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FNEER RG REA | MEANT. The pienecess of Blenheim were con- fronted with the same difficulties that] [7 WEAR pe Browne of Ontario. rest Saereunded then everywhere. Evorae make "a clearing" sufficient 4s @ Site fur their little log house and the Baptists with faitHfuiness barn, they had to chop down the trees | in early days and names are trim the 'brush off, cut the trees into | Stil alled with gratitude by the logs, railithem into log heaps and|B st community, In later years, burn theft with the brush--wood yas! EE a pho of 10 commercial value. In the clear- 3 3 r rn ings Uins made, the crops were grown! graduates from the C.I, Insti te, and on rhe wheat, oats and buek={ whee and, corn, potatoes and Beng they planted. they had to depend for their-fooa during -the lang winter. Tiere were scarcely any horses and where there was a yoke of oxen or cows, they browsed on the green foli- ago of the trees for their food. Grist nniils were few and far apart, so often the wheat was ground into flour 'by: the primitive means af two stones, i one of which was hollowed out rude ly in the shape of a mortar, the wither Qoing duty & Where grain was faken". . it hadi va Buaokad oi ons ek mito, An- i | caster, mow Dunda aearest point | where gristing wa 0. These were no poads. but marrow pails Were bli a4 {hrough the woods. several ars, | settlerent was arse and t ¢ were no schools or churches, neither was there any) market for produce, should the set-! tier have a surplus; Consequently fle or no money was in use, ack' salgs" (potash) being used as current coin of the realm, | | { | i A Nevartheless the "Queen's Bush" a Jers and less from ar to the number of tlers steadily re made, church- s were built, the clergymen at least, zation began to. overflow » new settlements, DIVING WORSHIP NEVER NEG- LECTED. Religious services were by outside clergymen sent in by thelr respective denominations. Other reli- gious ces were contributed by local preachers, who added their Sab- bath Day labor of love to the heavy toll of the week. During the summer months, camps held in the open air usuals me shady grove were much in vogue: Partly bec of their nov- elty and the absence of ot ente : ment, these we almost alwa; largely attended 1 averyone, young and old, in the nc orhood, Some- times the proceedings fmmediately outside the range of the pulpit B vice were not always decorous, though seldom any rowd m. | tings iny tigpse days --were| popular, and to many they doubtless] brought deep réligious comfort, apart from the relief ; gave to the dull monotony and sh conditions of pioneer life. Though notably earnest and devout, the pioneer local pr sachers wigre sel- THE J Tessa w EEETEATIY ne the <I +fieid, Rex. George Murray represeni- ing the E.P. Churel at Princeton; Willis Church, on the fourth tonces- sip! WAS the TRHElaus centre of {the Segtelr settlement in the south of tae towgship. Its ministers were in farm Duncan McRuer, Rev. Jaba Gillespie. and the Rev. Hector{ was oon- This eoneregation sixties divided and hE 4% Sand! rumba. The Shearer Sw the highly sepa pastor § con Ti. Another: bracrh of Ah ¢ concretion trom Willis church was also formed and n eheeh built ai Showers Cor- mers, fourth roncessinm This was anited with the congresation In Fast Y@nford: and is now under Rev. Mr. Clugsion, gE % {Tn the merth of Blenheim, at Chest- Vorfield, the Prestyterians had an enrly and flourishing congregation junder no devnted and mest goholarly Lminister, she Rev. Wiliam Robert. sges Howe many aspiring Soallants" {ite gle. minlstry, law, medicine, teach- d other professiops, had their g + jn the classics from this Tdmdls cicurned and deeply read cogmtry mimister? His was a fine spirit and Re wes a grand man. Rev. Mr. Johnston is the present minister. The Methodists had churches latter- ly in all the of the township and thew are a strong body. They 'have d eninte earnest, and geyoted pPAsLOTS, but the, Stinsrant system prevents them fram Bene So fully identified with re as pther clergymen with The TREE] - me furmed and churches built j fhe service of manyy Gobles by church regular BN ly Settlers everywhere in| ChUICh. east of Richwood. and also at a A dense, Primmba Plattsvilie Elders Haviland, Pickle. rey and other local n first heldd, THe TRE HE G16 JTCTTPSE Ted the first free. will in the County. Bapiists built at Baptist Later, the the River and Walverton. Patten, Cur- iwchers served Woodstock, and McMaster Univer ots superintendent of the Toronto Aspdm for the Insane. oS The early teachers whose na ges will be most readily recalled o Robert McLean of Richwood and 51. ¥. Ainslie of Drumbo, both of whan gave long years of efficient serviCe; together with George Perry of Perry's Corners, James Winterburn of' Washington, * A. 8S. Cruikshank of Princeton, A Fisher of Windfall, John Clinton of Springhill, and Wiil- Ham Henderson of Chesterfield. SPORTS OF THE OLDEN TIMES. There are two small lakes in the Township, Burgess Lake (now alas! drained) near Drumbo, and Pine Pond in the south west part of the town- ship, In certain seasons there is! still goed fishing at Pine Pond and in carly days, Burgess' Lake wassa fa- vorite resort of fishermen. s 1 have heard the late #ohn Burgess have filled the pastorates of the Ssev- eral Baptist Churches in the township. The Anglicans have churches in Princeton and Drumba, both built: by the efforts and during the incum- bency of the Rev. H. Bartlett. The Ynited Brethren have long had a church the windfall, near They are small 1 religion com- THAT HEALED AND TAUGHT. earliest days of Bienheim's In the settlement the pioneers were without a physician. Later on for some years their health was cared for by outside ans, who came from Ayr, Burford and Woodstock. Of resident physicians, Dr. Rounds, Drumbb, and. Dr. Daniel Clark of Princeton, will be, Lest remembered. The latter after-' wards became the able and efficient (Bunnel) tell of paddling in a dug- out through shosls of fish at the mouth of the outlet of Burgess lake, that were so thick that the prow of the boat pushed the fish aside, so that they could be pickéd with the hands, and landed, without hook or spear. Burgess lake is located just op- posite our old homestead and I have paddled a dugout around the shore of the lake, in the spring of the year with a light-jack--an iron hoop basket stuck on a short bow- sprit and filled with resinous pine knots--at the bow, while my brother speared the finny beauties as in the shallow water around shore inte which they had run to in the midday sun. It was rare the © James B. | sport and our hoyish enjoyment was keen as the bottom of the dugout was gradually covered with fine bass, sun fish, perch and pike. _ But there was an occasional 'break in that enjoyment. The spearman, when opportunity offered, would prove { his skill and also gratify his delight for mischief, by piekng up a turtle, as it lay basking in the water. The turtle upon being landed, immedfate- ly made for my end of the dugout. And as my small boy summer days were largely spent bare-footed, there imminent danger that a toe, or some other section of the bare foot might soon be gripped in the jaws of the approaching tartle. It was a C of jump overboard and swim to Shat vt eval sinking in. a slough © soapy mud) or fight. The small boy with the bare feet fought. He was probably brave be- canse he couldn't help himself. And so with a deadly blow from the paddle, the enraged turtle was knocked silly and then pitched over- board. It was a famous victory," a great naval engagement on the shores of Burgess Lake. This week your Rambler will re- view: a copy of the Drumbo '"'Ban- ner" printed over 60 years ago. The paper was brought to the Ayr News office by Erb Clark, Ayr." It had been hidden all the inter-} vening years in the residence of Harry Clark, one mile east of Drumbo, and was brought to light when a partition was being moved. Copy of Drumbo "Banner" Well Preserved The issue of the paper in ques- tion was Vol. 3, No. 4, Drumbo Banner, Thursday, October 7, 1897; editor, N. H. Boden. The paper was fairly well preserved. Wilmot Street, Drumbo. 52 Butter 13c¢ Pound; Eggs 9c Dozen; Potatoes 25c Bag; Pork $4.50 Cwt., on" Drumbo Market Near Turn of Century Teachers Ride to Schools on Bicycles And then, "The school teachers of this section are making good: use of their wheels, riding 7 or 8 miles, morning and evening, to and from the schools where they are teaching." Whatdayaknow- about-that. "Turnip buyers," it says, 'have been shipping large quantities of turnips during the past week." We'll bet they were being paid about 5 cents per bushel, rather than the presentday price of $1.50 bushel or more, which prevailed hereabouts this winter, for a time. Sweet News from Drumbo | Another item: "It is a fact that C. A. Muma sells 22 lbs. No. 1 Redpath granulated sugar for $1.00; also 24 lbs. yellow sugar for $1.00." Those were the good old days, alright. A fellow with a couple of bucks could keep real sweet. Admission to Band Concert, | which provided plenty of fun. Chaps Pay Big Price for Lunch The joker in these box socials came to light when the auctioneer placed the boxes on sale. Given the proper "tip-off" each "fellow" would = bid strenuously for the lunch box of his "girl". This was the 'cue for the rest of the fellows who would all take a hand in the bidding. We have seen these J ti high as E i hy EL a oc. | from the Blenheim Township Fair x 2 winners: James Baker, R. Dickie, casionally, a guy would run out : of cash and another chap would [1 Cochrane; os Ene pr bid in the box and have the pleas- Ww in 5 Fl D. Petrie, 1 ure of eating lunch with the other | oo gi SH a vie galt ; i ; a Al , D. I fellow's girl. It was quite a racket I a Telfer and Son, J. Brethour, N. Roth, D. Kaufman, J. Spears. Herd is a "Make or Break" Market Here are 'the markets: Wheat, 72c; oats, 16c; bran, $8 ton; middlings, $10; butter, 13c; eggs, 9c; potatoes, bag 25c; lard, 8c; dried apples, 2%c 1b.; tallow, 3c; beans, bu. 50c; peas, bu. 37c;! pork, cwt. $4.50. Many Familiar Names We will here list a few names Admission to Concert, 10c; Children Half Price "Squire Muma returned from an and Others official visit to the Welland Canal? Others are: E. Gammon, E. St. Catharines, and other places Cressman, T. Thornton, E. Furt-| on Wednesday," reads an item. ney, W. Wallace, J. Bruce, P. Then comes: "A Grand Concert to Irving, J. Fried, G. Law, W. Hall, be held in the schoolhouse, Wol-J. Rogers, Orr and Lillico, I. Mur- J. D. Cowan, George Law 10 Cents it And now it says: 'The Marine | Band of the Salvation Army drew'! a good house on Tuesday evening. The admission fee was 10 cents, but when the performance was about half through a collection was taken up. At the close of the program they begged the people of the community to take them in for the night. They left for Ayr, yesterday afternoon, where the same performance will be gone through again." We hope the Ayr folks gave the Army a good re- ception. Bands Played for "Drinks" Talking of bands, an item reads, "Wolverton is trying to raise a band, will it succeed?" Most i every small town had a band in those days. Remember the old Humberstone Band (near Pt. Col- borne) which played in front of the hotels "for the drinks"? Box Social at Windfall And here is something: "A box social at the U.B. Church, Wind- fall, is billed for this evening. As 'usual, upon such occasions, each Washington; Ben Howes, black- verton, on Friday evening, Oct. 15., ray, T. Douglas, R. Rennelson, Prof. Leeson, celebrated trombone: D. G. Harmer, W. Reid, G. Cald- player of Cathcart, and Burgess, well, W. Daniels, A. W. Burgess, brothers, Drumbo, have been en-| A. Thurlow. Plants and flovers--) gaged. 'That Rascal Pat' will be most of prizes to J. D. Cowan. put on as an afterpiece. Admis- 4G J sion, 10c; children half-price." 1t Capt. Cockburn, J; { was impossible to go "broke" in McLaren, 0. Given | those days at the prices men- Fruits: D. Mackie, Jas. i | { es & tioned. brugh, W. Copley, L. B.*Kinney, A. Fried, H. Hewitt, Jas. Mec- Laren, O. Given, M. Ainslie, Capt. Cockburn, James Hamilton, J. Gofton, M. Milgau, A. Braun, H. Currie, C. J. Baxter. Suits or Coats--Price $5 Elsewhere we find | announce- ments of: Drumbo Bargain House, J. J. Pickard, prop. (men's heavy winter suits and overcoats, $5.00; ladies' coats, from $3.75 up); J.-M. Whitney, optician, Woodstock; Robert Ranks, furniture, Ayr; 17. J. Meggs, butcher; some patent medicine adyts. such as Fowler's lextrat of wild strawberry, Mil-| V.S.; | lpurn's heart and nerve pills; Bur- V. Hahn, | |gock blood bitters. Then Central "Good Lager Always on Tap" --Hilborn House Now for a look over the adver- tisements. On the front page are announcements from: The Ander- son Furniture Co., Woodstock; D. Sheddon and Son, Woodstock; W. H. Anderson, shoemaker, Drumbo; D, Mackie, pumps; D. S. Cullen, hardware; F. C. Tate, tailor; Princeton Pump Works, N. V. Field; Drumbo Drug Store; James B. Rounds, auctioneer; Frank X: Wintemberg, blacksmith, smith; George S. Cavan, Hilborn House, Ayr, prop. (Good lager always on tap). | Hotel, Jno. C. Caldwell, Galt; Jos. Annual meeting of - Soho Cheese Gillespie, painter, Ayr; Ayr Rump and Butter factory, C. K. Currey, lady is expected to provide a box with provisions for two. An ad: | dress will be given by Rev. Mr. | Dyke ©f Bright, and Burgess, Bros. of 'Drumbo will {provide 'music, along with other fumbers on the | { program, 'Gentlemen will be tax-|iLogan, ia 15 cents*for admission, but la- {ies are on the free list." | |Works, C. G. Jokes, prop.; John sec.; W. C. Barr, undertaker. [Wesley Hunt, CO: and woe [ a Whecrmbe Bonner. 1877 C. A. Muma, General Store Then we have C. Ai 'Muma, general store; Charles. 'Taylor, lumber; M. Sinclair; , V.S.; Henry Burgess, fonsovial 'artist; Thos, auctioneer, - «Princeton; (... E. Baxter, flour and feed; Drumbo Bakery, John Pollock.