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The Seaforth News, 1938-06-23, Page 7-40 THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1938 THE SEAFORTH NEWS 1 The Seaforth News Phone 84 I Duplicate Monthly Statements We can save you money on Bill and Charge Forms, standard sizes to fit (edgers, white or colors. It will spay you to see our samples. Also best quality Metal Hinged Sec- tional Post Binders and Index. O 1 1 1 I i .-�y�.iP�RM��A11�■Y-.�B■���l�P.■���M�ili��� • traps attached to the shoulder strap.. "You're coming in, a'rnen'•t you?" she asked, holding wide the kitchen door. , i VI He shook his head. "Not now, I'll be back later. I'm going down to the river. I .thought 1'4 bring the lariat nope your father ordered. Ed Spesolc .brought it out from town this morn- ung." He slipped 'his arm out of the coiled rope and handed it to her. (Astrid took it, 'but she remained in the doorway. "Father is gone. 17eanie Mack had a bad might. They sent for mother. Fa- ther took her over. I've been 'alone all the morning. Woie''t you •cone in acrd warm your feet?" Wilbur again shook his head. "I can't," he explained, smiling at the flushed face of the ,girl. "I'm late now. I've got to take a Tun over my trap line. And I'm ,figuring on crossing the river to make some additional sets. The Yellow Rock is frozen now, and I want to pick my sets 'before Char- ley Pierre ,gets ahead of me." "It's a little early for crossing the river, isn't it " inquired the giel, and her face suddenly lost its happy :flu's'h. "This is the first cold spell, you know." "I 'know," he ,replied quickly, "and I've ,gat to take advantage of it. Char- ley Pierre gat ahead of me last year because I waited. Charley never had any trouble crossing the Yellow ,Rock in December. I'm just as able as he is." Astrid was silent; for some vague reason she mistrusted the Yellow Rock, It's muddy swirling water filled her with strange apprehension. It seemed treacherous. On the surface it was much like other rivers, bet there were under .currents that caused the lazy swirling. She had heard tales too of how deceitful .the sluggish appear- ance of the water was. "The Yellow Rock—I hate itl" she burst out. "It isn'rt sale. Lt's tricky. Wait a day or two. Two nights of freezing weather can make a lot of difference." . Wilbur laughed. "And two nights to a dozen trappers," he said. "But you elon'f know the Yellow Rock as I do. Pee lived right here in sight of it for six years, I (know. It isn't safe to 'erase on the ice now." Astrid eyed his bulky form, Wrap- ped up .and weighted down as to was, what could he do against the icy cur rents of the Yellow Rook "It oan't Abe crouch more than 'rub- ber ice .near the middle of the stream," she added. ''"It's dangerous. Stay here." Wilbur laid his hend•on,fhe knob of the shed door. T"I,f I stay here much longer, you'll be 'bribing me," he said, laughing. "I'rn not 'afraid, Don't wor- ry about me. I'll get along all right. And it's going to be a great night for shooting down Ski Hill; don't forget that." He smiled at ,the seriousness of, her face as 'he pulled open ,the door. .Astrid said ,nothing 'more until he had stepped .out. Then she rushed to the outside door. "Thanks •for bringing the rope," she Balled after him."Father's preparing for spring ;already; he's making lari- ats. And 'be careful!" • Astrid could not help smiling at the carefree chuckle ,that escaped Wil - ,bur's lips. He was big and strong and above all fearless. She liked him for that. Nothing seemed to daunt him. He .always faced every .difficulty with a smile. As she went (back •into the warm room admiration and anxiety struggled within her. She dropped the coil of rope on the kibehen liable and put away the 'gilt, and the camel -'hair !brush• Next she carefully inspeoted the Comet and the Cometess. Then she tucked the out- law wisps of 'flaxen hair into place. But those actions were unimportant; they merely put •off the thing she wanted to do. 'Finally she walked to the curtained window that overlooked the slope to the river and peered ,out. 'Wilbur was .striding along two hun- dred yards down the slope. His bulky form stood out distinctly against the dazzling white of the snow. A chill, wan. sun share ou the blanketed hills. The glare was hard on her eyes, but she did not draw back. Her gaze anxi- ously followed the recediug'boy. Un- natural lines creased her ,smooth face. She was worried. Halfway down the steep slope, a quarter of a mile from the window Where Astrid stood watching, the you't'h paused on the edge of a sharp pitch and looked 'batik, Astrid thought it impossible that he .could see her white face framed in the square win- dow, but he lifted his hand and waved nevertheless. She did not try to wave back, for he turned immediately and plunged ,onward. However, a flood of color swept through her smooth cheeks, driving away the look of anxi- ety, and •for the next few minutes she PAGE SEVEN of freezing weather can give courage saw nothing distinctly. Wilbur Biddle setaatteseeo Ism What could be more complete than a combina- tion offer that gives you a choke of your favourite magazines -Sends you your local newspaper— and gives yourself and family enjoyment and entertainment throughout the whole year — Why not take advantage of this remarkable offer that mean's a real saving in money to you? This Offer Fully Guaranteed— All Renewals Will Be Extended MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY Please clip lest of Magazines after checking Publications. desired. Fell out coupon carefully. Gentlemen: I enclose $ Please send me the three magazines checked with a year's subscription to your newspaper. NAME STREET OR R.R. TOWN AND PROVINCE SAVE MONEY + MAIL TO -DAY THE SEAFORTH NEWS SELECT ANY THREE OF THESE MAGAZINES ❑ Maclean's (24 Issues) 1 yr. ❑ Chatelaine 1 yr. 0 National Home Monthly 1 yr. ❑ Canadian Magazine - 1 yr. ❑ Rod and Gun - - 1 yr. Pictorial Review Combined_ With Delineator - - 1 yr. ❑ American Boy - - - 8 mo. ❑ Can. Horticulture and Home Magazine - - 1 yr. 0 Parents' Magazine - 6 mo. ❑ Silver Screen - • - 1 yr. ❑ Open Road for Boys -16 mo. ❑ American Fruit Grower 1'yr. TOGETHER W/TH'. THIS NEWSPAPER ALL FOR TH/S LOW $ 7 PR/Cf SEAFORTH, had .been her owly .companion during the ,past two years. The • isolated stretch of foothills had ,been a lonely place until he 'came. Since then he had been a sant of big brother to her, al- ways looking out for her (happiness. He ,planned .unexpected etaousions to break the monotony of the Moot -hill life, and he always (brought a 'spirit of lightheartedness .with him when he canoe to the Halvorson • shack. Not once •that (Astrid ,oauld remember had he Ibsen •disagreeable or ,unpleasant. He was a good friend; he seemed to understand her, and she him. That is why his plan to cross the Yellow Rock ,filled her with growing uneasi- ness, Her attitude grew tense as she gaz- ed past Wilhite, now a mere moving speck, 'to the river; there were no trees on the nearer !bank; the 'bluffs ended eight at the edge, Ib,ut on the Far side many !cottonwoods were growing. The thin sheet of ice that confined the sluggish movement of the water glistened dully in the sunlight.. Her eyes refused to leave ,off studying it. That .coating of ice seemed to her merely another evidence of the treachery of the 1Ye11ow Rock. The ice appeared .firm enough, but she know that it could not be safe, Some, thing warned her that the river had never beeu more deceitful than it was on that December afternoon. She wished that she had not let Wilbur go. Suddenly she turned and snatched a :belted coat from a near -by chair. In a second she ' 'was (buttoning it round her. Again ,she went back to the win- dow. Wither 'was ahnost at the bank. She ran fol- •a white tam-o'-shanter that was hanging on a hook in her bedroom. When she came 'bank to the kitchen the tam was lopped .over one ear, and she was :pulling wide guent- leted white wool gloves over her hands. A second time she rushed to the curtained window. (Only a short hun- dred yards separated the youth from the Yellow Rock, -'For an instant she stood watching. What would he think of her if she ran wildly down the slope, shouting his name? He already knew what she thptvght about his crossing the river. He had :laughed at her !obljections. I'1 she should 'burst from the shack now, crying out like e cowboy, 'would he not think her fool- ish? Would he not think that she was too much interested in his affairs? Astrid bit her lips. She stayed at the window, but she did not remove her wraps. Her gaze was riveted on the figure of the youth now perched on the 'very bank of the .Yellow 'Rock, She forgot everything except the ex- panse of dull ice and the youth who was about to trust his weight to its uncertain .strength. Her ,gloved hands tightened on the scrim curtain. Wilbur stepped out upon the ice. He made no attempt to search for the (beat place to cross, but moved straight ahead for the opposite shore. Astrid's breath grew shorter and shorter as she watched him stride confidently toward midstream . His body seemed bulkier against the dull glitter of the ice; the pack of steel •traps looked heavier. Still he went on. moving swiftly, ,fearlessly, toward the cottonwoods. To her it seemed a; if the width of the Yellow Rock were endless; he was moving swift- ly, yet the distance to the opposite shore did not shorten appreciably. Midstream was still before him. Astrid held her breath as he neared the dangerous .area. She seemed to know what wasgoing to happen. She thought of the helplessly ,bundled body of the youth; the weight of the steel traps and the heavy coat would not matter .so much if both had not been stnapped on with wide, strong straps. It .would be next to impos- sible for him to get rid of either. And thus encumbered, what chance would he have against the deep, icy current? As she watched the young man drew farther and farther away from the seourity of the sbrong ice along the shore. 'Each step he took the •ice grew thinner, more perilous. The next instant, she saw him try to scramble 'back to safety. Then he sank out of sight. Astrid tented toward the cozy in- terior of ,the 'kitchen, horrified at what. she kaki seen. Wilbur Biddle drown- ing! Clenching her gloved -hands, she cast a despairing glance round the room. She spied first the glistening skis ,propped against the 'kitchen wall and next the coil of new rope. Her ideas took shape. She tore open the door of a wall cupboard and from amid an array of pane and kettles seized an old fashioned liatirote with a solid handle. To the handle she tied one end of the coiled rope and, slipping her left arm 'through the toil, grasped . the flatiron in her left hand. Then, gathering the skis under her right arm, she dashed outside. A hundred feet from the Halvorson shack the 'bluff dropped away sharp- ly. She ran to the spot •and threw the skis on the snow. In a flash she had slipped 'her feet into the straps and was ready 'to take the stride or two necessary to place her onthe 'brink ONTARIO. ; of the 'first abrupt pitch. When she had reached the starting point she Pointed sthe skis in parallel .courses toward the 'break in the river ice. Then she, shifted the ,flatiron to her right hand and, still :keeping the coil or rope about •h'er left arm, grasped the loose end of the rope in her left. In a second she was skimmitng over the snow, which hissed ,under the slender skis. Astrid had never before tried her skill on the half -mile slope to the river, for there was no •stopping place at the ,bottom, Her face was set and hard. Her eyes, which had been,filled with dismay a few .seconds before, now shone with determination. She balanced her strong body to the downward sweep of the skis, crouch- ing a trifle with head and shoulders ready .for atry unexpected dips in the hillside. Now that she had ;pointed the .skis in the course they were to take she had little control over them; she could only meet the obstacles as they loomed ahead. 'Fortunately the deep 'layer of snow covered most of the cocks; she had nothing to fear front them. Moreover, the very speed with which she was now skimming the hillside helped her to meet Its irregularities. The wind stung her face and whip- ped aside the corners of her coat. It shot 'through the baggy part of her tam. The ;hiss of her skis on the snow grew softer as she gained moment um. At places in her ,mad flight she seemed to leave 'the ground. Astrid was not afraid. The light- ning -like motion of the slender skis did not daunt her. She kept her 'body poised and her feet ,painted at the correct distance from each other. She did not worry about getting her skis crossed' and taking the terrific 'fall that would be .the result of such care- lessness. Sleeping her eyes intently on the course, she was always ready for 'the short, abrupt 'descents. 'But she had no time to gaze ahead at the object of her downward swoop. In less than a minute she had swept three quarters of the way down the 'hillside. The skis were carrying her faster and faster toward the ex- panse of dull ice. She wondered whe- ther the thin ice at midsteam would hold her; As she looked ahead and saw the break where Wilbur was making a last desperate attempt to escape the freezing water she was afraid. Perhaps the weight of her body on the thin ice would be too great. 'Perhaps she too would crash into the muddy water, She had de- pended on speed to carry her across the dangerous area. She had reasoned that the momentum gained in shoot- ing down the bluff would carry her over the ice almost without her touching it. Now, she thought the skis were holding back, that they were not skimming along as they had skimmed an instant before. What was wrong? She was headed almost directly at the hole in the ice where Wilbur was floundering and each second growing more numb from the lay water. If the did not break off mare of the fragile layer on the side t: earl which she was headed, she could edge by. The skis truck the last of the sloping hillside, shot over h and, like a wild duck gliding into water. dropped upon the smooth i:e. Astrid did not realize until then how- fast the skis were rushing her toward her destina- tion. She had scarcely time to glance down at the coil of rope •before Comet and Cometess had sent up a fine spray from the water -splashed ice bordering the hole, "Here!" she cried with all the strength of her voice and as she shot by drew back her hated and tossed the flatiron. Holding fast to the rope, she shot Forward. She passed midstream and fauna herself speeding madly to- ward a new peril. She had never con- sidered how she should stop; her chief idea had (been to reach Wilbur in time. The cottonwoods rose before her. She clung to the rope and waited. Then the 'fl'ashin'g skis left the Yel- low Rock and struck. The sound of splinteriang wood mase on the crisp air, and Astrid, recoiling from the 'bole of a cottonwood, lay limp and unconscious, The snow against her cheek and forehead soon revived her. She sat up dizzily, wondering what was tug- ging at her arm. Her train cleared quiokly. Twisted round her huddled body was her father's new rope. She looked up. Wilbur had already -pulled himself from the icy water. Still clutching the rape, he was crawling on hands and 'knees toward the strip of shore. Astrid,, forgetting the bruise oe her forehead, sprang up and ran tow- ard him. She got hem to his feet and supported him until they reached the cottonwoods: (We'll go to Monty M,awsorr's," she said. "Quick! You mustn't stop" Wilbur stared at her bleeding fore- head. "Astrid," he said, smiling w,eadc- ly, "I saw you .coming—and' 'fought! You're you're an angel!' Astrid's eyes ,glowed asshe locked her Rangers round his arm and started: Do H. McInnes chiropractor Office — Commercial Hotel —.14L d Heirs on. an Thurs. after Electro Therapist — Massage moons and by appointment FOOT CORRECTION by manipulation—San-ray treat- ment Phone 02V. Demonstration Woodlots (3y J. C. Marritt) . There are 2150 etoadlo•ts in Ontario that (have been selected thy the wood lot extension forester as demonstra- tion woodlpts.It is a co-operative agreement 'between the owner and tlhe Forestry Branch. A forester advises the owner on forestry practices that may be applied economically to the woodlot. The owner does the work at his convenience.Both have the same object; that is to con•senve the woods and to secure as high financial returns over a period of years as 'possible. The owner retains full control of his woadlot as no gapers are signed.' A sign is placed where it maybe seen g by passing motorists. Reasons far selecting woodlots as demonstrations: '(l0) To draw attention to a woodlot that is being conserved. (0) To demonstrate forestry prac- tices that may be carried on economi- cally in Southern :Ontario 'woodlots. These include thinnings, improve- ment ,cuttings 'and :uti'tizatian •cuttings to provide fuelwood and timber. ('31) To show that a woodlot will re- forest naturally from seed when it is protected from stock. iQ(4) To demonstrat the planting of forest trees in the woodlot. Planting is often advisable in a woodlot that is not fully stocked, as it speeds the re- stocking of an open woods, provides trees for, corners that do not seed na- turally and an evergreen windbreak for the borders and introduces valua- ble species not growing in the wood - lot. ,(5) To place the stamp of approval en a woodlot that is managed effi- ciently. There is a great diversity in meth- ods of woodlot management. Many owners do not receive as high finan- cial returns over a period of years as are economically possible. Many of these ,practices were all right when the object was to clear the land and fuelwood and timber had a low mone- tary value, compared to present day values. A few of these short-sighted prac- tices are: (a) Cutting everything, including small trees '2,5 inches in 'diameter. •(b) Clear cutting second growth stands, rather than thinning them to secure•fuelw^ood, (c) Allowing, trees to decay. rather than utilizing them when sound. (d) Removing all trees of the more valuable species and leaving the less valuable to reproduce. e) Pasturing a woodlot. (1) Not protecting the ,fine straight trees 9 -Id inches in diameter when large tree; are felled. There are various views held by laymen as to what •constitntes an ef- ficiently managed woadlot. Many have said with pride that they only cut dead trees in their woodlot. Others wish a woodlot to have a park -like appearance. They think all brush should be burnt and there should be no underbrush. Owners have run fires through their woods and pastur- ed them in order to secure this park- like appearance. Some have even cut the underbrush with a scythe. Many of the demonstration wood- lots present a fine appearance now.. Others will take many years to .bring them to the condition when they will be :considered ideal woodlots. Some are quite open and not ,fully stocked 'bet:ause they have 'been pastured. Others requirethinnings and im- provement cuttings, and it is usually expedient to spread these over a num- ber of years as the farmer may utilize the wood that is secured to supply his annual fuelwood requirements. The Forestry Branch wish to con- tact owners of woodlots who would be willing to have their woodlot de- signated a denrontration: The wood- lot should be adjacent or within 40 rods of a travelledd road. 'Either write the !Forestry. Branch, Parliament Buildings, Toronto, or the local coun- ty Agricultural Representative, ith him tm tepstreatri toward Monty " Mawson's •cabin. When Motrty's •door. finally closed on Wilbur she smiled, •Her :Dead no longer troubled her. Be- cause she had known how to use •a pair of skis; she had saved a 'life—the life of Wilbur Biddle, a good friend,' a good aontpanian."