The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

1 mmmm mm mm k. T > A ^ > - .r ,,^ f i CHRONICLES OF GINGER FARM By Gwendoline P. Clarke It was Sunday afternoon and I iwas very busy. First of all I wash- ed the iitting-room floor and then I washed a dress. "My goodness â€" â- whatever next â€" washing floors and doing laundry on a Sunday!" I can Just hear you saying it â€" hut then, yon see, you don't know the whole •tory. * * * I didn't start out with .the idea of doing such jobs â€" that is hardly my idea of .a pleasant way to apend Sunday afternoon. Xo, my original plan was to write letters. And that's where I met my Wa- terloo. I was reaching for another tbcet of paper froni my desk, my •leeve caught the handle of the pen which was sticking out from ine of those desk-set affairs â€" a combination inkbottle and pen â€" tnd away went the whole contrap- tion. The ink »pilt all over the front of my dress before it hit the iJoor -where it spread "itself out Into a nice little pool. So I ask you, â- what else could I do but spend the irest of the afternoon cleaning up ibt mess? A good way to start the new year, .wasn't it? Believe me, the ink V.-2S no blacker than my thoughts' for tlie space of half an hour or so. Fortunately, the floor kad a linoleum covering and the only trace left of the disaster is a •light stain. The dress is none the worse either, but to get the ink out 1 had to run it through at least ten or twelve waters. The next morning we almost met up with di^aster again, but of a different nature. It was not quite daylight when Partner called me to the window. "Now if that isn't as pretty a picture as you would want to see,'' he c.Kclaimed. "Come and look at it." I came, and there, just as busy and contented as you please, was the biggest skunk I ever saw. And believe me. it did look pretty. It â- was very busy nibbling away at something or other on the ground. I remembered afterwards it was a relic Tippy had left behind. "What do you think I had bet- ter do?" asked Partner, "do you think I should shoot it?" It was really quite a problem. t . For one thing Partner was still in pyjamas, and another tiling, the pretty little animal had not yet announced its presence so it was quite possible that if we left it alone it might arable off without leaving a calling card. However there .was always a chance it might come back when there were chick- ens around so Partner got the gun. Very softly, and I have no doubt. In fear and trembling, Partner step- ped outside. But by this time Mr. Skunk had moved and was behind a big tree on the front lawn. So Partner skirted the tree but so did the skunk and in this way Partner eoaldn't tell in which direction it went. Biit I was watching from the window and whether it heard Part- ner or- whether it just sensed tliat someone was around I don't know, but that skunk sure moved faster than any animal of its species that 1 ever saw before. In no time it was away over the field but with- out leaving any trail at all behind it. Pyjamas and bedroom slippers «ot being the ideal attire for hunt- ing in -winter. Partner returned to the house. .A,nd I believe we were both glad the incident turned out the way it did because the little creature was really doing no harm ^nd it did seem a shame to shoot it down in cold blood. Strangely enough, a few days be- fore this happened Partner and I bad been to a show â€" "The Courage of Lassie" and if you have seen it. you will remember that in one of those beautiful nature shots, the Kttle lost puppy meets up with a skunk. In due time the skunk goes bis â- way, ambling off at a great rate. I said to Partner at the time "You can hardly call that true to Efe. I am sure I never saw a skunk that big nor one that moved so fast." But now I take it all back. Our little pet the other morn- ing was just as big, and moved just as swiftly, as the one in the show. Our next e.xcitement was the following day when we shipped oat a couple of cows. There was Aoly Partner and the trucker to load them and they proved to be contrary (the cows, I mean) that I was called in to 'give a little as- sistance. So you see, you never fcAow what's ahead of you. 'Vou â- ay start out as a farmer's wife aad add truck-loading to your oth- er duties. An average of 41 tons of steel ii used in the construction of one â- tile of standard two-lane con- crete highway. AUSTRALIAN ADMIRES ONTARIO HORSES Chips Rafferty, star of "The Overlanders'. saga of the famous cattle drive across Australia, took time out upon the occasion of his recent visit to Canada to admire the prize-winning Palomino horses at Charles Mavety's Circle M Ranch at Kleinburg. He enjoyed a ride on King's Glow, which took the Canadian championship at the Royal Winter Fair, and asserted that it was the best stallion he had ever seen. I U. S. Naval Air Unit Prvvlnos I*lt»l« HORIZO.Vr.\L 1 Depicted is insigne of Squadron 115. V. S. naval aviation 13 Was indebted 14 Nevada city 15 Hea\-y blow 16 Natives of Media 18 Delirium r:-emens (ab.) 19 Ship spars 20 Darlings 22 Foundation 23 .^bscondi.ngs 26 Points a .veapon 28 Eject 29 Plant part 32 Railroad (ab.) 33 Cereal grain 34 Negative 35 Plateau 38 Pertaining to an era 39 Endure 41 Mimic 43 Fish 44 Mature 45 Makes mistakes 47 One who ails 48 Roman magistrate 50 Portico 51 Nights before events 52 Ward off 53 The of its planes are courageous men VERTICAL 1 Mother 2 Inspired reverence 3 Ransom 4 Perfections 5 Symbol for erbium 17 Theatrical sign (ab.) 19 Male 21 Ask (var.) 6 Provided with 22 Species of food pepper 7 Interest (ab.) 24 Prince 8 Proceed 25 Mineral 9 Drinks to 26 Limb 10 Be persistent 27 Anger 11 Seines 12 Grains (ab.) 36 Mariner 37 Seem 39 Pantry 40 Reach destination 42 Ever (eontr ) 43 Driving command 44 Cosmic order 46 Has slain 30 .Abstract being 47 Snake 31 Witticism 49 Essence (ab.) 1 "- .> a 5 « ' e â-  ^ IC U IS. 11 i; K â- ''â- '.*'<•? If !!• n £'a^ 16 m n 20 Jl '%t' 2Z ii ^^ J5 ik, n '^! 18 ''-\ '" y 3C -' n â- â- â-  .;â- '-â- ; 'r'S iJ 3H 35 'i^ Zl '*S 5% y.'^.i 3" 4C •Tl HI /'"% ^^5?=^ n L^ •i'* R^f^^ ts •*k ^^ H6 -.=1 so 1^ %S# M SI bZ J Si c Russia Training Elks In Harness The u.se of domesticated elks as a substitute for horses is being seriously considered in Moscow as the result of successful experiments in harnessing these povi^erful beasts, carried out by a Russian scientist who had previously ''contrived to make sables breed in captivity â€" an achievement from which fur- traders are already benefiting, -•^bout 20 elks at an experimental station hear Moscow have been trained to take the bit. One of their main difficulties arises from their impetuous speed, a trained elk having recently covered a mile in about one minute and a half. But. as the professor has pointed out, if elks should prove unsatisfactory as dra'.ight animals they make ex- cellent eatinc. briiijje from . river bed witnessed by a corresponder.t. The bridge weighed 23S tons, and the only "macliinery" the Chinese had were four jacks. The crews jacked the spans up on ever-rising stacks of railroad ties until they had them in place eighteen meters above ground level. The job took them six months, and they were fighting flood water a good part of the time. .\t the peak "here were six or seven hundred men wor'tcing there and they used 60.000 ties for the raising process. It is not surprising to learn that there were nearly 000 {"atal acci- dents among the coolies. Pension Stopped Chinese Coolies Rebuild Roalroad By Hand Power During the war Chinese coolies, including their womenfolk, car- ried out some prodigious jobs of road building, luindreds of thou- sands doing everything by hand, and it is not surprising to learn that up to 50.000 men have just finished a great task of rehabilitat- ing the railroad between Canton and Hankow, a length of 1.085 miles, ill six months, over some of the most mountainous territory in the world, relates the St. Thomas Times-Journal. • • * The Chinese destroyed laigc stretches of the track in order to prevent the .lapanese using the r.iilway. and so destructive were the natives that the Japs were only able to use short sections of it. The Chinese blew up 103 of the lines main 119 bridges, including the concrete foundations. They blew up scores of tunnels, and they built sidings up to the tracks and then rolled the rolling stock down into gullies. The sys- tem was a thorough mess when they were through with it. * • • An example of the ingenuity of the Chinese was the erection of a ^. The Governniem. overriding op- position cries of "paltry meanness. " decided Dec. 3 to discontinue a £5.000 I $20,000 annual pension set up 140 years ago tor the descend- ants of Lord Nelson â€" Britain's greatest naval hero. The Chancel- lor of the Exchequer, Hugh Dalton. said Lord Nelson ir. his will asked only to have Lady Hamilton aiul their child cared tor. Must Smarten Up R. J Dinninj,, Calgary, head of a large packing firm, says, "Canada is definitely losing her hold on the British bacon market." Mr. Dinning kno^ws whereof hf speaks. Canadian producers still have a big oppor- tunity, but they will miss it if they fail to turn out the product the British market demands and for which it is willing to pay. â€" Brant- ford E.xpositor. TEEN-TOWN TOPICS By BARRY MURKAR Vie of Insulin Adds Years of Life Wash off the pucker paint and settle down fellows, New 'Y'ear's Eve is over. Ah me, what a night! I nev;r realized Perry Como could sing so well until Susie (that's my best girl) looked me in the eye and said, he sounds just like you. Well, you know how it is on New Year's Eve. .^fter tiie hop at the local chrtr, we pited into pop's blitz bug- gy and went flown to the Corner Casbah (local hangout to you) and everyone started to make New Y»ar'^»-!>ek)liui«>iis.--Jfo9^-of them <w«r« hpokeff-before'-we-^ffot home. Tbi^-ifr-tlie-^K- -iHiifHt Mn the year that pop doefin^t .put'.ei> a- curfew. Last .i4CfI\.#t,t,Iiij..tijaf. JVC were playingy.ianta^'laqa t.o .l.lie family, as you probably were. I Hke Christmasâ€" always have. It's the only day in the year 1 can pass out pop's smokes like a big guy and not get a dirty look. Things went a little differently at our house this year. Right alter the "Big Din- ner" we all made a wish. Pop wish- ed that die indigestion would hold off: mom wished we would be more quiet and I wished ?or snow â€" to try out my new hickories. While all this was going on, my little niece was running around pulling her new toy carpet sweeper with my gold chain wrapped neatly around the roller. I immediately changed my wish â€" but after all Christmas belongs to the children doesn't it? We are finding that this first column is a toughie to write. This is the second attempt. The first one was thrown in the stove with some other old papers, I mean old papers. The editor asked that I write like I talk, then changed his mind and said, write it so that teen-agers can understand it. I'm obeying orders and if anyone can't savvy my slan.euage â€" well take it up with some'oody. I don't care who. Vcrtirs truly will be in this corner every week with a column of newsy chatter (we hope) and from time to time will pass along the latest on what's worth reading ibooks^. what's worth listening to (records and radio) and what's worth seeing (movies'!. We want you to feel that this is your col- •jmn and invite you to pass along any suggestions, criticisms or com- pliments. I like that compliment stuff. We intend, too. to have a spotlight, when we will publicize any teen-a.eer who is making a name for himself or herself in sports, music, art or any other field. If you have any such per- son in your neighbourhood, send us the details, mentioning of course their chosen vocation, hobbies, school record. Hkes and dislikes. Send all communications for this column to Bo.x B, Pickering, On- tario. "Shut off the sky juice and send down some snow", is the cry of young people across the province, -who an:xions!y await their first ski. This is a wonderful sport for two reasons. If you can stay away from trees, it's good for the health and i* you can't, it helps pay the doctor's rent. If you haven't been on the hickories before, we suggest you stick to the smalt slopes until you get your ski legs, or 'Jackson, you have a date with Dr. Kildare. We pass this advice along to the novice ski enthusiasts: To avoid appearing hke a dope on the slope, practice and practice and when you have finished this â€" well practice some more. The government is ' planning to erect ski lodges across the province, so that the average salaried person can enjoy the facili- ties and still not burn the pocket book on both sides. All this means to you and me i^how far could we go on a dollar a week?) is that the close-to-home slopes won't be so crowded. In that way we'll bene- fit. • • « Last week the Junior Wolf of the family went to a jam session at a nearby teen club with some of his gang and reported a real good time. This idea of memoers of one club being the guests of another is alright. Yes, my friendlies, it's okay. It keeps the locals <nid the guests on the beam with one try- ing to outdo the other in social etiquette. Supervised teen-clubs are becoming popular all over the country. We can still have a good time with an older person giving us the eye so get in there and keep the works wound up. Well, gang, we have to close shop for this week. I ;iave a date with Susie in half an hour for a bottle of fizz. Before closing may we ask, dear reader, if you have any way of budgeting a dollar a week. I've tried and tried and al- ways end up in the red. Oh, well, maybe yo-a have the same trouble. So-long for now. The occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the discovery of in- sulin, by the late Sir Frederick Banting and Dr. Charles Best, of Toronto, has been marked by a review of the benefits the drug has brought to diabetics, comments the Stratford Beacon- Herald. Statisticians of the Metropolitan Life report that studies at a Boston clinic show that the death rale among diabetic patients treated has dropped ninety-fi-. e per cent at ages under forty, .^mong the mid- dle-aged, the reduction has been two-thirds, and among older pa- tients the death rate has been cut in half. In the past twenty-five years methods of diagnosis have improv- ed, with the result that the number of diabetics has shown an apparent increase. Control of the disease has im- proved greatly, and further ad- vances are anucipated. L'ntold thousands, who before insulin would have b*en condemned to suffering and death from diabetes, will lead fairly normal lives. German Ships Will Sail Again Germany's merchant navy, a fleet of 500 vessels manned entirely by German crews, will be on the seas again in a matter of a few weeks. This fleet w^ill be flying a new flag. The flag has not yet been seen, but it will bear the interna- tional flag-code letter C, with V cut out. The ships will sail be- t-ween Baltic, West European and British ports, carrying vital food- shffs TO th.e Reich in exchange for as much timber and minerals as the battered German industries in the British and American zones can deliver. German skippers, engineers and crews, who are being processed daily to discover whether tliey are adherents of the Nazi movement, are praying that nothing will hap- pen to throw a monkey -wrench into the works. They are afra-ld of last-minute hitches at the four-po-wer discus- sion table -which vnll hold up this vastly important plan to ease the British and American transport burden and to speed up commerce between Germany and the coun- tries to which she owes so much. The four-power authorities have their problems regarding this little shipping deal. There is the ques- tion of how German captains and crews will be treated when they arrive as a former enemy cr at neutral ports. Settlement About 3,00i...000 acres of land have been submitted by the states for soldier settlement in Australia. Of this amount, about fO percent has â-  : ar; . :.- Govern- ment. MACHINERY NEW AND USED Of Every Description Phone EL. 12', 1 H. W. PETRIE CO., LTD. 147 Front St. W. - Toronto 'WE BUY & SELL' a^sssxsa^. \ou \ViIl Kni.i la.^ins At The St. Regis Hotel ri>no.\r<> S Cvrrr Kuoiii Hirh Haita SlioVBer and 'I^eleplKine « Slofcfe, S2..-.0 up â€" Double, S.l.riO up # CiocMj Food. Uinins and Daac- ins Sishtlr Sherbourne at Carlton Tel. R.V. 4l;!.- ROOMS BEAlTIFtLfi FCRXISHED Jl,50 up HOTEL METROPOLE X1AG.4R.\ F.\LLS oi'P. â€" o.R, >>r-*rio\ A Sheep A Second At Ross, Tasmam'a, Allen Hayes broke his own Tastltanian record last week, when he sheared 3 IS sheep in a day of eight hours. Th.e sheep were well-grown Corridales. This record is within three sheep of the .\ustralian record, made by Jack Howe at Alice Spring, Queens- land, in 1S92. Hayes' previous Tasuumian record of 311 was made four rears ago. He averaged a sheep every 100 seconds in his latest feat. IhWs If your nose ever fills L^eX up with stuffy tran- g/iMlSn \ ~ d stent congestionâ€" v<^|(J> t^^ next dme put a little '/^/^CS?-^ Va-tro-nol in eacti X--*^_..i nostril. Quicklj- con- L..-'r5&*S gestion is relieved, breathing is easier. 'Va-tro-nol works right where trti-uble is to relieve distress of head coids. Try It! Works fine! You'll like ::' VICKS W-TRO HOE. ISSUE 1â€"1947 ROLL YOUR OWN BETTER CIGARETTES WITH USE cmoAS m ims COAST TO COAST IVEKY DAY EXTRA MILD POPâ€" Double Check By J. MILLAR WATT IS THAT RIO»-rr -THAT- ©Ol-LS AtWAV5 CHAR6B BUT V/MY ASK Me