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Ep -- -------- eee -- PORT PERRY STAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE -- Tuesday, September 20, 1988 -- 13 PORT PERRY STAR With which is Incorporated THE PORT PERRY STANDARD. -- -- re $1.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE, THE PEOPLE'S POPULAR PAPER IN PORT PERRY AND SURROUNDING TOWNSHIPS, SINGLE CCPIES 6c. VOL. XLVI PORT PERRY, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1907 No. 20 ------ eal The Western Bank of Canada CHARTERED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT 1881 Twentieth Year of Port Peny Agency NOTICE TO DEPOSITORS Six months' interest has been added to vour deposits. In future interest will be paid or com- pounded every three months--4 times a ycar-- next payment Nov. 30th. BLACKSTOCK A Branch of this Bank is being opened in the Village of Blackstock. 'H. GC. HUTCHESORN, Manager. THE CANADIAN BANK OF COMMERCE HEAD OFFICE, TORONTO ESTABLISUED 1887 Paid-up Capital, $10,000,000 ; ' Rest, - - 5,000,000 | Thncnes | penned t | Total Assets, - 113,000,000 i Branches throughout Canada, and in tie United States and England 8. E. WALKER, President i ALEX. LAIRD, General Manager | A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS TRANSACTED COMMESICIAL AND FARMERS' PAPER DISCOUNTED. SAVINGS BANK DEPARTMENT 'Deposits of $1 and upwards received, and interest allowed at | current rates. The depositor is subject to no delay whatever in | the withdrawal of the whole or any portion of the depusit. | PORT PERRY BRANCH. A. G. VERCHERE, Manager 84 Say, Young Man Are you looking for the best values in SUITS AND Men's Winter Overcoats .oseecasnes verve ves $7.50 to $15.00 Men's Fall Overcoats ..... CRT E BRIN, HH wwe $8.50 Men's Suits... Come and Inspect our Stock Ha's, caps, Ties, Shirts, Gloves Underwear JONES & SON es svsees $3.00 to $15.00 Sam's letter tells brother ollowing story is from a letter Samuel Farmer wrote to his brother John in England shortly before his death on April 30, 1948. What follows is an account of Mr. Farmer's life from the time he left his home in England at 15 years of age. It was published in the Port Perry Star on Thursday, May 6, 1948 following his death. It was in 1886 when I came to Canada at the age of 15. The trip out occupied about two weeks. One last sight at England will al- ways be remembered. We were passing through Birmingham ust at dawn. e great open earth furnaces were blazing. he whole city seemed to be on ire. My first experience here was to be taken to a farm in Wellington County, Ontario, at a place named | Balinafad, in Erin Town- ship. The Jeorle with whom 1 was place Wm. Webster, a kindly, hard- working couple. From the paved streets of Lon- don to the ploughed fields of an Ontario farm gave all the change and variety of interest that a young mind could master. The mere fact of seeing things grow was in itself a constant source of amazement. Apples were about the size of marbles when I arrived on the farm, and I remember go- ing out into the orchard and cutting an apple in two to see if it was real. A ples don't grow on the streets of London. \ Of my awkwardness in learn- ing farm duties; and my inherent fear of horses and other farm ani- mals, much might be written that would be but little understood un- less one were well acquainted with Ontario farm life, which you are not. One incident stands out as a piece of foolishness. My em- ployer had a brother who worked on a farm about a mile distant. Of course the two brothers were constantly changing work or the use of tools. I was sent to Charlie's lace on some errand, and Bitched up the old mare for the purpose. We arrived safely; but Charlie seemed to be a bit sur- prised. I had forgotten to fasten the lines to the bridle. But the old horse knew the way, anyway. At the period of my arrival in Canada, there was but little farm machinery. It used to be said that the work was done by "main strength and awkwardness." 1 had the awkwardness all right; but was lacking in the main strength. Two sources of real pain to me were high top boots, and riding on a lumber wagon. The boots were heavy, and the ground was uneven, and when I dragged those boots off at night, my Sig toes would ache like tooth-ache. Riding on a lumber wagon gave me serious pain in my side. However, I survived; and learned much that was of practi- cal use in the years that have fol- lowed. I learned to plow well, tak- ing particular pride in a straight furrow. It might be remarked in assing that this eagerness to eep things straight has been a help and a hindrance many times in life. When you attempt to straighten other people's affairs were Mr. and Mrs. of his life in Canada This beautiful portrait of the Farmers was taken in Toronto, when Sam and Grace Farmer were at a young age. Although the exact date is not known, it is possible that this photo was taken about the time of their marriage in 1901. He later said of his 47 year marriage to Grace, "it is not likely that either of us will re- alize what each has been to the other until one is gone, and the other is left." trouble begins. Yet sometimes you do not succeed, and some- times you do. I learned to swing a cradle (not a cradle for babies, but for the cutting of grain); and I learned how to bind a sheaf of grain by hand. Both these accomplish- ments are pretty much a lost art among the farmers of today. Canada was a "wooded coun- try" in those days, and many a tree I managed to hack down; but was never an expert axeman. "Hitting twice in a place" with an axe required skill. This whole subject 'of what I learned, and what I failed to learn on the farm would fill a volume, but might prove tiresome reading. One thing I soon learned on the farm, and that was the intense cold in winter was offset by blaz- ing heat in summer. The man who packed delicate surgical in- struments to ship to Canada in July, and wrote -- "Keep from frost" on the package did not know much about a Canad-ian summer. Yesterday it was ninety in the shade. I have slept in rooms where water could not be kept be- cause it would freeze; and have wakened to find my boots frozen stiff, having been wet the day be- fore while working in the woods. August weather was in violent contrast, as sunburn blisters could prove. Twelve years were ¢ ut in at farming and kindre occupa- - tions, including one winter in a lumber camp, and another in what was styled a "temperance" hotel. Money was scarce, and fre- quently nothing was earned ex- cept enough to eat. There was no "Relief" then. We took any job available, and were thankful. fb deed, the last farmer I worked for in a regular way was unable to pay me wages, 80 I boarded the money out, and went to school at Epsom to secure my Entrance Certificate to High School. That was when I was twenty-three years of age. That schooling ex- perience was a bit odd; but I did not mind. The certificate was se- cured; and then I went to do "chores" for my board with a farmer (Edward Walker) who lived three miles from the High School in Port Perry, which I at- tended for six months, passin into the second form. I walke those six miles each school day, and cut a good deal of second- growth timber that winter in my spare time!" Naturally my small stock of money was soon exhausted; and, hearing of an opening in a print- ing office in Uxbridge, I applied for the job, which was secured largely because I had been coun- try correspondent for the Ux- bridge Journal. The job included typesetting, press washing, floor sweeping, Feporiing. etc. For this work I was paid $2.50 per week with which I had to pay boar and clothe myself. Three years were put in, in this fashion, and then Toronto called me, and I spent twelve years in various offices, until when I left Toronto to come to Port Perry I was mechanical superintendent of Toronto Saturday Night. My job was largely to wipe dust of ages, and fit the paper for the proud position it occupies. In all that time relaxation and development came through Sun- day School work, together with omniverous reading. Reading 1s a real habit with me. Added to this were considerable debating and public speaking. While in Toronto, and in con- nection with church life, I met Grace Abernathy. It was a case of mutual attraction because of mu- tual interests. Quite naturally our TURN TO PAGE 14 |