Cold Weather

After January furnishing us with a delightful brand of weather. February started in with a falling temperature. The Government thermometer registered as follows: Monday, 10 below zero; Tuesday 19 below and Wednesday 5 below.

The Great Air Battle of Major W.G. Barker

(By Mrs. Thos. Playford)

Among the deeds that have been done
By airmen brave and skilled,
This last great air feat of the war,
With wonder all has filled.

O’er Mormal fores, all alone,
One brave aerial knight,
Flew searching for the British troops,
Or foe air craft in sight.

He soon espied a German plane;
Attacked it then and there,
And soon the enemy machine
Was broken in the air.

But still another hostile craft
Was coming very nigh,
Just then the young Canuck was stunned,
A shot had pierced his thigh!

But soon the major was alert,
There, in the dangerous spot,
For fifteen Hun planes now came near,
To fire the deadly shot.

But the brave boy his shots did fire,
So deftly and so well,
That though against such odds he fought
Three of the foe craft fell.

But he another wound received,
And fainted clean away,
But again he mastered his machine,
And did once more hold sway.

He flew at one great hostile craft,
It fell, but in his pride.
Just then his left arm, bruised and smashed
Hung useless by his side

With one hand left to steer and shoot,
While foes the air did fly
Those watching saw and held their breath,
At that cool, deadly skill.

Some minutes longer in the air
He played the awful game,
Put out of action two more for fair,
Then to the earth he came.

Our boy! Who nigh on sixty plane;
Single handed fought that day,
Now lies a sorely wounded lad
In Rouen far away.

And all who watched him on that day
So nobly act his part,
That he’ll soon recover from his wounds
Is hoped by each brave heart.

Dauphin’s brave boy has laurels won
From our Allies o’er the sea,
But for this great deed of valor done
He got the prized V.C.

And when he comes back home again
Having won so much renown
Won’t be proudly welcome by
Dauphin, his native town!

And while, at home, his parents wait
The coming of their boy,
All hearts that love the Maple Leaf,
Heard of his deeds with joy.

And when she had this story heard,
Of daring, skill and pluck,
Old England bowed her head and said,
“God bless our young Canuck.”

And when in after years we read,
In history, song and story,
Of man a great heroic deed.
That won both fame and glory.

Of all the deeds of airmen brave,
Not many will compare
With this fight of our Major hold,
Knight-errant of the air.

Dauphin, Jan. 31st, 1919.

Fork River

Wm. Williams has left for Lake Winnipegosis, where his new timber limit is located. He intends commencing operations on the limit this winter. C. Bugg and W. Tuck went with him.
Miss H. Lacey has returned from a week’s visit in Winnipeg.
Mrs. D.F. Wilson and daughter, Miss Pearl, have left on a trip to the coast.
Owen Pruder, of the Northern elevator, has returned from a business trip to Winnipeg.
A number of cars of baled hay have been shipped from this point this winter. A good price has been realized. This is an industry that might be greatly developed.

Winnipegosis

A delightful old-fashioned evening party was held in the Rex Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 29th, under the direction of Miss McArthur, in aid of the Red Cross Society. Many old-time dresses were resurrected, and especially winning was Mrs. Shears in a costume representing Dickens’ Mrs. Sarah Gamp, Mr. Shears caused many a laugh as Mr. Pickwick. Mrs. Steele, the Misses Grenon, Mrs. (Dr.) Medd, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Campbell (of Sifton), Miss Paddock, Mrs. Ummell and many other ladies in old-time dresses made one feel they had stepped back fifty years. Mrs. A. Snelgrove had her hair dressed in a pretty Victorian fashion, while many other styles made one think of the Middle Ages. Everyone was delighted with the violin selections rendered by Mr. Shears and Mrs. Campbell. We would also like to thank Mrs. Medd, Miss Arnason, Miss Macarthur, the Misses Grenon, Mrs. F.S. Giggins and Mr. Wills for their help with the program. The ladies on the refreshment committee also deserve great credit. A dance finished up a most successful event.