The Lucknow Sentinel, 1980-02-06, Page 7ofrom page 6'
palitit's clerk around for a week as he or
She deals with two or three night
meetings (without the pay per meeting_
that most councils enjoy), irate taxpayers,
dog complaints, requests. for ten page •
letters from the provincial treasurer,
sending out tax notices, taking building
permit applications; bugging the county
about the township's official plan and
briefing new cetinCillors on the difference
between a by, law and a motion,
No one who regularly attends council
meetings or has a good look inside a •
muncipal office would call the clerk's job
a soft one. The clerks in our area earn
their salaries..
If on exaniination you still dispute that,
the place' to complain is to your elected
representatives, who conduct wage nego-
tiations, not their employee, the clerk.
, —The Seaforth Huron Expositor
Help your Heart Fund
Help your Heart
AfiLLER
) • In a rural area like RedireeS, news,travel$ fasterby
word of mouth than it does: bY weeklY: newspaper:,
The closing down of the Grunt & Thunder Was
common knowledge long before I announced 'tin the
editorial of my little .rag. Some heard the news with
gertUind regret but others, like the Viliage council for
instance, -,were -happy -to be rid . of my -COriStant--
.: needling criticism,- The 'Scheduled final edition
received more' opy and advertising than l was used to
handling. It seemed as if everybody "wanted to have
the last' word in'the last newspaper.
In the RecitreeS Hotel, whatever was left .of
reputation : was torn to shreds .by the, alcoholio :fraternity. . •;.;
"Nobody's gOnna miss the out'ouse news - nothin'
in it anyways, 'only fer old women an'-preachers.
Never did like them Limeys. Think they're smart so
they does. He'Stire made-a sucker out. of Angus. 'im
an' his family moved in ons'irn an' now they'll move
out. and fergit all 'e..dOne' fer thern. Never. trust ,a
Limey, that's what I say."
'On the Main 'street, the'knowing,glanbes and hands
cupped over mouths, told' Me' I was the focal point of
conversation, complimentary or Otherwise. More
people than usual made 'one exouse or another to visit
the newspaper office. Sorne pretended to be
Concerned aboUt my welfare,Whilst secretly gloating
over My•failure: Others, the, uneducated philosophers;
adVised me on how I should •provide for my family in a
land of golden opportunity.. CertainlY, in their opinion
I would never make it in the writing 'field.- In
retrospeOt, thoSeedger to pick over my bones '.were in
the minority. There other, people .1 remember to
this day, who lived by a true Christian ethic. They
came to sedwhat help they could give, in my hour of
crisis. Some brought:little. gifts, thrust them into my
hands and left hurriedly, not knowing What'to saY''. It
brought alump,to my throat when I realited that quite
a number, would be sorry when I had gone.
Once,. when I was passing .the blacksmith's shop,
Charlie' Grant came 'out to greet• me. His face was
blackened with sweat and grime and hp still,' held a
pair of tongs in his hand. •
"I understand yOu're leaving us."
I nodded,-"Socin ,,Ctiarlie, in a few•days l.guess."
He shuffled his feet iht• the dirt • a if he were .
ernbarrassed. "I kinda . liked some of the things yOu
_w_rote,,thern_stories_abOut_btlaer-touritr-ies,--you,kn (71-Wr-
India an' Egypt. I read quite a bit - read 'ern all, so I
did." 'In his rough sort of way. Charlie -was, throwing
me a bouquet.
"Well, thank you Charlie, I'm' glad somebody
enjoyed reading therm."
Charlie shuffled a little more'.-"You ought ter write:
a book. rd buy a book likethat -'travel, adventure and
Such like,"
It is surprising how little people know 'about a -
writer's 'world. Writing is easy, but getting a work
.published is.. a different matter. Nobody yet has
managed to live on rejection slips., I .didn't mention
this to Charlie.
ever Write a-novel, HU send you a copy and I'll
pen a little note in the cover. "To. Charlie, who
tempered the edge of fallUre and fired the steel of my
ambition"; I am' not:sure Charlie understood what I
said,: but I know he was very.'pleaSed
After I delivered thp last paste-up of „thkgrunt &
to-tile_printerS.at.PantOwn,r1-continuedbn
the city. I met with a friend of mine who managed a
department in An aircraft factory. He had found me.a •
job in the ;publications -section and.faMillarized me'
with my new employment. There, was Something
about 'the lines of •deskS and draWing boards of that
establishment Certainly it would be •' strange and
foreign atmosphere after my life at 'Reoltrees. Close to
•my new place of .work I rented, a toWnhOUse in a
• subdivision. Just a nondescript box,- One:of a hundred
or more dwellings around the only piece of 'green in-
the the distriot This they called the recreation area and it . •
was crowded with kids of all ages. Sadly I visualized
my children.beOoming just ,a ,few more faces. in the
throng of city. life, There were'other things to attend
The.bare'essentials:of furniture obtained on credit;
.arrangements for 'hydro service and a telephone. .
When.1:left the city,. at leastl had laid the foUndation
for a new beginning but I was not certain what kind of:
life we could build.
In the days which follOwed, we told the children as
gentlY as We could, that soon we would be leaving
Redtrees. Scime were too young to:realize the impact_.,,,
lhis•Would have upon their. lives.. The older ones and
particularly Jeannie the shepherd .of our little flock, •
knew the move would not be easy to bear. When `t
exPlained to her the necessity.for our departure, I saw
the tell tale glisten in her eyes as she tried so hard to
Make an adult attitude emerge from a child's emotion.
"There: isn't much time and wee have' so much to
do," She. said, her leadership qualities rising to the
occasion. "We have-to sort out all our things. There's
a lot of wasning: to do and the pets. Oh dear, we shall
haveto.find homes for therri all." ,
There was .one peeson, hoWever, who had been
given, very little consideration- during this
period.and she perhaps, the most important of us all.
The wife and mother is always taken for granted -10
share theconsequences of a man's dreams better
or for worse. To this day we have not completely
appreciated the,unselfish role, which the woman plays
in_the_diarna oiSu.r.V.ivaL2 or...for_worse't_
bring§ to mind other •statements made on a certain
:momentous occasion. WordS like "for richer or
poorer" and certainly the latter, thdpoorer, has been •
more applicable to the woman who shared my life.
-Ahgus...made me feel ashamed.wh L talked Ao him
a few days beford we left the Hungrey Hundred. I was
feeling sorry for myself, perhaps hinting that I had so
little to show for My existence'.
"You got a wife, an' you got kids," he said-with
more than a hint of envy. "I got nothin' but the land,
an' soon lain't gonna 'ave that! You!re a rich guy, so ,.
yer are!"
2:30 to 4:30 7 DAYS A WEEK
SOIVIETHING FOR THE LADIES...
Come,' visit our unusual country resort for Tea today! .
We've prepared buttered toast, freahlY made scones;
hhme made jam, Devon'breani, cake, biscuits and Dal
Grey tea for the occasion. Relax and enjoy as we serve
you in front of an open hearthlqg fire in one of our two
lounges. (reservations not required)
_c 00
just v • per person
Complement your outing
with a visit to THE HOLLOW. A unique gift shop
just steps from our Inn
Benmiller
Inn
Nestled in Eienruiller, Ont., just, 7
kilometres'-east of Goderich on Huron
r3ourity Road .1, just off Highway
8, phone 524-2191.
of the
1000 Annual Meeting
of the
West Wawanosh, Mutual
Fire insurance Company
Notice is hereby given the Annual Meeting ,of
the Company will be held at the:
Hard
1. Toxeceive and dispose of the financial statement and
auditor's report.
2. To appOint auditors.
3. To consider and enact amendments to Company,
By-Laws
—Article3 Head Office Location
—Artitie 7 Annual Meeting Date
—Article 33 Director's Remtmeration
4. To elect two [2) Directors
5. To transact any other business that. may properly
come before the meeting.
The retiring Directors •are Eldon Bradley and Gerald
Kerr, both of 'whom are eligible for re-election, for a
three, year term.
1
A policyholder wishing to seek election or re-eloction
as a Director must file his or her nomination in writing
with the Secretary of the Corporation at least five (5)
dayi in advance of an annual meeting or special general
meeting' called for 'the purpose of electing Directors.
The 'Company Bylaws are available for mspeOtion
Head Office.
By order of the Board of °Directois. ' •
STEPHEN B. WHITNEY,
SECRETARY.