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THE ST RATFOR PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE FLETCHER JOHNSTON PRESS, STRATFORD, ONT. STRATFORD, DEC. 27, 1940 94] Be The Happiest Ever : Looking Forward To Better Things In The New Y ear Once again we are about to "ring out the old year and ring in the new." Regardless of what the old year has brought us -- whether we have been well-treated or ill-treated -- it is the custom to lodk forward to the New Year as having better things in store for us. 'Therefore we hail the New Year hilariously and depict the old year as an old man shuffling his way out, with his long beard down to his knees, and his skinny old hands grasping his scythe. The New Year is pictured as a chubby little fellow, full of joy and vigor, whose arrival is the signal of greater happiness in store for all. In Scotland and parts of England, an old superstition known as "first footing" survives. The first person entering a house on New Year's eve brings good luck or otherwise, depend- ing as in different localities he is light or dark-haired. Celebration of New Year's Day on January 1 is much newer to the Eng- lish-speaking nations than it is to some others. It was not until 1752 that England adopted January 1 as New Year's day. The old Angilo- 'Saxon year began with December 25. The Romans began their year on March 1, until a change to January | was made by Julius Caesar. Even though we may be compara- tively new at celebrating the New Year, as measured by the passing of history, we still feel that we are ex- perienced enough in the good old cus- tom to say: Happy New Year, to All. Three Well-Known Couple Celebrate Anniversaries The Christmas seasop brought added joys for at least three Stratford couples. They were Mr. and Mrs. John Stewart, 274 Ontario street, Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Moulton, 135 Welling- ton street, Mr. and Mrs. Ephriam Dunsmore, 249 Huron street. All three celebrated wedding anniversaries dur- ing the Christmas season. > Mr. and Mrs. Stewart observed their fifty-second anniversary on Christ- mas Day. Their marriage was sol- emnized at the home of the bride's parents, near Listowel. On Christmas Day, Mrs. Stewart also celebrated her 75th birthday. Mr. Stewart is eighty years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Moulton received the congratulations of their friends on Christmas Day. They were marking _ their 62nd anniversary. They have been residents of this city for the past 57 years. Mr. Moulton is 84 years of age. His wife is 83. Some 150 friends and relatives of Mr. and Mrs. Dunsmore were present to celebrate their golden wedding, on the day before Christmas. They were married in Downie Township. They farmed in Downie Township until 14 years ago. j GUN REPLACES HIS FISTS Aircraftsman H. Lacelle of the Royal Canadian Air Force, fired a burst from the cockpit of an army co-operation aircraft. Winner of 275 out of 300 boxing contests, Lacelle, then amateur bantam-weight champion of Canada, represented his country in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. New Uear Greetings EACH MORNING THROUGH 1941 as you put on your shoes we trust the comfort they are giving you may always serve to kindly remind you of this store and its service. Our Best Wishes Go to One and All for a Happy and Prosperous New Year Every Pair Goodrich om pc ale 9 Ontario St. eciacseal to Sho p Phone 1182 CHARLES E. TALMADGE Popular returned man who was president of the the Army Association. Fine Citizen Recounts | Incidents In His Life A popular citizen, Thomas Edgar Hoyle, 109 Bay street, while celebrat~ ing his seventy-fourth birthday re- cently, went back along memory lane to recount a few incidents in a life that has had more than the usual amount of excitement and variety. Mr. Hoyle is a native of England, and as a youth, he joined one of Eng- land's famous military units, the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. During his military career, he served in various parts of the empire, spending much time in the West Indies. He was married in Bermuda in 1888. Following his discharge from the army on pension in 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Hoyle lived in Yorkshire until 1913, when they came to Canada and took up residence in Stratford. Mr. Hoyle was employed for a time by the Strat--- ford Chair Company, but later entered the service of the old Grand Trunk Railway, and was chief time-keeper until his retirement six years ago. recently elected Stratford branch of and Navy Veterans taken an active interest in several member. adian National Veterans' Association, and holds membership - Comrades' Association of the Duke of Wellington Regiment, and in the Can- adian National * ciation. Since his retirement, Mr, Hoyle has -- organizations of which he is a valued He is secretary of the Come) >: in the Old War Veterans' AssoO- bea!