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Whitby Free Press, Wednosday, Otober 18, 1995, Page 7 Lost legend This column is a review of a sequel, Where the Red Fera Growa, Part Two. For those who have livedon the planet Zork, a bit about the original Red Fern. Okay, see, there is this boy, Billy Coleman, who grogs up in the thirties on a dirt farm in Louisiana. Bily loved hunting doge, Ioved hunting, wanted dogs worser dma anything. Worked hard, saved money, bought his own pups. Hunted, trained, did everything right. You have to see the movie to feel the boy~s earnest yearnings bis dealinga with death. And when bis dogse<die, one fr-om saving Bilys life and one of a broken heart, the Indian legend cornes true and thefr grave sprouts a real red fern. I defy any dadgummnired dad among you to, read that final chapter in the book by Wilson Rawls with anything lese than red eyes. Because my daughter had been enjoying the book at school, we rented the original movie. Because we enjoyed that movie s0 much we hunted down Part Two, in spite of misgiing about sequels. Bily Coleman returns f-o m. World War II, no longer eleven years old. Hie has lost a leg. On the troop train we see flashbacks to bis childhood, ail footage fr-om the original movie. The troop train drops hlm off, a long with bis best army buddy. Is met by bis kid sister, who bas (have you heard tbis lime before?) growed up in the four years he's been away. Whooee! So: dinner, welcome home, Kid Sister drives army buddy back to the train. Army buddy asks Kid Sister to the dance on Saturday night. With me so far? ight So back at the farm, Granddad, knowing Billy will be hurting because of bis missing leg, bas arranged a present of a pair of Redbone hunting dogs, just like Billy had as a kid. Billy objecta, flnally accepta,,Granddad just bas a few months to live, got it. Even cliches don't help Billy remember which leg to limp on. flien the lraining: trailing the coon-skin cap around and arourqd, cute puppy shota, puppies growing up, naxned after the old doge Old Dan and iàttle Ann. Right there, on camera, pups grow up, five minutes later are six, eight months old, big enough to hunt with. Still with me? So xn>w, Army Buddy shows up to take Kàid Sister te the Saturday night daunce, eight months late. Well slip that part. Enter the kid down the road, loves hunting, loves dogs. Remida Billy Coleman of his ownself as a id. Leada te; dreadful scene where blameless Billy leaves a ten-year-old out in the woods, alone, with two hounds, a loaded rifle and a treed coon. Then, or' soon, Grandpa decides he's goin' huntin' with Billy and the dogs. Gramps has been on death's door, mind, for months now, lymng about the bouse, looking awful tired, doc's given hlm two, maybe üS«e months te live. 0f course, by the way the dogs have grown up, that was tan months ago, so maybe going te church helped hlm after ail. - -- - a -~ -~ -~ -- 4 THE BATJ'Y FAEM,. C. 1885 The brick house was built in 1864 for John Bradley, south of Brooklin on the west side of Highfway 12. Sinoe 1903 it has been the home of the Batty farnlly who raised Clydesdale horses and Jersey cattie. The verandah on the front of the house was destroyed by hurrican Hazel in 1954. Whltby Archive. photo 10 YEARSAGO from the Wednesday, October 16, 1985 edition of the WIHMTY FEEPRESSl " Whitby Optimist Club ie launching a bicycle registration program. " Dr. John I McKinney lias reoeîved a long-service award from the Ontario Municipal Electrie Association forý 15 years on the Whitby Hydro Elecfric- Commxission. " Rev. Fred K- Gordon jes the new pastor of Whitby Free Methodiet Church. * Former Mayor Jim Gartshore is running for a Regional Coundil seat after an absence of five years. 35 TEARS AGO from the Thursday, October 13, 1960 edition of the wuHrTBy WEEKLY NEWS " Public meetings will be held on Oct. 19 and 26 on Whitby's firet officiaI plan. " The new Anderson Hligh School will be ready for occupancy at the beginning of 1961. " The Victorian Order of Nurses needs $2,500 to continue its service ini Whitby. " Two blazes set by children marked the beginning of "Fire Prevention Week." 80 TEARS AGO from the Thursday, Octaber 14, 1915 edition of the WHI[TBY GAZETTE AND CHRONICLE 0 Thirty-seven Whitby recruits were presented with wrist watches on Thanksgiving Day before heading for the war in Europe. " Renovations of the old high echool on Coiborne Street are nearing completion. " The late Mrs. J.F. Patterson lias wiIled $500 to the Whitby Public Library. " David Burns would like to establish an orchestra in Brooklin to "while away the weary hours of the winter.w YESTERD---- 1 r. ý3 l