Bits and Pieces
A Sticky Issue
I think I will mention a rather amusing incident in connection with a
service held at Tisdale. A young bachelor of the district decided to go
to church that morning, remembering that his syrup can was empty, took
it along to have it filled, and presented it at one of the stores,
remarking that he would like to have it ready to take back after the
service. The weather being cold and the storekeeper having a few
minutes to spare, placed the can under a 56 gallon hogshead and turned
on the tap, intending to turn it off before leaving for the service.
Being one of the main singers and a leader of the choir he made haste
to be at the service in time for the opening hymn, service being held
in the boarding house, he forgot all about the tap. All went well until
the last hymn, when half way through the first verse, he remembered the
syrup. Having no music at that time, he held the key to the situation;
and each verse was faster and faster, and the congregation wondered why
the haste. Needless to say, he did not stay for the Benediction, but
left quietly by a back door making the quickest time he had ever done,
for the store; However, the found things not too bad, the bachelor got
full measure, and the floor got some, but I do not think the loss was
very serious, but it was a good ' joke around town and country for some
time. The store keeper referred to is now a resident of Killarney. Byron
Mason
Farming
Mrs. John Williams tells of her first start in poultry raising. Securing
a setting of eggs from a neighbor, she found a wild duck’s nest and a
prairie chicken’s nest, and traded eggs with the nest owners with the
result, that in due course, every egg but one brought forth a little
chick, which was watched for, and carefully tended in the house, until
able to fend for itself. T.J. Lawlor
Distinguished Visitors
We had an occasional concert too.
The first concert was held in the
school, in March 1885, as a farewell to Rev. Andrew Stewart, the first
minister to hold services in this district. We also had a banquet and
concert in September of the same year, to say goodbye to Charles W.
Gordon, then but a student, never thinking that he would become, as
“Ralph Connor”, such a noted writer in later years. The centre of
community life, in the early days, was the church service, and every
one attended, no matter what the denomination of the preacher. Some of
the early Settlers will remember how J, G. Smith used to get the right
tone for the hymns from his tuning fork, and how, once Mrs. John
Williains started “Nearer My God to Thee” to the tune of “Robin Adair.”
It went well, too. T.J. Lawlor
Some notable persons were entertained in the humble farm homes in those
days. Among them were Lord John Pollock, of London, Eng, Professor
Tanner, of Edinborough, Scotland. These two were accompanied by Mr. J.
W. Dafoe, later editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. He was on duty as
reporter. It was Mrs."Geo. Haight, who did the entertaining on this
occasion. J. Haight
Hunting
Mr.
Rowsom, when telling Mr. Gordon of the new game laws, expressed the
opinion that it was quite right for the prairie chickens to be
protected, as they stayed here all winter, but the ducks, being here
for he summer only, didn’t need protection. Mr. Gordon could not see
eye to eye with him there, his opinion being that a bird that could fly,
and hadn’t sense enough to get out of this country for the winter
didn’t deserve protection. In expressing an opinion on returning
borrowed articles, he said it wasn’t right to break the laws of the
country, if people wanted their things let them go after them, and be
mighty thankful that they knew where they were. Alex
Rankin
|
