The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 28

hi THM CmZBlf, OTTAWA. CASAUA SATCRDAT. MAY S2, ml 11 Tl 1 IH REMINISCENCES OF THE OTTAWA OF EARLIER DAYS. Personages, Scenes and Incidents Recalled for Evening Gtizen Readers COMP1XKD BX GXORGE H. WILSON.

TIME STUFF Ul UU UUWl liUUU ii in in in in itn, if, uu nflg TALE OF APPARITION WHICH BLEW AS WITH NOISE OF EXPLOSION TWO TRAGEDIES MARK STORY THE "QUARRIES" Francois Meumtr, 87 Year Old Ottawa Man, Recalls Live Stuff STORY OF ORGAN OUT IN ADMASTON AND 3 ELDERS Minister from Kingston Brought Modern Ideas to His New Charge. BIG FLOOD ON THE JOCK RIVER IN 1869 SWEPT ALL BRIDGES i Mr. Josh Clothier Tells Stories of Jocii foer Coanf ry in fie Sixties Recollections from a Section of the Country Not Hitherto RENFREW IN THE FIFTIES SMALL PLACE Some Bright Recollections by Mrs. James Mayhew of Ottawa re Renfrew County. ADMASTON TOWNSHIP WAS, WILD PLACE THEN Unusual Story of Sixties with Maple Hill, Nepean, as Its Base.

Strange Experience of Henry Williams, Storekeeper of Manotick, as Told by Mr. Josh Clothier of Ottawa. Knew Montreal. Road When Bridge Had Log Floor and -in 1840 from Montreal Here is an unusual sort of a ghost story as told by Mr. Josh Touched On.

Memories Grave and Gay. tany miik ue-livery. A Tragedy. Long Island Stories. A Great Fiddler and Other Things.

tf Mr. Francois Meunier is 87 years of age and has lived iii Ottawa for 86 of those years, r1 Perhaps that statement is 'not exactly correct as he lived for a number of years at the "Quarries." on the Clothier, of 520 Bay street. The person who had the experience was a Mr. Henry Williams, who kept a general store in Manotick in the sixties, when Manotick was.young.i Mr. "Williams had been over to FallOwficld on business and was coming home at night along the then lonesome cross country road and was near Maple Hill when the thing happened.

Mr. Joshua Clothier, of Bay street, is one of the narrators of O.T.S..this week. Mr. Clothier tells some remarkably good stories. They are chiefly stories of the early days in Nepean, along the Jock River.

This is a part of the county which has not yet been touched on and it. contains some very fine material, including a spook story of an unusnal character. Mr. Clothier also tells about the early days of milk delivery in Ottawa tells about the time in the seventies when the milkman rang a bell and the people went Montreal roadand also Jived for about four years in HuU. But it is correct to say that he has lived here and hereabouts for S6 years, A high spot of Mr; Meunier 's story is that during the- four years he lived in Hull he worked in the winters at the Quarries and walked back and forward every day (except Sunday).

From Hull to the Quarries by, Way of the Suspension bridge is a good five miles or He' made'lhat trip morning and night in bad weather and good. The four'years in which Mr. Meunier made his daily trips tv the Quarries 1868 and 1872, the period when work' was so scarce in Ottawa and Hull and a steady job even at the Quarries was not to be sneezed at. On the winter of one of these four years (1869) came the win Of Uncanny Look. was riding slowly along on horseback (the roads were bad) when he suddenly noticed a man walking close beside the left front.

leg of -the horse. The man did not speak or look around and there, was something very odd in his appearance. Mr. Williams up the horse and went faster, but the man remained in exactly the, same place. Though he was going faster he did not seem to exert himself.

Not. Afraid, But Mr. Williams waa a brave man and not afraid of things human, but he had a nin grained fear the supernatural. He touched up the horse andVent still faster. The man also went faster.

He was so close to the1 horse that he would have been walked on if he had been I As Mr; Williams observed this fact his fear grew, and he ap out to his rig and got their milk- Mr. Clothier- was born about a mile from the mouth of the Jock on the farm now owned and occupied by William Duun. His father was David Kilborn Clothier, who, came from Kcmptville and settled on the Jock some ninety years ago. Mr. Joshua Clothier was born on the Jock in the year 185.

His mother was a daughter of Captain Collins, of Gloucester, whose history was narrated a couple of weeks ago. The original Clothier home had a great old-fasiioned fireplace fitted with a crane for a- pot. Mr. Josh Clothier's personal recollections of the Jock country begin about 1S64. He tells of frequently seeing bears in the bush and on the edge of the clearings while picking berries.

He tells about an old schoolhouse about a mile and a half west of plied the whip liberally; The apparition, as he now firmly believed it to be, did not lose ground. HAD TO CAMPAIGN TO GET ADOPTION Three Elders Leftthe Building When First Notes "of Organ Were Heard. Here we have a little story of how three Presbyterian elders up in Ad- maston township stood their ground for a time against the inroads of modern ideas in music. The story is told by Mrs. James Mayhew of Ottawa.

The time of the story is about the year 1888. The place was a little Presbyterian church in Admaston and the minister and chief figure, a Rev. Mr. Lang, who had come to Admasftnn from Kingston or the vicinity of Kingston. In the church Mr.

Lang had left there had been an organ and Rev. Mr. Lang liked an organ as a means of bettering congregational Never Had Organ. In the Admaston church there had never been an organ and the elders had never been, in churches where there had been an organ. So' they were opposed to the idea of an Organ when Rev.

Mr. Lang broachedJ It'i But Mr. Lang was not easily dis couraged. He began a quiet -campaign among the young people and the middle aged people and in due time worked up a strong sentiment in favor of an organ. i Vole Was Taken.

In due time a vote of the congregation was taken as to the trial of an organ in the By a Small majority the proposal carried. It so happened that near the church was a hall occupied by the Good Templars the well known temperance organization. "-The Good Templars owned a small organ. Mr. Lang induced the Good Templars to loan the church their organ lor a few Sundays.

i So one Sunday it was announced by the minister that on the i next Sunday the singing would be led by an organ. Created a Stir. During the week whenever Tre-byterians met, the organ was the uppermost subject of talk. The fol lowing Sunday came around in due time and found a crowded church. People who lived miles away and seldom came to church were there.

There was a tenseness in the air. RICHMOND VILLAGE Suddenly.the horse looked at once bolted and at was all Mr. There were'no farm houses near all sides. X. Blew Up.

At a point about half a mile from where the spook first showed itself, a stranger thing happened. explosion where, the man walked not come hack. In due got their home, where the pupils sat on seats made of squared logs set with wooden pegs for legs, and about the teacher, a Miss Annie Driscbll, whose father kept a store at Long Island Locks. Bridge Over Back Channel. He tells how in the sixties there used to be a bridge across the back channel of the Rideau near the Long Island Locks and which gave access to Long Island, and how the main channel leading over into Gloucester had to be crossed by a ferry scow operated by one Mickey Butler, who was a very quick-witted and popular Irishman, who had many quaint sayings, which added to the spice of life in both Gloucester and Nepean.

Mickey Butler once said, "The hardest kick I ever got from a would never travel that road, by night again. S- Full of Stories. Mr, Clothier says Mr. Williams told his (Clothier's) father about his experience and said that he had no explanation to offer for it. Mr, Qothier tells that in the sixties there lived at Merivale one Jimmy Lang, an Irishman from the old sod, who could tell more hair-raising ghost stories and tales of weird things that had happened in Ireland than any man he ever heard, and Mr.

Lang never lacked for an audience. ter of the deep snow. Earned Bis Money. Mr. Meunter all that winter trudged between the Quarries and certainly earned the two dollars per day (on the average) which he pulled down.

In the latter part of the month of March the snow was five feet on the AS BABY IN YEAR 1840 Mr. Meunier'e father, Jean Meun-ler, came to Bytown from Montreal in the year Mr. Meunieraenlor was a quarry man by trade. Not long after his arrival here he got a' job at the Robillard quarries on- the Montreat road and moved there. Francois Meunier was then about year old.

Mr. Meunier aenior.worked 38 years at the Quarries. He died in When Francois- Was about nine years old he also took a job at the Robillard quarries i aa. assistant driller When he was 19, Francois yearned for the white lights of Ottawa and; a better Job. Hi wanted to be a stonemason.

He got himself articled to Xavier Richard of Besserer street' and learned the trade, 1 For 58 years he worked as a full fledged -stone mason. The Parliament Buildings received a lot of his labor between 1860 snd 1864. Jfot Much Then. Mr. Meunier gave the O.

T. S. his recollections of the Montreal road between Cummings bridge and the Quarries aa he knew it when he was about ten years of age tot in 1850. At that time there were only seven houses between the Rideau river and the Quarries. Eastview waa nonexistent.

The residents there were Charles Olmsted, farmer; Capt. Bradley, the Sparrows, the Spears. I STORY OF SPIRIT horse was from a cow." Mr. Clothier says that anyone who ever got kicked by a cow can verify the force of Mr. Butler's Irish Mickey died many years ago; The bridge that spanned the back channel was swept away about fifty years ago in a great spring freshet.

It was not replaced. Near Long Island Locks was a little Presbyterian church, of which the minister was a fine one named Lougheed. OLD-TIMER RELA TES AN INCIDENT Mr. Robert Pollock, Now Residing In Nanairho, B.C., Recalls a Happening Which Caused Mild Sensation When "Commercial College Bank" Bills Were Used by a Young Man of the District. It Was Largely Corduroy; and No Railing.

Father Came Here the Thomsons, the Hallidaye and the Roblilards. i Much Corduroy. The Montreal road waa largely made of corduroy and was almost) impassible in spring. The bridge (later known as Cummings' bridge) was a structure of flimsy appearance. The driveway er flooring was made of round log and the bridge did not have any railing.

TWO TRAGEDIES OF PAST AT QUARRIES Two tragedies of the past at the Quarries are told of by Mr. Meunier. One of these occurred in the year 1863 and the other about the year 1886. The first tragedy concerned the death of a man named Scott during a fight with a man named Andre. Gosselin, an employe of the quarries.

Gosselin, it appears, struck Scott a blow on the face which caused him to fall. In falling, he struck his head on a sharp He was killed in stantly. Gosselin was arrested but was discharged, Scott's death being declared accidental by the jury. -KING KILLING. Then in 1866 there was the killing of a local farmer named Louis King.

Mr. King was in the bar of the only hotel in the settlement when he got', into an altercation with a man named Duncan Cameron. King was badly injured In the mixup and died as the result of his injuries. There was an Investigation nothing came of it. The hotel In which the row took place was kept by one Basil Girard.

-V LOWER TOWN SWAMP. Mr. Meunier saye that when hia father came here in 1840 much of Lower Town was etill a. cedar swamp. BOATMEN IS she had been a Miss Rajotte, daughter of Levi Rajotte and had lived at Aylmer, near the Roman Catholic church.

On one bright moonlight night in summer there had been a young people's party in front of their house and many young people were present. Guests Were Afraid. They were all laughing and talking and playing games, when a queer sound in the sky attracted their attention. They listened nd heard right overhead nd apparently not far above the. house the sound of men ringing in French, and they heard also the sound of paddle splashing water.

After that- the party was a failure; A lot of the young people were afraid. They were superstitious. Many ot them went home. Old Lady Nodded. When Mrs.

Meunier' grandmother, Mrs. St- Martin, who had come to Aylmer from Sorel. was told about the occurrence, she nodded and smiled, and told those who had spoken to her that they had heard something that not -everybody had been privileged to Mrs. St. Martin knew many weird atories which had been current; in old Quebec, a hundred year before and which make the spirit-boatmen sound like pikers In the matter of spook i-ness.

Drove a Tralnean. Mr. Meunicr's father, Levi Ra- jotte, used to drive a traineau between Montreal and Bytown in the winters of the forties and helped-to keep Bytown supplied with food and supplies ot other, sorts when water navigation was Mrs. Meunier is Jri her eighties but looks like a woman of (5, CONSULAR SERVICE The consular service fct Ottawa In was as follows: Brazil, McLeod vice-consul; C. Elliott Anderson, consul-general; Liberia.

C. tnilott Anderson, consul-general; Sweden ana aiaccuaig, vice-consul: United States, Thomas W. Hotchklss, consul, Edward King, vice-consul; Uruguay, C. Elliott Anderson, vice-consul. LADIES IN ORANGE PARADE' L'p in Admaston back in the sixties when th Orangemen went on parade many-of the women folk joined in the profession riding on horesbeck.

ALSO TOLD BY MR. F. MEUNIER The William Barry Murder of the Forties Recalled by Mrs Mayhew. Mrs, James Mayhew, Pansy avenue, Ottawa South, has some very interesting recollections of Stewartville, Renfrew and Admaston township in the long ago. Mrs, Mayhew remembers Renfrew when It was "a little bit of a place," when there was just, a Main street and.

a few scattering houses, a couple of noteis ana one store. That was away back in the fifties. i Mrs. Mayhew, now 80 years of age, and for eight years a resident of is a daughter of Arch a erguson, who settled in McNab township somewhere -about 1848 coming from Scotland. Mrs.

May- new was Marion i erguson. The Fergusons settled at a point on the Madawaska about seven miles from Arnprior. The place later be came known as Stewartville. There were four children in the Ferguson family, three boys and Marion. One of these boys, John, later became prominent in the affairs cf Ren frew county.

He became member for the county back In the sixties and was a. leading associate of Sir John Macdonald in old parlia ment of Upper and Lower Canada. He also became well known as i lumberman. A son of John Fergu son lives in Ottawa, Mr. J.

B. Fer guson of MacLaren street. Pioneer Died Early Archibald Ferguson, the pioneer, had only been in Canada about four years when, unfortunately, he took fever and died. A couple of years after Mr. Fergusons death Mrs.

Ferguson married Robert Barry of Admaston township and moved there. Robert Barry was a brother of the William Barry who was murdered about 1846 by his hired man and his wife. The Barry Murder This Barry murder, it may be remembered, was told of in detail about a year ago by Mr. John Derby, aged 99, of Hintonburg, and who was the man who discovered the body and gave the alarm. And now the sequel of the mur der is told by Mrs.

It appears that William Barry had willed his property to his bro ther Robert (they were bachelors) and had lived together. A few years after the murder Robert met and married Mrs. Fer guson and took her and the family to live in his old homo. The Barry House Mrs. Mayhew (Marion Ferguson) has- a distinct recollection of the house where the murder took place.

It was a comfortable farm house of the primitive type about six or seven miles southeast of Renfrew. Mrs Mayhew says that though she lived there till she married James Mayhew in 1866 she neither saw nor heard anything to remind her of the ghastly murder. In other words there were no "spooks" or noises to be seen or heard. The murder of William Barry had been most brutal. His skull had been beaten in with an axe while he slept.

Walked to Renfrew Mrs. Mayhew tells how when a little girl and living in the Barry house she frequently used to walk to Renfrew (for seven miles) for supplies. The road was rough and lonesome. At that time (in the early fifties) there was just one store in Ren frew. Mrs.

Mayhew does not re member who kept it. But she knows that it was constructed of rough boards and stood where the O'Brien Theater now stands. The British Hotel There was only one street and two hotels. One of these hotels was kept by a Mr. Coombes, and still stands (the British Hotel).

The other hotel was kept by a man named Groves. She thinks it burned. Anyhow, it is not there now. There were not any doctors in Renfrew then. Itinerant doctors (who also pulled teeth) visited the village for a couple of weeks at a time and made trips into the coun try to attend special cases.

The now great Renfrew exhibition had not even been thought of then. Helpful Old-Timers Mrs. Mayhew says doctors were not as necessary in the fifties and sixties as they are today, as many of the old people knew a lot about caring for the sick and were very generous in travelling around tne country in times of sickness and rendering aid. Wolves Plentiful In 1866 Mrs. Mawhew got married and went to live back in Admaston on her husband's farm.

Her first recollection of the Admaston farm was the lonesomeness of it. Wolves howled at night and were very bold in killing sheep. One night 1Z sheep were killed by the wolves in their neighborhood. Primitive' Schools The schools of Admaston were very primitive and inadequate. She remembers that 75 children were crowded in a one-room building and taught hy one teacher.

The teachers were fairly competent, but some or them used to drink. She remember one teacher who when under the Influence of liquor used to be very Jovial and play vith the children, instead of teaching them. The next day, however, he would be sul len and cross and ready to use the strap on the slightest provocation. The school was a shanty with scoop" roof. Other recollections by Mrs.

May hew will be found elsewhere on this page. Mr. Stewart Joyce of 9 imperial avenue, Is a grandson of Mrs. Mayhew. Mr.

Mayhew died about 89 years ago. of course, must be advanced, as t.e preparation costs more, but we cannot see a sufficient reason for the very high prices, excepting to make the fortunes that are made on the SKY SONGS AND PADDLES WERE HEARD 'QUARRIES' AND AYLMER Many People at Both Places on Occasions Five Years Apart Heard Strange Sounds and Agreed as to Details of What They Had Heard. back and also saw the thing. He Williams could do to hold him. to turn into and the bush was on There was a big noise like an and he then disappeared and did home safely, but he vowed he and soon the notes of the organ filled the church.

Three Elders Left. As the first notes of the organ were heard, three eldere, as though by mutual arrangement, rose from their eeata and walked with dignity out of the building. One of the three had an organ in his own home but would not allow it' to be played on Sunday, even for the singing of hymns. As the last man left the door Mr. Lang eaidr They Came Back.

"Let them go, brethren. They will come back." And sure enough with in a year all three were back in their accustomed seats. Their families had been against them, and what poor elder would have a show when hi ain folk were- against him. The congregation bought an organ and thus ends the story. SAW QUEER LIGHTS BEFORE SON'S DEATH John O'Dey of Admaston Had Strange Experience.

The "spook" stories which have appeared in the O. T. S. the past few weeks served to remind Mrs. Jas.

Meyhew of a strange occurence out in Admaston many years ago. Near the Mayhew farm lived a Mr. John O'Dey, who was a very fine neighbor. A son of this Mr. O'Dey got his foot taken oft in a mill and the accident ended in the young man's death.

After the death of the boy Mr. O'Dey told the neigh bors that fully a week before the accident he knew something would happen to somebody near to him. He told that each night for a week when he went out after dark he saw queer lights in the bush behind his house. Mr. O'Dey was not naturally a superstitious man, but he came to regard the lights which he saw nightly (and which had never, been seen before) as omens.

ALBANI'S FIRST PIANO Some 25 years ago Anson Gard wrote of Narcisse Ferron of Aylmer as follows: "Narcisse was a friend of John B. Lajuenesse, who once lived in Aylmer. John B. Lajueneese was the father of the world famous singer, Albani. Aylmer can well be proud of this great songster, who as a girl lived here sang snd played around with the village children, no one ever seeing in her the world favorite which she has become.

Her father was a poor music teacher- poor, so far as money and wealth went, but rich in what his child has become to the lovers of perfection in voice. When the family moved away Mr. Ferron purchased Albania little piano her first. It may yet be seen in the home of Blie Beaudry, who married Clara Ferron, as seen in the foregoing record. It is old and broken-wired, with no music left In it, snd yet by association it retains a charm which no perfect instrument, newly turned out from the factory of an Orme, could have for it was Albani's first." LUMBER WAS CHIEF IN THE EARLIEST DAY Rev.

Mr. Gourlay wrote in 1836 as follows: "Mr. Farrel furnlnhed the boards cut at the Rideau before the Hon, Thomas McKay purchased these Falls with so much surrounding lands, and the boards were of the very first quality lumber, worth then IS or $7. or in the hands of some, as high as J8 a thousand, the latter then considered rather high for honesty. But a couple of men in the woods and a teamster with a yoke of oxen end a crotch, could keep a little mill sawing, snd the raw material cost nothing but the bringing to the mill door.

Prices, EARLY SETTLERS ON BANKS OF THE JOCK Among- the' early settlers around the mouth of the Jock who were still live la th re calls the following: names: James Kennedy, WnJ. Kennedy, Paddy Wm. Thos. Neil, Thoa. Larkhv John Brophy, John Houlahan, Pat Houlahan, John Tier- rey, Arthur Watt, Timothy Brennan, Michael Davis, John Fermoyle.

Tim Gleason, Samuel Neale, John Keale, Wm. Kennedy, "Cedar" Jim Costello (he had a cedar bush Denis Berrlgan, Michael Clark, Wm. Clark, John Costello. On would be justified In believing that the Clothier farm was in the center of an Irish settlement. It was.

There were only two Protes tant families in the settlement. But those two i Protestant families, ac cording to Mr. Clothier, received nothing but kindness from their Irish neighbors. He speaks very eulogistically of the relations be tween the two Protestant families and their Roman Catholic; neighbors. Many of the descendants of these men still live in the locality.

Father Dawson Preached. He goes on to tell how, at the mouth of the Jock, about where the Prescott highway- now runs, there used to be a little log Roman Catholic mission, which was served by the well-known Father vEneas Dawson, who because of his religious liberality used to be known far and wide as "the Protestant priest." Mr. Clothier says that on various special occasions his father's family attended the services held by Father Dawson and never, once did they hear a word to offend their religious GREAT FLOOD ON THE JOCK IN YEAR '69 All Bridges on the River Were Swept Down Stream. Mr Clothier jells about a great flood on the Jock River in the year 1869. The winter of 1868-9 had been the so-called "year of the big snow," which has often been spoken of in these columns.

The snow had lain hi Nepean and along the Jock, as elsewhere, as much as Ave feet on the level. The country districts were practically isolated, especially late in March and early in April. Snow began to fall about March J5th and fell almost continuously night and day till the first week-in April. Then came a sudden warm pell and the inevitable; flood followed. Sadden About the second week In April the water began to rise.

In a few days those who hud houses on the low banks of the river were forced to live--upstairs. Every bridge between Richmond and the Rideau islr. Clothier says the spectacle wss wonderful, but a lot of damage was 'ron. The Jock has several times Sine IMS gone on a ram pace, but never has the flood reached the proportion c-t that year. In due course the first hymn came round.

The organist went to the organ, took her seat, adjusted herself with ceremony befitting the occasion IN WE SIXTIES ent governor of Ottawa jail. This incident happened about the year '65 or '66. I lived at Bell's Corners from fall of '18 till spring of '60 and remember all who were Inhabitants at that time, most of whom have passed away. Going to the village from Ottawa the first building on the right hand side was the dwelling of Tollgate-keeper T. G.

Anderson. Next was the establishment of Sandy Spittall, first the blacksmith shop then a lumber shed, sawmill, lathe, boring machine and other machinery. The motive power for this wa9 generated by two horses In a building back of the mill. Next was the paint shop, two storeys, and carpenter shop. The dwelling house was some distance farther on.

The space was used as piling- ground for cord-wood and presses used in bending sleigh runners and other woodwork. A lane led to a lumber supply building and a stable for horses and cows. Next to Spittall's house was a long shed open to the street, belonging to the hotel occupied by Bill Corbett. Next the general store of G. B.

Robertson, dwelling in the same block. Adjoining this was a large garden, next a vacant lot on which, in the summer of '63, was built a house for James Bell, who lived on the opposite side of the street. He moved into it but did not live long after. He died during the winter of '60. I saw R.

P. Spittall carrying boards from Bell's house across the street to his shop. This happened on Sunday. I mentioned it to somebody who knew that Bell had had the lumber for his own coffin for years. The fact leaked out when he was moving Into the new house.

He told somebody what the lumber was intended for. Next to Bell's house was the dwelling and shop of Bob Crow, shoemaker. Next was a vacant log building which had been occupied by Mr. Ahearn, blacksmith, father of John and William Ahearn, who had a blacksmith shop at the Chaudiere for a great many years. Both have passed away.

A third son, Maurice, did not care for blacksmlthing but was musically inclined. He joined a circus and played an Instrument in their band. He left Ottawa with the circus. A fourth son is Mr. Thos.

Ahearn, head of Ottawa's great firm of Ahearn and Koper, of Ottawa Electric Railway and electric industries. On the opposite side, first was the shop and dwelling of R. V. KpittiiU; next a small log house where Jas. Bell lived till he moved across the street to his new house; next the blacksmith shop and dwelling ad joining of Wm.

Orange; next, on the corner of Coulburn and Richmond roads, the dwelling and general store and post office of Geo. Arnold. Opposite Arnold's store was the Bell Hotel, owned and occupied by Hugh Bell, who gave the village its name. Next on the corner was the shoe shop and dwelling of Donald Hun- roe; next the cooperage of John and Henderson Nesbitt; next the Orange Hall; next the blacksmith shop and dwelling of Christy Burnsldc; next the residence of Mrs. Scott, mother of F.

Scott, and last the hotel owned and occupied by Sergeant Corbett. He. was a pensioner of the British army. This was the last building on that side. This is probably more than enough ror one time, but it acceptable will try again ROBT.

POLLOCK, Front street, Nanaimo, B.C. quantity twice per day in summer to prevent it souring. -Carried a Bell. The milkmen carried a bell of the dinner bell type and rang it in front of the homes of the customers, who, rain or shine, or snow, took their jug or tin pail and walked out to the milk wagon to get their milk. Mr.

Shillington had a covered milk wagon, pne of the feW of the period. The milk was carried in five gallolT cans and served -from them by Quart and pint measures. Milk sold at 6e per quart in summer and 6c in the winter. TRAGEDY OF SIXTIES MAN BEATEN TO DEATH Mr, Clothier tells of a tragedy which occurred in Nepean town ship in the year 1864, This story concerns the death of one John Brophy, whose family lived on the Jock near the Clothiers about three miles off which was close in those days of sparse habitations. The tragedy occurred at a house located halfway between Clothiers' and Fal- lowfleld, at a place called Berrigan's Corners.

At this point there had been a social gathering one Sundav in the summer of that year. Brought aoout Dy too much drink, a free fight broke out. For some reason John Brophy became the storm center of the fight and he was literally beaten to death. Afterwards arrests were made, but the. evidence was so in volved that nothing came of it.

GREAT FIDDLER. Mr. Clothier tells about one Bill Dawson, who had a great reputation as a dance fiddler in the sixties. Bill was then an elderly man, but ne could put such snap into his nddle that he was very popular with all the young people, and no dance was-complete without him. Mr.

Clothier also tells about one John Tierney, who could play the flute with splendid effect. If John had been a Protestant he would have held a front place in an On paraae on tne Twelfth. But Mr. Tierney's flute was not trained In that way. POPULAR BLACKSMITH.

Johnny Costello. the of the sixties on the Jock, holds a high place in Mr. Clothier's memory. In the cold fall days when the bnv were going home barefooted from school they would drop into Cos-tollo's shop to get their feet warmed by the forge fire, or from the heat of any iron he wss wm-klnc nn Johnny always had a cheery word tor tne boys. OX THE OUTSKIRTS.

When Mr. Clothier waa a fourteen or fifteen ahniit ih v. 1870 he-used to come into town every now and again to visit with his cousin, Mrs. Halpenny. who kept, umwuuiK nouse on the northwest corner of O'Connor and Maria i streets (Laurier west).

She lived in the large brick house (which still stands) and kept boarders. This house at that period was the last one southward on O'Connor street. POLISHED THE BOOTS. Little Josh Clothier used to think it great fun to visit at Mrs. Hal-penny's.

He remembers that Mrs Halpenny had a habit of having her boarders' boots polished for them by the servants. Her place was what would now be called a high class private boarding house. When Josh came to town he liked to take on the boot-polishing job, as it meant tips for him. CAME TO TOWN. Just 25 years ago Mr.

Clolhler came to Ottawa to live and has since resided here, but he sees lots of the country as ht visits the farmers and sells them nil sorts of modern devices, such as windmills, cream 3 The O.t.8. is in receipt of another much appreciated letter from one of its friends in faroft place. This time it is Mr. Robt. Pollock, a Richmond old-timer, now residing in Nanaimo, B.C.

He describes Richmond village as it was in the sixties and relates an Incident that caused a mild sensation there at that time. Mr. Pollock's letter follows: "A Romance of Bell's Corneri." A youth of Bell's Corners named Francis Lafleur Fell in love with a damsel so young and so pure. How the heart of our hero with joy must have burned When he thought his affections sincerely returned; But fearing delay would his happiness waste. Connubial bliss he determined to taste.

Xow the pockets of Frank weis a stranger to cash, And such a proceeding was certainly rash: But anxious at once the affair to arrange, He applied to Bob to furnish the change. Bob said he was willing to stand by a men a As long as he had a dollar to lend. So he gave him a bundle of bills in his fist. And Francis walked off in most cap! tal twist: But he pulled out the rags to Inspect tnem again. And a gleam of suspicion crept Into nis Drain That they weren't the right thing, so he went away And got silver at par without any oeiay.

The couple soon after to Ottawa went And when they got back the spon dulix was spent. And waiting to receive them with a woeful long Jaw Were the man who was gulled and a limb of the law. This is alt I can remember of the poetry, but the result was poor Frank was arrested and taken before the magistrate (Johnny Dawson who, knowing all the parties concerned and all the facts of the case, paid the farmer who had given good money in exchange for Commercial College bank bills and bound Frank to work for him on the farm for the space of four months to square tne aeot. frank was Pleased to cut off so easily. When the man gave Frank the bills the latter wanted to giveta, note as security for the loan, but the lender said this was not necessary: he would trust to his (Franks) honor.

Had the man accepted this note he would have been liable for the amount of the bills, which was forty dollars. The bills were from the Commercial College of Ottawa and were used in teaching banking and other financing. The author of the poetry was Fred Harmer, whose father kept the tollgate and was clerk of Nepean municipality for a number of years. A son of the magistrate is the pres- separators and kindred farm conveniences. Read, elsewhere on this page, Mr.

Clothier's very unusual spook story. is somewhat on a par with Tom Bowes" Ridge road story of the ghost which, when hit, burst into flames. Mr. Francois Meunier of 643 St Patrick street, confirms the story told by Mr. J.

B. Roy of Water street about the existence of the spirit boatmen told of in last Saturdays O.T.S. When Mr. Meunier told the editor about having heard the weird sounds in the eky, Mr. Roy'a tory had not been published, and he was not aware that Mr.

Roy had made any statement on the subject. Mr. Meunier told of his experience wun the snlrlt-boatmen merely a an in cident albeit an important one-of his storv. Mrs. Meunier also told of having heard the sky songs when she was a girl and long before ehe had met Mr.

Meunier. Mr. Meunier had his experienc out at the Quar rles on the Montreal road about the vear 1855. Mrs. Meunier had her adventure at Aylmer when she was a girl of 15, about the year I860 Many Beard songs.

In the case told of by Mr. Meunier some IS people were together and all heard the weird singing. In the case of Mrs. Meunier a young people's party was in progress and all of the participants heard tne weira mam testations. i Heard At Dusk.

Mr. Meunier tells that when he heard the as he calls them he was sitting outside his lather cottage at th Quarries peeling pota toes. A number or neignnors were sitting around. The thing occurred in mid-summer just about dusk, with a clear aky. They were in an open space and there were no trees around, the rustling of which might have been construed into the sounds they heard.

Heard Spirit Dog. Those who were present were chat- ing and laughing when suddenly in the sky above their house there came the sounds of men singing old French eongs and the sound ot paddles beating the water (as also described by Mr. Roy). At the same time a dog (evidently also with the men) barked "yip, yip, yip." The sound travelled steadily from them und in a couple of minute could not be heard any more. Agreed On Sounds.

Mr. Meunier said that all present agreed as to th nature of th sounds pthey had heard and th happening waa talked of for many week. None of those present had ever before heard the spirit boatmen, though they had all heard that there were such spirits. Mr. Meunier.

says that he belief was that these spirit-boat men had been in life bad men. and ad been condemned to thus sail the skies without oessation. Heard At Aylmer. Then Mrs. Meunier told her etory.

th Mil that ksfor her marriage OUON USED BELL; DID KOt LEAVE WAGGON In 1171 Clothier left the farm and went to work for Thos. hljllngton, who had a dairy farm on the Merlval road, and who served milk to Ottawa people. Mr. riothisr's job was to drive the milk wagon. Mr.

hilUntton had 75 or 19 custom era and the milk wagon delivered BiiUC twic In sum-knar and one In winter. In those day lt nuy PPl ice and ibii preferred to take a small.