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THE STRATFORD MIRR +4 2 ee b 43 Vol. 7 STRATFORD, JAN. 24, 1930 No. 34 Held Same Position For Forty-Two Years The Mirror joins with his host of friends in congratulating Mr. Ralph Donaldson, of this city, on his long tenure of office in connection with Knox Church. Mr. Donaldson accepted the posi- tien which he now holds in 1888. As a result, he has during his long term of: faithful service made many friends: and can now look back on niany things which are well worth remembering. Mr. Donaldson be- came caretaker during the time that the Rey. Peter Wright was pastor of Knox Church. Mr. Wright was pas- tor here for eight years, being fol- lowed by Rev. M. L. Leech. who was here for 13 years, Rev. Dr. Robert Martin, here for 20 years, and the Rev. George Rowland, the present pastor, who is in his fourth year. For all of these men Mr. Donaldson has had the greatest respect and feels proud of the fact that the pul- pit of his church has_ been filled by! so many men who are outstanding! enriches their lives. in church affairs of the province. Mr. Donaldson's old home was on the spot occupied by the Imperial Oil Company service station at the corner of Mornington and Huron streets. He has many recollections of the town during his youth, and especially of the old bridge across the Avon before the present stone bridge was built, and of horses straining to pull their heavy loads up the steep hill past his house. It is really"a wonderful tribute to his fine character to note the way Mr. Donaldson has been trusted and loved in this city. He has won the deep appreciation of the members of Knox church for the splendid way in which he has served for over two score years, and his religious char- acter and Christian spirit have won their respect. Now, proaching the age when most men are thinking of retiring from active life, Mr. Donaldson remains hale and hearty and sees many years ahead of him yet in the post which he has held so long. Those who know Mr. Donaldson, senior, do not wonder at his son, "Billie," Y. heading the list of new candidates in the last municipal elec- tion contest for aldermanic honors. Dave Easson Will Have Title of Alderman Seeing that Ald. Tom Brown has left town and it don't look as if he will be back for some time at least, Dave Easson will have the title of Alderman strung onto his name for the rest of this year. Mr. Easson was sixteenth in the count of ballots on December 2. The ruling says that when a member of the council misses three meetings in succession he is automatically removed from office. Ald. Brown has missed two. as he is ap-|- Threw Away a Goodly Heritage Its hard to think of a young man in the prime of life scattering to the winds such precious things as_ did the man who has held the centre of the stage in Stratford . for several days. Here is a man who held the utmost confidence of the people. No young man, ever started out on the voyage | of life under more favorable circum- stances than did Tom Brown. Yet it would appear that which was con- sidered at one time his good fortune proved to be his misfortune. Men who have had to struggle to surmount life's difficulties are often heard to complain of their circum- stances. And no one who enters into a sympathetic relation with his fel- low. man but feels keenly for those who are compelled to fight for their very existence. Yet after all those who have to climb life's rugged road are experiencing an adventure which Shakespeare made one of his char- acters say: "There is a step on which I must fall down or overleap, for in my way it lies." True there is a step which lies in the way of every- one, and these steps are different and have a different appeal to every individual. The temptation that comes to one man may be overleapt by another. However the things that loom up on life's horizon are not always easy to overcome. Every act, however, comes first in the form of a thought, and it is in the thought world where battles are either lost or won. Tom Brown held a most enviable position in the city. He could have been one of Stratford's most useful and influential citizens. Instead he threw away the dearest thing he owned for a mere pittance. It is hard to write anything that would console the widows and others who are bereft of a lifetime' savings, | | but it is safe to say that the heaviest loser would not exchange places with | ; the one who has brought about for |} them such a tragic experience. True are these words: "It is better to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy." PEQUEGNAT'S | ptical COMMENCING SATURDAY" and Lasting for One Full Week. : A limited number of gold filled frames fitt- ed with first periscopic lenses. $8.00 glasses for 00 quality Reg. Pequesnat's Jewelry Store OPTICAL DEPARTMENT Cor. Downie and Ontario Sts. Special A very limited number | of shell or gold-filled frames and first quality meniscus lenses. Reg. $10.00 glasses. Special 00 at Phone 584 [ Retires After 27 Years 7 m TS | i } ! } } J. Jeffery, for 60 years a resi-| A. eos of this city, on Saturday last) pleted 27 years of service at the | Customs House here. Prior to eu-. tering the service of the government | fin 1904, he conducted a hardware | business formerly carried on by his. father. International Event Will Bring Thousands To City It was a wise thought on the part of the members of the City Council, which prompted them to grant $1,000 and a banquet for some five hundred guests, in connection with bringing the 1930 Provincial Plowing Match to Perth County, a few miles from Strat- ford. The council voted this unani- mously as the result of a delegation comprised of George Waldie, C. D. Durham and Ted Fuller, all promin- ent in Agricultural affairs in Strat- ford. It is estimated that this will bring at least 50,000 out-of-town visitors to the great International Event, which is gala day in the life of practically every farmer in Ontario. The match will likely take place about six miles from Stratford and with the advent of the automobile in this day these thousands of visitors will flock into Stratford. With a great many people, comes business to the merchants and that is what is needed. What better form of advertising could be done for this city even if it is costing $1,500. Well done City Councilmen. A GOOD THING A good thing to remember, And a better thing to do, Is to work with the construction gan€g. And not the wrecking crew. NOW PLAYING-- JANET GAYNOR and CHARLES FARRELL "Sunny Side Up" TALKING PICTURES IS A FEAT- URE ON ALL OUR PROGRAMS NEXT MON. - COLLEEN MOORE in "Footlights and Fools" ADDED ATTRACTION-- '" 99 Columbia's All - Talking WALL STREET loa TUES. - WED.