Thursday, December 22nd, 1938 e e LE LE SE KE CS CS CSE CSE SE L HL. § ‘TDappy Mew Drar to all g #} § t @ * CANADIAN INDUSTRIES LIMITED : 2@A PPAAA TT TT B Wilson Avenue Orectings May every home in Timmins and District be specially brightened by the good cheer that the season deserves through this holiday season. aBDerrtvo Tbristmas To all Ob Jrienos and all MHMew Jrienos tr1 the Mottb Lano ano a Timmins THE PORCUPINE ADVANCE, TIMMINS, ONTARIO When Waits Were Watchmen in Britain (From 1LONndGon .i We moderns connect the waits with Christmas, like carol singers and panâ€" tomines. The presentâ€"day waits make a transient and embarraseed appeoarâ€" ance a week or two in advance of Deâ€" comber 25 and display varying degrees of proficiency in their musical pprformâ€" ances. Bs to the waits of olden times clly WAIUS, 18 much; as for c municipal office of officers too Part of the Waits in Public Rejoicing. n( on a stranger‘s velcomed by whe he city wal‘ls." ity waits." is Rigt© up to the time of Cromwell we were a musical nation. Children were augzht to sing correctly and to play some musical instrument as a mat.i.er of course. A young man or girl, whether gentle or simple, would have been ashamed to avow ignorance of fivte, pipe. or viol de gamba. ‘The very inns and taverns had an instrument hanging up, so that any guest who felt inclined could entertain the company with his playing. Citizeus met each other‘s houses of an evening and renâ€" dered concerted music. Rich men kept their own bands ol musicians â€" witness the "minstrels‘ galleries" in so many old country manâ€" sions alfd in the halls of the London Guilds. To see how music permeavsed English life one need only read Chauâ€" cer. Every one of his characters in the "Canterbury Tales"® is an amatciur musician of some power of accomplishâ€" ment. So it went on from Chaucer‘s time through Plantagenet, Tudor, and Stuart days uciil the Puritans came. Occasions of Festivity Music thus being so much a pari of the psople‘s very life, it follows that the wa‘‘s were important functionarics and esteocmed according io their imâ€" portance. Even the learned universities kept their waits, and when a certain monarch woent to Oxford "he waits cheerfully and melodiously welcomed Her Majesty to the City with their tost voices." From the reference to voices it will be clear the oldâ€" VOIces 1 time w sinz, leaving vyOC gren. who trea Herald Angels" a n Sundry C before Christ bodies who ; charity or vvo church, ‘This remint any ol und. In 1762 nC In fact, at any time of rejoicing, whether public or private, these popuâ€" lar musicâ€"maukers were prominent. At Christmas time, of course, when the seasonable festivities lasted all through to Twelith Nighk, they were very busy. and were proportionately rewarded. Nowadays, alas, the Christmas season m ang C hey werd N08 ng during the service but e subseqrent festivities. In fact, at any time of 1€ 11L had cad U ads us that in bygone days alts would reinforce the irs on special occasions. n great demand for weddâ€" waits nc only played and WOre Goldsimith noted that arrival at Bath he is voices and music of That expression, "the significant. It mrans at hA to "HAark! Lhe and "Christmas Awake" s for about six weeks as, and to the various out carol singing for raise funds for soms clear L vocalist their 5 do not attempt to efforts to the chilâ€" us to ‘Hark! the s the wailts woT d highlyâ€"thouzh« ry town had i ward of the Cit JUu modern aImnt is the only time when successors of the original waits are heard. Oldâ€"time Instruments The moderns do nco. play on the same kind of instruments as their predeâ€" cessors. These were skilled executants on the sackbut, on the hautboy, on the pipe, on the fAute, on the Itve, on the harp. on the fiddle, and on cther musiâ€" cal instruments of which the modern does not even know the name. Toâ€"day‘s waits are contem. with "brass" and do not play strinzed inâ€" truments, as of old. The old "wind" was softer and more mellow in tone than modern horns and trombones, and the use of percussion instruments, like drums and cabors, added considerâ€" able variecty to the onsemble. (Verses by the late David Airth, of Renfisw, Ont.) I often think on backwood days, When scrimp 0‘ meat and scant 0 C ACS, wWi‘ naught but cawtaes, meal or maiZ( To fill the wame And hard it was the funds to raise To get the samr Nae houses then wi‘ stoves to warm, But open shanties, like a barn, While roun‘ che fire they did a‘ swarm. Likse hiving bees; The auld folks whiles would spin a varn, They could na knit at night, nor spin, The ‘oo0" was scarce, the light was dimâ€" Sometimes they‘d join a sang to sing, To pass the tim», As roun Tired wt But soon fecot, Until the shanty wa‘s would ring Wi‘ ranting rhyine I‘ve seen the youngsters sair put tae Wi‘ hack it feet and leg sac blaecâ€" As through frost and snaw frar day tae day, How parents for their weans did then Folks little nowadays do ken, To clad them a‘ frae stern to stem, Was naoe sma‘ task And how they could provide for them You weel migshy ask And And sent to bed Puir thines how they would sab and For luxurics they had to want, They werna fashed wi‘ folk 0‘ rank; Nae Trust and Loan nor Merchants Bank Yet ayo go For a‘ their little wants and needs, They carried on their backs like steeds And implements for planting seeds That they did grow I mind it weel, the simes were tough, While folks could hardly get enough, And what they got was poor and rough, To mak» a living; But for their work they took such stufl As they were given. No flouring Where they A toilsome job it was at night, To shell the corn and grind it rightâ€" And poke the fire to raise a light Sso they might see; Each took his turn wi‘ a‘ his Baith big send, Yet tried a‘ schemes to serve the wWi‘ patient Thoy ground a‘ that they needed In coffee Nae mowers then to cut the hay, Nor reapers down the wheat to lay, Where one could sit the live long day And tune his whistle Oh, neighbors! they were then, Though shy to borrow., free to lend, Weal anc anithers wants did ken In times 0‘ need In turns their lads and lassies send To plant the seed The cultivator for the weeds Then was the ho But men were honest in those days, Their actions spoke their loudest praise They scorned a‘ mean deceitful ways To gain their ends A kind o‘ work, or rather play, That needs no gristle Those ploneers o‘ whom I write, Their forms are bent, their heads atr Nor money would they beg or raise To ruin frienc white, j . others zone to mansions bright Beyond the sky (By Phillips Brooks) Then let every heart keep Its Christmas withinâ€" Christ‘s pity for sorrow, Christ‘s hatred of sin. Christ‘s care for the weakest, Christ‘s courage for right, Christ‘s dread of the darkness Christ‘s love of the lightâ€" Everywhere â€" everywhere â€" Christmas toâ€"night. Backâ€"wood Days TCK: KEEP CHRISTMAS INX THE HEART They limpt and ran for them my heart was wae When night was cam all, I hope, will reunite wWith them on high he chumbly they did creepâ€" their fun they fell asleep; woere arcused to wash their mills were ncear to ‘hem, their whoat and corn cculd To draw upon: omsthing i‘ their thank To help them on The bairns to please wi‘ hearts like lead they were neighbors might, an‘ wee end, wills. yhem mills. hn § £) i Christmas and New Year‘s § ?; Greetings "o NC $A : Northern Ontario Power Pine Street North Third Ave., Timmins To all their Customers and Friends Christmas _ Groctings ++ + The Officers and personnel In the Porcupine District. be Christmas is a fitting time Old Wishes to renew We hope it brings you happines To last the whole year through OSTROSSER CO. Extend Heartiest simple phrase which t express our wish for throughout the year. MERRY CHRISTMAS ompany, Limited UGGISTS AND PHARMACINTS MEN‘S WJI First Ave., Schumacher C@Cal V OU Christmas Section Timmins ¢)