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oy \ ap Jim Bell The Summerless Year I wonder how many people knew that some time about 1814 or 15, just a short time after the war of 1812 and 13, there was one year in which nothing grew. Grain was sown but it rot- ted in the ground. Seeds were planted but they never came up. Even the trees did not leaf out properly. It was a terrible year for the early settlers, particu- larly the following winter. Many of them had to go on pretty short rations. It was told that when one family had soup bones, they were not thrown away but passed along to an- other family to be used the sec- ond time. It was the worst year in Canadian history. The next year, however, was a bumper year and in the days of plenty that followed, the summerless year soon faded from the mem- ories of those who _ passed through it, unless remembered as a bad dream. People Thought that the End of the World had Come I have heard my father tell about this. It must have been back in the 1870's. The people who got up at the break of day to do chores before starting the regular work of the day, waken- ed to darkness like the deepest night. They waited but the sun did not appear. A deep grey pall seemed to have settled over the world. Many people thought that the end, long prophesied, had conie. In many religious homes they knelt to pray. In the towns and villages men gather- ed in groups and many theories were brought forth to explain the mystery. At last it was solved. A huge prairie fire with the wind blowing from the west had sent dense clouds of smoke almost acrags the continent. The second day was a little lighter and in afew days both the weather and the people were back to normal. i yt " 1 REMEMBER Something for the Baptists The other day, a gentleman, no names mentioned, said to me “you never write anything about the Baptist Church.” I must confess that I know very little about that church in Colborne, other than that it was built in 1882. I do know of and did know personally two ministers who served that church years ago, each of whom should have a plaque to his memory displayed in aprominent place on its walls. The first is the Rev. Mr. Dowling, an artist as well as a minister..I had the privilege of seeing his paintings in the big house on Kelwood, but being only a youngster at the time, I did not appreciate them as I would have later. About a year ago, Mr. Bert Kernaghan took me up to the Masonic Hall and showed me the murals that Mr. Dowling painted on the walls there over sixty years ago. The scenes are Biblical of course, but one, looking at them, can- not help being impressed. The superb drawing of the many figures, the settings and the blended colours, which are still in good condition, place Mr. Dowling with the great artists of his time. The other minister that war- rants a remembrance is the Rev. Thos. Watson, who besides be- ing a minister, was a poet of no mean ability. A quiet, kindiy man, going about his churchly duties, without ostentation, I know of no minister of any de- nomination who was more highly respected than the Rev. Thos. Watson. He too merits a plaque of remembrance in the Colborne Baptist Church. This verse from the poem “The Col- borne Veterans”, in Mr. Wat- son’s book of poems, “Canadian Crystals”, may be of interest: ‘These boys had just returned from the South African War. To Colborhe Veterans To Cameron, Willoughby, Cock- burn, Brown, From Africa returning, The grateful people of this town In heart and thought are turn- ing. Wherever Britain’s wave Her sons are one in spirit; And as her soldiers true and brave Her honors you inherit. banners