the long -needed moisture
brought.
True, the rains brought new green-
ness to parched fields, but in certain
areas, if crops are to reach their us-
ual standard of production, still
more rain is needed. In other areas,
it is said, the rain that fell was ex-
cessive and may make harvesting
difficult. Nevertheless, the rain did
a good job and was a big factor in
averting what well may have been
an agricultural disaster.
What Other Papers Say:
'And Girls'
(A.R.F., in London Free Press)
Last year when in Bayfield on our
holidays we were driving along a
road between Bayfield and Zurich
when we were surprised to read on
a big red barn on a prosperous look-
ing farm the words in huge letters,
"Oliver McClinchey and Girls". One
is accustomed to see often in West-
ern Ontario the name of the farmer
and his sons, but this was the first
time we ever saw the daughters in-
cluded.
However, Mr. McClinchey will
have to change his sign. The last of
his daughters was married last Sat-
urday at Zurich and a wedding sup-
per was held at the New Ritz Hotel,
Bayfield.
tie Alia aSellRI �•tr,
THE HURON EXPOSITOR
SEEN IN THE COUNTY PAPERS
Found Old Coln
Mrs. Gerald Watson is the pos-
sessor of what may be a rare coin
which was found in the garden re-
cently. The silver coin is an Am-
erican half dime, dated in the year
1853. It is in a splendid state of
preservation.—Blyth Standard.
Had Enjoyable Gathering
Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Eickmeier, of
Exeter, the latte•r's .parents of
Wingham, Mr. and Mrs. Alf. Cole,
and daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Roy
Oliver, of St. Marys, were Sunday
guests at the home of the form-
er's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Eickmeier.—Zurich Herald.
Recovering From Injury
Mrs. Jack Nesbitt, who two
weeks ago fell out of a cherry Lucky Find
.tree, chipping eff a piece of the why Oliver .MCBrien e( Nelson
wrist bone, is recovering nicely.
The accident occurred at the Biome
of Mrs. Henry Hunking. — Blyth
Standard.
night to see that no further dam-
age was done.—Clinton News -Re-
cord.
Had Farewell Party
Last Wednesday evening a fare-
well party was held at the home
of Mr, and Mrs. Ted Steinbach, in
honor of Mr. Reg Illsley, who has
left for Lambeth, sponsored by the
Chamber of Commerce, Zurich, as
Mr. Illsley was very instrumental
in having such an organization es-
tablished in Zurich. The boys pres-
ent all reported a very nice time,
plenty of food and treats, and a
fine social evening spent. An ap-
propriate presentation was made to
Mr. Illsley, to which he replied
very fittingly. Zurich Herald.
Home After Extensive Tour
Bob Allan has returned to his
home at Brucefield after an exten-
sive tour of England and Scotland,
conducted by the Young Farmers
there. H. R. Baker, assistant ag-
ricultural representative for Hur-
on, is also back in Canada, and
reported for duty on Tuesday.
Harold has been touring England
and Europe.—Clinton News -Record.
Street Paving
During the past week the street
paving program for the year was
completed and as far as it went a
fine job was done. The area covers
Frederick St. from the highway
north; all of Mary St. and Louise
St. from Frederick East to Goshen.
If the village next year paves . a
similar amount and •so on, in a
few years we will have streets that
will be very easy to maintain, at
little cost.—Zurich Herald.
Over 4,000 Visit Museum
Huron County Pioneer Museum
on North. St, is maintaining the
pace started early 'this year in
attracting a record number of
visitors, Curator J. H. Neill re-
ports that the historic centre wel-
comed its 4,000 visitor last Friday,
Mrs. S. R. Brill, of Teeswater. It
was the end of the first week in
August la's't year when a similar
number was reached. On Sunday
the Museum had 201 visitors and
by Tuesday the total number of
visitors had risen to 4,417.—Gode-
rich Signal -Star.
SL, started to reshingle the ver-
andah of his house the other day,
he didn't dream he would find a
carpenter's tool that was 60 years
old. He had removed some shingles
when something that was shiny
caught his eye. He took off some
more shingles and removed a
board and there was a spirit level
between the ceiling and the roof
of the verandah. Mr. McBrien said
the level must have been left there
by carpenters when the (house was
built about 60 years ago. And it
was just as shiny and as in good
shape as a new one. — Goderich
Signal -Star.
1
Years Agone
Interesting Item• Picked From
The Huron Expositor of Tway'.
tyfw and Fifty Years Ago
1
From The Huron Expositor
August 2 and 9, 1929
Miss Mary McNaughton, who
has been teaching school at Sault
Ste. Marie for the past few years,
has been engaged to teach at No.
3, Tuckersmith, for the corning
year. •
Another serious motor accident
occurred at the bridge just east of
Brucefield on Tuesday afternoon,
when Mrs. Dale Nixon, of Seaforth,
who had been calling on her moth-
er, Mrs. D. Munroe, was returning
home in her car. Her car was
wrecked when a tire blew out just
west of the bridge, striking the
cement wall of the bridge and go-
igreasingng into the dnicelitch.y'She is now pro -
The pupils from the class of
Miss Marie Ryan, of Walton, who
were successful in the recent To-
ronto Conservatory of Music exam-
inations were Miss Mary Short -
reed and Miss Mary Humphries.
Both tried the introductory piana-
forte examinations.
Men have commenced work on
the township hall in Staffa, which
will be moved up to the corner lot
and a foundation put under it.
Dr. E. C. Wilford arrived home
in Blyth a few days ago from
Chingtu, China. The trip was
made by Russia and Siberia and
required six weeks of continuous
travelling.
Mr. Carl Haines, of Newark, N.
J., is visiting at the home of Mr.
and Mrs, W. H. McLean, Tucker -
smith,
The late hot weather is rushing
the harvest and it is feared there
will be a lighter crop than expect-
ed. Threshing operations will be in
Lull swing next week to get rid of
the wheat crop and make room for
the spring crops.
Miss Margaret Eaton, of Win-
throp. was operated on for appen-
nicitis in Memorial Hospital, Sea -
forth, on Monday, and is doing
icely.
On Wednesday evening an ex-
citing game of football was played
at 'Winthrop between Chesley and
Winthrop, the score being 2-2.
Mr. Edward Devereaux, who for
the past three years has been on
the staff of the Canadian Bank of
Commerce at Seaforth, Walton and
Auburn, has resigned to accept a
position with the Commercial Bank
at Durand, Michigan.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Pollock, of
Preston, are visitors at , th.e home
of Mr. and Mrs, John Cummings,
and are on their wedding trip.
Mrs. Pollock was formerly Miss
Beatrice Woodley, of Seaforth,
Mr. Wm. Fairbairn, of Tucker -
smith, who' has been assisting
with a threshing machine, had the
misfortune to get his' arm caught
in the cutting box, making a bad
gash.
Open New Picnic Park
By way of semi-official opening
of their newly formed park, mem-
bers of the Brussels Lions Club and
their wives enjoyed a pleasant ev-
ening there on Friday. Guests for
the occasion were several work-
men who had helped in the work
on the park. F. Walton Todd and
D. A. Rann presided at the barbe-
cue and produced steaks, 20 at a
time, for the waiting guests. The
rest of the meal, which ways serv-
ed buffetstyle, had been planned
by Mrs. F. W. Todd and Mrs. H.
C. Thomas. Fifty-two guests par-
took of the dinner and afterwards
about 40 of them, many of whom
had never bowled before, took
part in a friendly contest on the
bowling green.
Tends Pumphouse Through Night ,
An unusual happening at the
small pump house on Princess
St. East, Monday evening, manag-
ed to keep assistant superintend-
ent A. E. Rumball of the Clinton
P.U.C. up all that night. A holding
switch in some way produced a
short circuit, and when Mr. Rum -
ball approached the small building
he found it filled with smoke. Con-
sultation with superintendent J.
Rands resulted in Mr. Rumball,;s
offering to, keep watch through the
Elected Deputy Grand Master
At the Masonic Grand Lodge ses-
sions held in Toronto last week,
Mr. Harold T. Vodden, of Blyth
Lodge No. 303, was elected Dis-
trict Deputy Grand Master of
North Huron Masonic District. He
succeeds Rt. Wor. Bro. Archie Mc-
Gugan, of Palmerston Lodge. Two
other names were proposed, Wim.
Leiper, of Hullett Lodge, and: Ad-
am Dodds, of Listowel Lodge. Mr.
Donald Howes, also of Blyth
Lodge, received the appointment
as district secretary. Rt. Wor. Bro.
Vodden is the fourth member in
the history of Blyth Lodge to re-
ceive the high distinction. others
in the past are Rt. Wor. Bro. R. D.
Philp, in 1943, and the late Rt.
James B. Tiernay. — Blyth Stan-
dard.
Heirlooms, Pioneer Relics
Find. Way to U. S. Homes
According to the experts, Cana-
dian antiques will be a minus quan-
tity in about six years. Where are
they going? To the States mainly,.
though many have been lost from
neglect.
Antiques are big business now,
particularly since the war. Ameri-
can dealers come to Ontario to buy
articles by the truck load and ship
them back home to be sold in their
retail stores. The customs duty in-
to the States doesn't matter, for
it is added to the selling price.
Americans love the old treasures
they get from Canada and will pay
almost any price to get them.
These buyers usually try to find
reputable antique dealers who have
gathered articles from homes priv-
ately and through auction sales.
They can find them easily in direc-
tories published for the purpose in
Michigan, New York and Califor-
nia. This way saves time and as
one person can't know everything
about antiques, he must, to some
extent, rely on the person he buys
from.
The McQuillan sisters, Ida and
Frances, of Guelph, Ontario, start-
ed in the antique business in 1945
in a small way. In eight years, so
mach has their business grown
that a third sister has opened a
store in Detroit as a branch of the
Guelph store. Undoubtedly the
PM store will get much of its
stock from Ontario. This is proof
that the antique business is very
good for the time being anyway.
The pity of it is that Canadians
as a whole don't care for old
things. Something brand new,
right out of the store looks a lot
better to them than antiques that
have been in the family for years.
What they don't realize is that
the ancient furniture or bric-a-brac
is not worthless. What often ap-
pears to be no longer desirable is
anything but that when a reliable
dealer gets hold of it. 'Then a
transformation occurs.
For instance a pine cupboard is
sanded down and refinished until
it looks almost new. Only the de-
sign and workmanship plus little
things like the thickness of the
wood in the drawers prove it to
be an •antique. Many of these
handsome cupboards are pushed
aside for years, the owner not
knowing the value because of the
layers–of paint, varnish and dirt
that may have accumulated.
Old style beds are reclaimed by
a good furniture repairer, so that
the new type spring mattress can
be used. The beds are remodelled
to standard size. Many of the rope
beds are of good quality walnut or
mahogany, for they were made
when wood was so plentiful and
cheap that often it was burned to
get It out of the way,
'Stii�''�}�'�,{51Rt�S�4'�'S•rR,"�Vh"1�or., � .,...,
"Keeper of the Trees
AUGUST 6; 1.0r41
ri
(By MRS. M. C. DOIO) , y
(Continued from last week)
"Oh, yes."
"If you don't mind I'll use it to
call a friend of mine."
The farmer pulled out
and looked at it.
"It's just about twelve o'clock.
Come in and have dinner with us.
My name is Barney McCann. My
wife will think you're great, She's
been raving about the Harpers for
years. One time when I was away
and they were on a bender, she
went over and tended their stock
for three days. You fellows out
trapping or something?",,,.
"Just on a hike. This is my
grandson, Nels Kelson. You prob-
ably know Sigmund Kelson, who
keeps the store at Brig End Mills.
This is his boy."
a watch
"Oh, yes. Great little store Kel-
son has there. Keeps everything—
although how he finds it in all that
helter-skelter beats me. I went
there to get a ferrule for a hoe
one time and he said: yes, he had
some, and we went into that back
part among all those cartons and
crates and boxes and stuff, and he
went straight to a wooden box, and
it was one of about twenty, mind
you. and they 'all looked alike to
me, and he put his hand in and
brought up just what I wanted. I
often think of it. How does he do
it, son? Does he keep one of those
electric eyes up his sleeve like
they have for sorting beans?"
"No," said Nels, solemnly. "We
don't know how he does it, either,
but we think he smells the stuff
out the way a bird dog finds game.
We'd never be able to keep a clerk
in that store. They'd go bughouse
in a month. Whenever there is a
rush on, one of us has to help
out. Mother and Karen are pretty
good at it, and me—I help when I
can't get out of the way in time.
11 I thought I had to work in it
all my life, I'd kill myself."
McCann opened the kitchen door
and held it'open for the two visi-
tors, at the same time calling out:
"Hi, Mary! Visitors! Two more
for dinner!"
Mary emerged from a nearby
pantry. She was a big woman, at
least seventy pounds overweight,
and .it was years since her waist-
line had been anything but a place
where a belt out -size went around.
But she was as light on her feet
as a cat, and she made Colin and
Nels feel at home.
When McCann explained how
things were at the Harper farm,
his wife threw her apron over her
head, sat on a chair, pounded her
knees and laughed until she cried.
When she finally sobered up, she
pointed an accusing finger at her
husband, and exclaimed:
"That's what should have been
done years ago. Haven't I been
telling you that? What are you
going to do now?" she demanded of
Colin. "You're not going to just
drop the matter like a hot coal, I
hope! Those two worthless crea-
tures should be prosecuted. .They
shouldn't be allowed to keep even
a dog."
"Where's your telephone?" ask-
ed Colin. "I happen to know the
county constable. He's the man to
inform."
The telephone was an old wall
affair and if you wanted to get the
operator you pressed a button on
the side of the box and turned the
crank with vigor. Colin cranked.
There was no answer. He cranked
again. Still no answer. .
"I suppose the operator goes out
for a coke every fifteen minutes?"
said Colin to the McCanns as he
rang a third time.
"She's an awfully pretty girl,"
explained Mrs. McCann. "And this
is the worst time possible to get a
connection; she is so busy talking
to her beaux. They drop in to see
her at the noon hour if they live
in town, and they call her up if
they live out of town,"
"Good Lord, what a place!" mut-
tered Colin, "Worthless stockmen,
antiquated telephones, boy -crazy
operators! Why doesn't the tele-
phone company put her on the
night shift? - It wouldn't interfere
with business so badly."
"They tried that," said Mrs. Mc-
Cann. "But it didn't work. We
couldn't get an answer from opera-
tor at all then, because the boy
friends were off work and had
more time."
Then why don't they fire her?"
stormed Colin, almost ringing the
telephone off the wall.
"The superintendent of the Ex-
change is sweet on her too, and he
wouldn't consider that for a min-
ute. He wants her where he can
keep an eye on her."
Just then there was a faint click
in Colin's ear and a mild and pleas-
ant voice inquired:
"Number, please?"
"Operator, I want to speak to
Hector Smith, the county con-
stable at Beaver Meadows. Yes,
I'll hold, the line."
Colin put his hand over the
mouthpiece and spoke back Into
room,
Doesn't that beat all?" asked
Colin, slightly dazed. "Not a
word of apology—nothing, Just
'number, please'!"
"She's a nice girl," defended Mrs.
McCann, "I know her mother. On-
ly she's in the wrong place. What
we need in that telephone office is
a battle-axe like Tugboat Annie.
Someone that no one would ever
look a
co
turned again to the tele-
phone.
elaphone.
"Yes! Yes! Is that you, Hec?
This Is Colin McKenzie, No, you
old fool, I'm not in gaol anywhere
and I don't need you to come and
fish me out! What I want you to
do Is put a couple of other fellows
in. Wlhat d'you mean, you've been
looking for me? I haven't done a
thing to have any small town cop
looking for me! What? You're
crazy! oh, my gosh! That's be
Janet. Walt till I tell Nels. Now,
see here, Hec, you tell Janet That
11 she doesn't stay at home and
mind her own business, that Nels
and I will head for Hudson Bay
and She won't see hide nor hair of
Old clocks are greatly valued by
American buyers. They don't mind
in the least if the works are use=
less or missing. Often all they
want is the case of a clock. They
have works at home all ready to
put in. Many an old steeple clock
or the plainer O.G. type get a new
lease on life.
Certainly the Americans who buy
our antiques are ingenious, for
they see uses that are both prac-
tical and charming. The old-fash-
ioned dough box is in demand
again only in the living room as
a top for a coffee table. Soap dish-
es that' came with bedroom sets
are used now as candleholders in
a table centre. The hole that let
the water through is used to hold
the candle. When these are iron-
stone they are doubly valued. Old
hand irons not in actual use for
many a year, are now wanted for
door stops.
Versatile Pieces
0141 carriage and stable lanterns
are converted into electric light fix,
tures for outdoors, on a veranda or
in a garden. Two coats of alumin-
um paint and one of black paint
will prevent the metal from rust-
ing. The old coal oil lamps are
still plentiful and really beautiful.
They are not expensive to buy and
when made over into electric lamps
are often better than anything to
be found in the stores for certain
decorating schemes.
Sleigh bells, too, are in demand.
These are hung on the front door
at Ohristmas time and ring out
pleasantly when guests arrive.
When these bells have matched
tones, the owner has a treasure.
Antique stores cater to the per-
son with a more frivolous taste,
too. There is the expertly carved
head of a young woman. The wood
is walnut and would make a fine
lamp base. The face is sweet and
many a well-informed person has
tried to find her in history. It has
been decided that the carving was
done doing Stuart times. A junk
collector found the scratched and
shabby head and shoulders sever-
al years ago, hut being an artist,
he recognized the value and kept
it for a long time. He copied it in
soapstone before selling it. There
is no signature to help decide who
did the •piece and when, but that
it is old and beautiful, no one de-
nies.
Many wonder how the dealers
get their stock of antiques. Once
in business, however small, people
will bring things to sell. When
they find they get a square deal
they continue to bring more thingd
and tela others. No reputable deal-
er in Ontario's ruralsections goes
family treaaurea. People resent
((ontlnued on Page 6)
•
us for six months. J1ake ttl
strong!"
"And now here is something you.
can really make yourself useful by
looking into, instead of hounding
two harmless wayfarers into flee-
ing the country. I'm speaking from
the farm of Barney McCann, at lo$
7, concession 5, Fowler Township.
You know where it is? That's
fine. Then maybe you know a pair
of brothers called Harper, purport?
ing to belong to the human race,,
who live across the road from Mc-
Canns? I see you know them all
right. Well, i've just come from
their place, where I let out every
living thing in the barn, because,
they hadn't been fed or watered
for at least two days. Wlhat'S
that? No, I didn't clean up on the
men themselves! They were too
drunk. Now, Hec, I want you to •
see that this doesn't happen again.
Inform the S.P.C.A. Get out e -
posse. I don't care what you do,
but you force those Harpers to get'
rid of their stock or your name ip
Mud. I'll testify against them in
court, or anywhere else. Goode
bye, Hec,"
From The Huron Expositor
July 29 and August 5, 1904
During the severe thunderstorm
on Sunday night the residence of
Fred Wuerth and the barn of
John Bedford, Dashwood, were
struck by lightning, but no serious
damage was done.
Mr. R. Boyd, Leadbury, who
rented his farm and disposed of
iris chattels recently, has gone on
a trip to Manitoba.
Mr. Ernest Adams, of Londes-
boro, had a very successful barn
raising pn Monday.
The barn of Mr. John McEwen,
on the Bayfield road, about two
miles west of this place, was
struck by lightning. on Wednesday
night, and with its contents was
completely destroyed.
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Ross left
Brucefield on Friday for Depot
Harbor, where Mr. Ross has a
good position. They will visit with
friends in Manitoba before return-
ing in the fall.
Mr. Dan McLeod, Seaforth, who
has been laid up for a couple of
weeks with blood poisoning. is
now nearly better and expects in
a few days to be at his old place
in Sills' & Murdie's.
Mr. Bert VanEgmond, of Toron-
to, was in Seaforth this week on
a visit with friends.
A dainty painting by Miss Bar-
bara Sproat was shown this week
in Mr. Alex Wilson's window and
was much and deservedly admired.
The design was original.
Mr. Hugh Hays left Seaforth for
the Old Country on Tuesday. He
came out in March to see the coun-
try and was much taken up with
it, but owing. to family affiliations
he had to return home.
Mrs. W. J. Welsh and daugh-
ters, of Kansas City, Mo., are vis-
iting their aunt, Mrs. John Floyd,
Seaforth.
We learn that the residence of
Mr, Alex Leech, formerly, of Sea -
forth, but now of Calumet, was
burned on the 4th of July by the
explosion of firecrackers.
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Norris, of
Ottawa; Mr. _James Norris, of
Walkerton, and the Misses Bar-
bara and Lindsay Norris, who have
been attending the Seaforth Col-
legiate Institute, arrived last week
at the home of Mr, and Mrs. J. A.
Noi ris, where they will spend
their holidays.
On Tuesday of last week Mr.
Richard Brock, on the farm of Mr.
Fred Hai•st, north of Crediton, on
completing a hay stack 30 feet
high, in some way fell from the
top of it to the ground, dislocat-
ing his hip joint and was other-
wise shaken up.
On Tuesday of last week eleven
cars of cattle were shipped from
Gorrie station. They were valued
at 116,000.
On a card in the front window
of a suburban hoarse appeared the
following notice:
"A ,piano for sale."
In the window next door another
eard appeared with just one word:
"Hurraht"
When Colin turned away from •
the telephone his hearers were.
gazing at him with admiration.
"Gee, Grandad," said Nels. "Yore
didn't talk much like a Lama, but
you sure talked like a man."
"There!" said Mrs. McCann;•
pointing a spatula at her husband.
"That's the sort of man I've been
trying to make of you for twenty
years, but I guess -- --she turned'
back to the frying pan. "I guess
you have to have first-class mater-
ial to start with."
"And Grandad," Nels hesitated, a_
look of alarm on his dark face,
"What were you saying at first
there to Mr. Smith? Has mother
set the police looking for us, for
;:tosh sakes!"
"Don't worry about it, Nels.
Leave it to me to take care of -your -
mother."
Colin and Nels ate a good dinner
at McCanns, but for the life of
them they could never have told
w bat they ate. They were too
wrought up.
Afternoon saw them again on
their way, their haversacks loaded
down with Mrs. McCann's summer
sausage, bread, mid a square of
fruit calve for which, with the ut-
most emphasis, she refused any-
thing in the line of payment.
"The community should take up -
a collection for you,'' she said, em-
phatically. For two pins I'd start.
the ball rolling with a dollar my-
self. Only," looking at therm.
shrewdly, "I don't believe you real-
ly need it. This is just a game,.
isn't it?"
But Colin and Nels refused to be
drawn, and started on their way in.•
great good humor.
"Well. my chela," said Colin, of--,
Ler they had tramped On for sev-
eral minutes in silence, "I'm afraid
your old Lama is still bound me
the wheel. The red mist of anger
has certainly been -clouding the
vision this morning. Alas! Alas!
A11 is illusion!"
'Vets chuckled,
"I'll bet by the time those men
get their stock rounded up and
back in the barn, they'll wish some-
things were illusious. Such peo-
ple!"
"Of courex. Nels, strictly speak-
ing, it isn't for us to judfie them.
Just think for a minute of all the
things that could have made those
fellows what they are. They may
have had a miserable childhood—
likely they had. Perhaps their
father drank: their mother too!
Then they nia.y have. had unhappy
love affairs that knocked the heart
out of them: their sweethearts
niay have died or jilted them. Per-
haps they • had an awful tens
weathering the depression. They
ray have a mortgage that eats up
everything they nral:e and only
leaves then' enough to buy the
booze In which they drown their
troubles,"
"Aw, tripes!" said Nels. disgust-
edly. "I don't care what kind of
a childhood they had, or if they
were left waiting at the church
every year for twenty years; they aloe
don't have to treat. animals like
that! I Shope that constable socks
it to them. Gosh, 'I wonder where
we'll sleep tonight, and what will
happen tomorrow? it's just like w
fish pond at the carnival. Your
never know."
The beautiful spring countryside
was spread out before them as
they tramped along. Every day it
seemed that more and more of ,the
birds were back from winter quar-
ters and the rain the night before
had caused the grass to spring to
life anew.
About midafternoon as they were
helping each other through a
tightlyl-strung barbed wire fence,
a burst of melody from a nearby'
meadow made Colin pause astride
a wire.,
",Tust listen to that!" he exclaim-
ed. "The bob -o -links are back al-
ready. I never knew them to be
as early as this before. Arent
they the dandy little singers? Til
make a confession, lad, if you see
that it doesn't go any further.
About fifty years ago another chap
and I were at a party about this
time 01 year, maybe a little later.
Mac was a great fiddler and par-
ties lasted until broad daylight in
those days. They didn't have this
Banged d•ayltght saving then, and
it was light at four o'clock. We
were walking home -,a, good five
'Miles it was—and we came across
a flock of bob -o -links lined up on
a wire fence. Mac was feeling
pretty good and I had a few my-
self, and he out with his diddle and
started to play the sailor's horn-
pipe. I wish you could have heard
those little devils sing! Mac would
play a few bars and stop, then the
birds would take it up for a minute
or two. When they stopped Mao
would play some more. It was
Just like an orchestra. I've always
had a soft spot hi my heart for"
the bob -co -hanks ever since."
4
4
•
4
4
P
A
(Continued Next Week)
1
1
r
i
4
A
4
•
e
O
A