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by Carol Bennett i sometimes think that one or the best things to happe ‘to this country was the invention of ihc "Tweedsmuir history". These books are or local history compiled by branches of the Women's Institute. and many of them are excellent pieces of work. National history books which record hallICh and political upheaval are all very well in their way. of more Im- pnrtanee to the ordinary person are the small. domestic details in lflLfll communities. Does anyone really care that (iranny lived tn be 102,0r that lightning struck the town hull in I593? I think that we do care It is thew: \mall human details that make up our daily lli‘C\. Discovering htiw uur lttte‘heah lived will tell us who we really are. The history books til the Ontario Wuriien't Institutes were named for Lord and Lady Tweedsmutr. Lurtl Tweutlsmuir being (mvertmriieneral tilt anada from 1935 until hiN death in l94ltt Lady 'I'weedwntiir mute.” “your village hixttiries will he the hasis ul’ accurate fat-t» rnneh valued by lil\lt)ll:ln\ til the liitttre. 1 am proud to think that you hate called them The Tn dttntitr Village Histories." Well, llti\ IN irtt .lh.tte had a great tlettl of help, yet, and pletmire mu Irtint tending same ol these in tl Mllllll htinlu while lltllllg lti~ttirieal research Strangely L'ntlllyll‘ \time ttl my cutiimtumi in. running and tar lti\tttty tit-ins from another tort of ‘l'weedsnitttr book. i tirtl lWL‘CdUlltllt' Wm also known Rh the great Aurthur. tltlllll Ilueliatt. Hi! hunks hair: heetsilte dawn, and perliaiit the "MN Illltllh is The Thirty nine Steps. which has been made into a movie tilt at luau three thllerenr UL‘ ("\ltll“. When l mu ~.ir|| qlttlt‘ innitg. wineune gave me d cops til l't'eklt'r .luliti. nltteli was written In l‘HO Tllh l\ ttii t: Llllllfl adieitttire \tory \t‘t mainly in South Africa, and lluehan \ttittt' ll titgittalli.‘ .|\ it hook for boys. .‘\|thll hunt the \Ittl) mull. i found the language nnigtiilict'ni, Thix may he titetitirred b) the fad that I learned a ptieiti ttt which littelian dedicated the bunk to it friend, because the words run together m well. I dreaded liming to ll‘lll’ll pact ' at school. “I Btiehan itbi Itl|l\l) triatlt ti ttiiptesstutt. little. the} my, lnllil the he“ of Urapture. Arid travel and battle and germ and gold â€"The Tweedsmuirsâ€" No more can kindle the ancient rap- lure. For even the youngest of hearts grows old. st But in you. 1 think,the boy is not over, ‘ So that this medley always and wars 1 As the gift of a friend. and a fellow ‘ lover or the (arrest country underthe stars.“ t Buelian's work seems to have gone out of fashion these days. but luckily the books are still to be found on the library shelve-5i Recently l reâ€"read some of these lunch. and was pleased to find that Prester John Still holds some of the old magic. The bookt are out of date beeatt there it a great deal or talk atmut tlt British Empire. and the obligations of the privileged clause» A few years and revolutions have taken place since they were written, and we view lil'e dif- ferentlytntlay, However. lot those who can keep rheu- thitigx in their proper context â€"- after all, lllt.‘ Empire was a fact of life in [9107 the hooks are timelesst [he adventures of the characten‘ are jlhl as gripping as today's modern ihrtllert. The writing is that of man with erlllCdth intelligence, and lanttnlit: kntivtledgc. Hi5 language is i tliouglthproiiihmg Take, lor ittstancet his book The liland «\l' gheep, One or the characters \pealtt. of men who once were full of adventure but vthti now stagnate arntntng meryda) things. all thoughts ttl peril and hardship forgotten. “The ‘ man whom i had thought of its a young eagle was content in he a barndoor fowl." ‘ Later he remarks sadly that he had thought of himself at remaining young and \igullfnll‘v, hut reality is now \Clllnglll. " kept nit llttih In [arr training by nen‘nv, but I realized that my and was in danger oi fatty degeneration . I had all llit: blexting~ a man could lime. but I wasn't earning them." It makes you think. People knew all about the tlltLlrlll-K‘ ("th hefttre l asset '\ wax \‘Klllllflll What about you â€" are you an eagle or a barn door fowl? I‘se wondered sometimes Vih» entire book become classics Milk other tade into ntmtirity. Perhaps it's at \tmplt: as the difference between one man and another. Burhan's hooks are for people ol’ all use», for what John Buchan remgntred in people are simply the things that we know about nurseltes,