SASKATCHEWAN HISTORY & FOLKLORE SOCIETY

$1.50

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VOLUME 1, NUMBER 3 SUMMER 1980

 OUR THANKS
to
MEMBERS-READERS-WRITERS
for your commendable patience during the extended interval
between the Winter issue anq this issue of
I

We believe that the major difficulties that have been

hindering this project have been cleared up, and that
soon we will be able to develop a firm schedule of
publication dates for our 1980-81 year.
BUT, before then we would like to produce yet another
issue in this year (ending August 31) so that our
objectives for '79-80 can at least approach realization.
So, therefore, the need is irrmediate for stories
for the next issue. It is necessary to set a
HELP!

JULY 31
deadline for receipt of material at the address
shown on Page 3.
We know that's a short time frame, but having
been so understanding up to now, we're hoping
that many of you will respond with stories
before the end of the month.
AND, "Thanks" again.
,~~

>
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SASKATCHEWAN HISTORY & FOLKLORE SOCIETY
2 SUMMER 1980
 VOLUME 1 , NUMB.ER 3
Sunnner 1980 SASKATCHEWAN HISTORY
Richard J. Wood & FOLKLORE SOCIETY
Editor Rhoda M. Hall,
Weyburn . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . President
IN THIS ISSUE: Meredith B. Banting,
Regina . ... .. .. . .. . . Past President
Connnent - Letters .... . ... .... . 4 Keith Foster,
Regina . . . ... . . . .•.. Vice-President
No Bridge Across the Ocean .. . . . 5
Gordon Clark,
Demand No. 1: Replace the Cook .. 8 Regina Treasurer
John L. Constantine,
"Only One Big Flash" . .. • .. . . . . 11 Prince Albert;
Dr. John Archer,
The Three Graces . • • • . . . . • • . . . . 12 Muriel Clipsham,
Dorothy Wigmore,
Restoration of a Landmark . . . . . 14 Regina .. . . ..... . . . . ... . . Directors
The Hired Man . . . . . .. ... ... .. . 16 COMMITTEE CONVENORS:
The Green Englishman . . ... . . ... 17 Mabel Blacklock,
Saskatoon .. .. •... . . .. . . Membership
Tracing the Trails .. . . .. •.. . . . 18
Jean Gerlock,
A Marshy Main Street .. . . .. .... 22 Kisbey ... . .. . ... . Historic Sites
Dr. John Archer ... . .. •.. . History
Sadie of the Sun . ..... .. . . •. . 25
Gladys Nicholl,
About Our Authors ..... . . . ... . 31 Carlyle . . . . .... . . . . . • Indian Lore
Rosemary Duckett,
Regina . . . . .• • •. . . . . . . .• . . . Trails
Mailing address:
Isabelle Eaglesham,
The Editor, Folklore Weyburn;
Box 12 38 Gladys Nicholl Folk Music
Moose Jaw S6H 4P9 Muriel Clipsham Old Houses

Folklore is published by the Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society with

funding assistance provided by Sask Sport Trust and Saskatchewan Culture and
Youth. The Society assumes no responsibility for statements made by authors.
Manuscripts for consideration for publication are welcomed, and should
preferably be typewritten and double spaced. Whenever applicable, photo­
graphs-illustrations or suggestions for same should be included.
Copyright (1980) , the authors. Reproduction enquiries should be directed
to the editor, who will provide authors' addresses.
FOLKLORE 3
 COMMENT A BOOM YEAR FOR HERITAGE APPRECIATION

Throughout this province this year we are "celebrating Saskatchewan."

As a province we are 75 years old.

Anniversaries, relating to specific numbers of years, are natural times

to burst out with special observances. But they need not, and should not,
be the only times.

In no way are these remarks meant to detract from the merit of this year's
anniversary effort. The activity taking place on all levels - individual,
community,
, organization and province - is indeed commendable. Likewise are
all such observances held from time to time in other years to mark particular
anniversaries on that same range of levels.

In fact, it is to he appreciated that so much is made of these measures of

time. Otherwise the public level of heritage appreciation might be fright­
fully lower.

Wouldn't it be great, though,· if something close to the degree of interest

being displayed in our heritage this year, could be maintained?

That may seem like .too much to ask, and, true, it is a goal that is
seetning'ly a long way off. That's why organizations such as the Saskatchewan
History & Folklore Society are in business. Keep plodding!
-R. J. W.

Letters SPECIAL INTEREST

GRANDSON RESPONDS
I am particularly interested in
It was with great interest that old Saskatchewan post offices and
I read the article on my grand­ their postmarks.
parents (A Metis Journey). A
friend in Weyburn sent me a copy of W. S. Richards
Folklore - Winter 1979-80. I rem­ 272 Gladmer Park
ember my grandmother, Josephine. Saskatoon, Sask. S7J 2X 3
She died when I was 16.

Son Alec, my father, had three MORE ON SODS

children -- myself and two sist�rs,
I have often thought of· writing re
Olivine, and Clara, who died at 2 3.
the sod houses survey (Sod Houses on
Olivine (' Bercier) lives at McNutt,
the Prairies -- Folklore - Summer
Sask. I was in the Second World War
overseas, in the South Saskatchewan 1979).
Regiment, taken prisoner at Dieppe.
I married an English girl and have Away back in 1920 I rented a farm
from a Mr. George Thomas, seven miles
three children.
or so northeast of Glen Ewen. Mr.
Thomas was at that time well past 80
Paul De Lorme
20821 - 51st Avenue years old and was still living in his
Langley, B.C. V3A 5C2 (Continued on Page 32)
4 SUMMER 1980
 No Bridge Across the Ocean
"Whe.n ••• the wolli.d L6 naNWwe.d down to a. ma.ttvr. 06 pe1L6ona.l -6uJLviva.l,
, :the. pe.lL6L6te.nee. o6 :the. human 1.i·pilut k.noAAS · no bound.6. "

By PATRICIA G. ARMSTRONG The first of these women was

Rosalea Shauer who in 1885, with her
"If there had been a bridge across husband Michael and two small child­
the Atlantic Ocean," a friend rec­ ren, left a German settlement be­
ently told me, recalling pioneer days tween Russia
• and Poland and came to
in the district north of Yorkton, a homestead 12 miles north of Yorkton.
"Mama said she would have gladly What she saw was a vast expanse of
walked all the way back to Sweden prairie and bush stretching empty in
that first winter!" all directions except for a little
Her remark set me thinking of the store or two north of the present
very real difference that separated site of the city (for the coming of
one group of our pioneers from the the railroad some years later cau.s-
other, a difference that is some­ ed Yorkton to be moved to a new
times forgotten today. There -were location .• )
those who came to the prairies from
Ontario and from the United States. The homestead that Michael Shauer
Though many of them proved up home­ found for his family was a grassy
steads and stayed, they always had waste. He bought them a cow and qe
the option of returning home if dug out a space inI the ground, cov­
hardships proved too great. The ering it over with sod.for a roof.
other group-those from across the fhen, because they needed money, he
sea-for the most part had no es­ set out on foot for Brandon to look
cape route at all. Once they set for work in a lumber camp. Rosalea
foot on the soil of what was then . him walk away, no doubt with
watched
called the Northwest Territories, some misgivings, but confident that
they were here to stay. she would see him again in the
spring. As events turned out, it was
How many regretted the transfer, two years before he returned. Th�n
how many bitter tears were shed he came tramping anxiously through
over a homeland forever lost, we the late spring snow, unable to
cannot know. What we can still locate the family he had left, un­
glimpse, though, when children and til finally he saw a faint trickle
grandchildren repeat the stories of smoke emerging from the ground.
handed down, is their courage and There, like prairie gophers, he
their endurance. Faced with op­ found them all-wife, children, and
tions, people often become un­ cow-snug beneath the snow.
reliable and filled with complaints.
When there are no alternatives, How Rosalea kept herself and her
when bridges are burnt behind and children alive during his long ab­
the world narrowed down to a matter sence one can scarcely imagine. She
of personal survival, the persis­ pulled grass with her two hands to
tence of the human spirit knows make winter hay for the cow. No
no bounds. So, at least, it seems doubt she made good use of the milk,
to me as I hear the stories of two· and of edible plants and fruit that
pioneer women that were told to me grew abundantly in those days be­
.recently by their sons. fore cultivation. Her Canadian-
FOLKLORE 5
born son Archie, who told me the robbed of all their .cash
. en route,
story, makes li'er anxiety and lone·­. but their luggage had gone perman­
liness live again. ently astray. They had the clothes
on their backs and two blanke t
_ s that
r
"Morn said, i it w'asn't an Indian had covered the sleeping children
looking in through her window, it was while they travelled. They were
a wolf or a bear! " hungr.y.

Of course- she was not tot-ally alone While Daniel hunted for a man to
in the new. land. She had neighbours drive them land seeking, Oksanna re­
nine miles away; and in those early. solutely walked down the street
days-neighbours were very much aware with a precious heirloom in her hand,
of one another. When her husband a necklace of many strands of coral.
had been missing .for a year and a In the local store she received for
half (did she think, by that time, it her first Canadian money, $1.00.
that he was surely dead?) she needed With this she bought what she con­
desperately to visit a store because sidered essential -- a bag of flour,
her stock of bare essentials was gone. some salt, and a bar of soap (for
A neighbour took her in his buggy to to her cleanliness was almost as
the hamlet of Yorkton, wondering no important as food).
doub� how sh� proposed to buy prov­
isions with no money. Perhaps Rosalea Meanwhile; Daniel had struck a
wondered, too, or possibly she be­ bargain with a land agent. In re­
lieved in miracles. At any rate, a turn for his promise to dig the man
miracle. occur.red. Blowing about the a well, he and.his family would be
street of .Yorkton she found a $10.00 driven to their new home. Toey
bill: more than enough money to fill found it some 20 miles north on the
her simple needs. How did it come banks of the White Sand River.
there? Who can say? Providence? There was even a shelter awaiting
Kindly deceit on the part of her them. Their son Dan describes it as
neighbour? As she clutched the cash "a sort of dugout on the river bank
in her hand, Rosalea Shauer shed the made out of poles and sod, earth
first tears since her lonely vigil covering it for a roof. The windows
began. were just two small holes in the
walls of the sod shack, and the door
All this happened in 1885, 20 years had nothing but an old gunny sack
before there was a province called hanging over it."
Saskatchewan. Although settlers con­
tinued to arrive, the country was With shelter located, Daniel, like
still sparsely populated at the turn Michael Shauer 20 years before, felt
of the century when another pion­ compelled to leave his family. He
eering woman, Oksanna Zederayko, must pay his debt, and how could he
arrived from the Ukraine. Her son, locate the homestead of his bene­
Dan Daniels, tells her story although factor where the well was to be dug,
like Archie Shauer, he was born in unless he accompanied him on the
Canada long after the events took return journey?
place,
There then stood Oksanna Zederayko
Oksanna and Daniel Zederayko and in an empty land with six hungry
their six children (the eldest less children, a bag of flour, some salt
than 10 years old, the youngest an and a bar of soap -- a river gurgling
infant) were able to come to Yorkton at her feet, a foreign sky overhead,
by rail, but they arrived totally the sun hanging low in the west.
destitute. Not only had Daniel been What she felt we only imagine. We
6 SUMMER 1980
know what she did. Setting the ol­ boy braver than the others, snatched
der children to gathering dry grass at the light as it came near and
and twigs, she soon had a fire found in his hand a tiny insect, a
burning merrily. On it she cooked creature they were later to know as a
them a simple meal of the flour firefly. So they fell at last asleep.
mixed with river water. While she But not for long.
worked, hordes of mosquitoes be-
gan a savage, relentless attach on The first night in the new land was
the little family. They discovered, to be one of constant emergencies.
though, that smoke drove off the As the children slept, suddenly light­
insects; and when they entered the ning split the sky, thunder crashed,
rude shelter with a dying fire and ra�n began to fall heavily. It
smouldering at its door, they felt came down in torrents, running down
it would be possible to sleep. the hillside and under the gunny sack
into the gully on which the cabin was
However, this was a land totally built, even seeping through the sod
unknown. They began to worry ab­ roof. Before long their shelter be­
oyt savage beasts that might prowl came a waterway. Scrambling to her
the riverbank at night. There was feet and snatching the baby in her
no door to bar against such danger, arms, Oksanna wrapped a blanket ab­
only a limp gunny sack that would out her shoulders and gathered the
keep nothing out. Who should sleep ..
other children against her beneath
in the front line of attach nearest its folds like chicks under the
the doorway? mother's wings. So, upright and
sodden, ankle-deep in rain water, she
"I will," said the mother, reason­ spent the rest of the n�ght trying to
ably. "I'm the biggest and the shelter her little brood.
oldest."

"No!" cried one of the boys.

"For if a bear should come and eat Those pioneer women of, lo_ng ago with
you, Mother, what would we children their one-way passages across the
do? One of us nrust sleep next to the Atlantic! They nrust have left bleak
door. Or we could take turns." prospects behind them, but �hat they
found in the new land must, at times,
It was agreed that they should take have seemed to them even worse.
turns in the dangerous position. Nagging discomforts like sod roofs
Oksanna took the first shift, knowing that leaked long after the rain had
well that her children would drop passed;. terrifying events like children
promptly off and never awaken until fallen suddenly ill in the night or
daylight. The little ones were soon childbirth with only a compassionate
fast asleep on the heap of grass young neighbour woman to cope; prairie
they had gathered for a mattress, fires that threatened to devour what
but the older ones lay awake, await­ little they had accomplished with back­
ing the bear. breaking labour: All these and m�ch
more they endured ; Day by day, ·month
Of course no wild animal came near by month, year by year, they faced
them; but something even more ter­ their dilemmas.
rifying to the children did appear.
It was. a tiny ghost light that began What seemed to them once a foreign
to dance about inside the cabin, soil has long ago enfolded them and
flickering here, there and every­ sent its prairie grasses to blow above
where, mysterious, threatening. What their graves. Their descendants skim
could it be but an evil spirit? One _ n high-pow-
the once empty province i
FOLKLORE 7
 Demand Number One:·
Replace the
By ESTHER GHAN Cook
B,i,g CJte.w .:tJuc.e.1.>h,i,ng ,i,n :the, 19201.:, WM a. c.omb,i,na..tion o-6 01tga.n,i,za..tion, ha.Jtd
wollk a.nd fie_.Uow1.:,h,i,p, a.nd fioJt faJta.e.i. Ho-66e.Jt ,i,n ,th,u, 1.:,to1ty--.:the_ u.ne_xpe_c.te.d.

By the time that Saskatchewan be­ loam at the southern tip of the
came a pro�ince in 1905, most of the Palliser Triangle. Father had been
land.had peen surveyed and opened to assured that a railroad running
would -be homesteaders. In that year parallel to the international bo9n­
my father, Israel Hoffer, arrived dary would eventually come through.
'tr��-what was then the Austro -Hung­ There was no reason to doubt it be­
arian 'Empire ��th'the·intention of cause the United States already had
filing on land 'for himself and by such a railroad on their side of the
p�oxy for his father and brother. line.

He could ·have chosen homesteads They had the usual setbacks and
still available in good areas. In­ hardships including prairie fires,
stead he was interested in finding hail, everything. Israel Hoffer
an area which was still unsettled. considered every setback as a cha11-
He hoped to persuade Jewish settlers enge and when he married Clara Sch­
to settle into a haven where they wartz in 1909 she agreed. Their
could farm and live in peace, where home became a -home -away -from-home
there would be no stat� -organiz'ed for settlers for miles around, in­
persecution. That su�er an area, cluding Jews and non -Jews. It was
west of # 35 highway, boµnded by the inevitable that Father' s corrnnunity
American border on the south, #18 involvement became much broader
highway on the north and stretching than just the Jewish settlement.
toward the badlands of the Big
Muddy, was surveyed and thrown open He became a justice of the peace
for filing. And that is where in 1911 at the request of the Royal
Father filed for the homesteads. North West Mounted Police. He was
involved in municipal affairs and in
It was a treeless area with rolling his school district. When the line
hills covered with prairie wool. But elevator companies threatened to des­
the soil was excellent, a rich brown troy the farmer he became involved
with the Grain Growers movement.
ered automobiles today, basking in W. R. Motherwell and J.G. Gardiner
warmth and music though they may travel were his friends. Father and his
through a snow-encrusted landscape. brother, Mayer, became hlghly suc ­
They come home to thermostats and auto­ cessful farmers. How could they know
matic washing machines. that rural life in Canada and the
United States was rapidly giving way
The sod shanties, the dugouts, and to mechanization?
the unbroken miles exist only in
memory. But Canada would be poorer In 1920 the Folks bought a gasoline
today had it not been for Rosalea, powered threshing rig. The engine
Oksanna and women like them who, was a huge Titan. My uncle, Mayer,
having no bridge for return to the was the engineer. There were spike
Old World, stubbornly faced and with­ pitchers with their teams of horses
stood disaster in the New. and field pitchers without' teams.
8 SUMMER 1980
 The grand old Titan, an 'inside'view, with engineer Mayer "Mike" Hoffer
(left) and his inquisitive children. At right, a Mr. Bilkin of Montreal.

There were teamsters ready to haµl to the season. One year they weren't
away the grain and shovel it into finished until early in December.
the granaries.
At first the crew consisted of
Then there was Ben Anderson, our neighbouring farmers and their sons.
separator man. He was an American·of Each neighbour helped on the rig ex­
Swedish descent from Minneapolis. He pecting to get his crop threshed· in
was a wonderfully capable man who re­ turn. Later, men started coming from
ferred to Father as "Boss". all parts of Canada and the U. S. They
were looking for grub stakes. When­
Father was the general manager ever the rig was shorthanded Father
(boss) . The machines had to be in would drive to the nearest C�R stat­
working order. The horses had to ion to pick up some men. It was
be stabled, fed, watered and curried. first come, first served. I seem to
The teams and wagons had to be in remember that many of them "rode the
good shape. The cook car had to be rods." The reason was that since the
supplied with all the necessary turn of the century there had been
provisions and the men had to be much labour unrest in North America
kept busy and content. I remember and it was especially noticeable
Father telling me that all the work after Joe Hill was hanged (was it
until 4 p.m. went to pay for ex­ in Minneapolis?) .
penses and after that each hour was
profit, provided it didn't rain for There were other reasons for the
too long or too often. The men shortage of good men. World War I
started work early and continued killed many. So did the influenza
until 8 p. m. They threshed late in- epidemic.
FOLKLORE 9
 Although a good working crew was They do not look friendly. " Father
required to have an efficient thresh­ took one look and grimly went out to
ing operation, the cook in her cook meet them. He came back with the
car was even more important. Cooks last two arrivals. He paid them off
were harder to come by than good and took them back to Tribune. These
harvesters. Our cook car was a two had organized a strike and with
long, narrow affair. Starting at the Ben Anderson as spokesman they de­
door from the left was a wall bed manded that the cook be replaced. They
the kind that is pulled down for didn't like the way her batch of bread
sleeping and is shoved up during the had turned out that day'.
day time. Next to that stood a
bench and then a huge coa1 s·tov�. ·Father was in no mood for such an
Going around to the opposite.wall ultimatum. He told them: "Alright
there was a work table, cupboards ·boys, if this place does not suit you,
for dishes and shelves for condim­ come up to the house and I will give
ents. Dominating the car was a huge , you your time." The other workers were
table and benches. The cook car was more reasonable. They knew they were
made of one-ply lumber. getting top wages and a clean place
for sleeping quarters. Even Ben Ander­
The work was hard. Sometimes there son remarked, cheerfully: "You are a
was a helper, called a "cookie", who hard man to bluff, Boss'."
helped with the chores. There were
potatoes to peel, vegetables to clean We were fortunate in finding a nice
and prepare, dishes to wash, coal motherly lady who cooked for us for
scuttle to keep full� water tp be many years after that.
brought in, and so on. Washing up
was done outside the car. There was
a tin basin, a tin dipper and pails The two men that organized the
of water for that purpose. strike belonged to the IWW. It was
years before I discovered why Father
One of our best loved cooks was Ida looked so grim that day. IWW did
Olson. How spotlessly clean she kept not mean "I won't work." They be­
the cook car. What sticks in my mem­ longed to an organization known as
ory is the fragrance of her fresh­ the International Workers of the
baked doughnuts -- huge golden brown World, that had caused havoc in many
rings dipped in sugar. Cookies and American farms when they were crossed.
pies .too. With unfailing friendlin­ It was not unusual for them to smash
ess she always had some for us child­ up the outfit.
ren. I re - member too men cqmin·g in for
·breakfast, dinner and late at night That experi�Rce with the strike
for supper in the cook car. Lunches was a warning. Instead of trying
were like a picnic. the life of a farmer, men now crowded

When Ida finally left we got an in­

-.
into factories, and Massey-Harris and
other machine
" companies were gearing
experienced cook. Ha1£ way through the up fast. Oil was beginning to flow
threshing Father found himself short in ever-larger quantities.
of ·men, so he drove into Tribune to
pick some up. He picked up two. It In 1928 the Folks acquired their
never occurred to him to be concerned first combine. Our wonderful threshing
about their surly attitude. He should rig was retired in full working order.
have been warned. Soon after they It should have been allowed to find
arrived, Mother looked out the kitchen its way to a museum. Instead, it was
window and remarked: "Israel, the crew shipped up north. Eventually it was
is marching down the road to the house. sold for scrap and ended up in Japan.
10 SUMMER 1980
''ONLY
ONE
BIG
FLASH''
By EVA HALL

This picture was taken June 13, 1922 on a farm north of Francis, Saskatchewan.

My husband, William T. Hall, was working with a tandem disk and six horses
about one-half mile from the hous·e. I was darning socks inside the kitchen
door when a very sharp bolt of lightning flashed, followed by a tremendous
clap of thunder. The scissors I was using reflected the lightning so I put
my mending aside.

In a very few minutes I heard the rattle of harness so went to investigate.

Two of the horses were heading for the barn at full gallop. My father, who
was visiting with us, and I yelled "Whoa'." but they made for the barn and
went in - those poor brutes, their eyes bulging, trembling, breathing hard.

We tied them up and coming out of the barn saw my husband walking toward
the road a short distance away. There was a car coming too, and it stopped.
I could see the two (my husband and the driver of the car) walking back to
where the horses were lying. The four had been knocked down, three killed
instantly by that flash of lightning. The fourth was showing signs of moving.
They pulled the harness off him and he later came stumbling to the barn.

It was the school inspector who had stopped. He and my husband came to the
yard. When I asked what had happened, he replied that the lightning had
killed the three horses so suddenly that their feet were still in action.

My husband was sitting on the iron seat of the disk about three feet from
the horses' tails with the lines still in his hands after- the lightning struck.
The lines next to the horses were burnt and there was a streak of burnt hair
on one of the horses from his head, down his shoulder and leg to the ground.
Bill was not hurt but was terribly shaken up and very nervous of thunder storms
for many years.

The people in town and district could not believe what had happened, as there
was only one big flash of lightning and no rain.

Our neighbours were so good to us. The came and dug a big hole to bury the
three horses. One man, who had two four-year-olds, halter-broken, offered
them to my husband. He accepted this kind offer and worked them for two years,
which helped out greatly at that time.

We had lost our first born baby boy just the month before, and now this
all in the first year of our married life. But we are still here almost 59 years
later to tell of our experiences.
FOLKLORE 11
 The Three Graces
The.JLe. waA no la.c.k. 06 1te.mln.l6ung whe.n the.y go:t :toge.the.IL, and ,0e.,
young w:te.ne.lL6 e.njoye.d il aA mu..c.h aA the. -6:tolttj:te.UVL6. Pe.JLhap-6 il -6
ail. in the. way h,i,,6:to1ty ,i,,6 plte.-6e.n:te.d.
train. Or the trip from the Old
By 'JOAN BELLINGER Country. I was just a girl then you
know, used to English city life and had
My brother and I,_ when young, could been more or less sheltered. Well, here
think of no greater delight than a I was _by myself, the other two having
visit. from our two, aunts. from Saska­ · gone ahead. I could hardly wait for
toon - Aunt Madge• and.Aunt Jenny. Quebec to try out my Fren�h. I �as so
They were two, with our mother, who disappointed ·when they couldn't under­
had braved the perils of the early stand a . word, nor did I know what they
depression days in Saskatchewan. • . . .
wei::-e s_ aying. II
. ·� ,

The three 'girls 1' were close· in· age, · · ''that is supposed to be true of qigh
about: a year .or so apart, and at one · school French out here, " Mot\}er .re,.-:­
time.were known as The Three Graces. marked.
We children liked this expression and
.
on the day they came to call would .. "Anyhow, we were supposed to cook
yell:- - in. I didn't
.'our meals· on the tra
. know how to, for I could do fine
:.')Hey, Mum,.. -here'.s the two Graces! embroidery and lovely art work, but
Get the kettle boiling. " never cooking!"
We' d rush from our play to greet ·Aunty rubbed her now .well-rounded
them ' ·eyeing·their
. bundles.hopefully stomach, a11d said: "By _the time we got
-- and they never let us down.I to Brandon I was. really hungry. II She
help�d herself to another cookie.
''We .were young og.ce Charlotte, " ·
they' d say to our Mother. "Let them "The train stalled in Brandon
have a little-.cartdy now ·and then. 11' • and
_it was thoroughly iced up. I got off
the train in.the 40 below weather,
As soon as their wraps were off, with one of those winds blowing,
we'd all settle cosily and the re­ dressed only in low shoes and light
miniscences would start. Aunt clothing. 11 She shivered at the memory.
Madge, the thinner unmarried one, "Then they couldn't get the train
was inclined to get excited and started, so we were to stay at the
wander off hers subject. YWCA overnight. I was put in with a
very old lady, who wore long black
"Now, Madge, don't go off on a skirts, and carried an eqormous grip.
tangent again, " Jenny would quietly I offered to carry it up to our
remark. .She didn't- say too much, room - and was it heavy. She put it
but let Madge or Mother tell most of beside her bed and to my knowledge
the tales; her interruptions though never opened it all night. Well, you'll
were worth waiting for! never believe it, the next day they
"Tell us about the train. " We would called us at five in the morning and
try to start the conversation. we enquired about a cafe or someplace
to eat. Nothing was open at that hour
And Madge would smile: and I was so cold and hungry, I guess
I looked pretty forlorn. The old lady
"Ah, yes, I'11 never forget that sat down in the lobby and said:
12 SUMMER 1980
 "Never. mind, d,earie, have some of "It w
. as so exciting, the strong smell
this." With that she opened the suit­ of the barn, ✓ the sawdust underfoot,
case. _It was packed to the edge with and the stage show." They threw up
cold fried chicken! How delicious!" their hands.

Aunty shook .her head, "so from then Hardly able to talk for laughing,
on fried chicken became my favorite Aunty Madge went on:
food."
"The show - there seemed to be no­
"Boy, Aunty, what an --adventure.11 thing but shooting. It sure was noisy
My brother hugged himself, though he each cowboy shot the other until at.the
was far from cold and hungry. end nobody was left alive to take a
curtain call. Wild West was right!"
"Anybody want more tea?" Mother
went around filling the cups and the "Here girls, have some strawberry,
aunts stretched their legs and once shortcake with your tea," Mother said,
again had a faraway look in their eyes. and as I passed the plates, this star­
ted Aunty Jenny again:
"Remember our first jobs?" Mother
would start: ''Would you believe it, "Mnm, it' s good and thanks very much,
Brenda," she said turning to me, . Charlotte, but do you r�member t�o�e
"we, who knew nothing at all about lovely wild strawberries and,mushrooms
food started in as waitresses in the we used to gather. That was truly a
first big hotel in Saskatoon. We delight. I've neve . r tasted anything
didn' t last long!" By this time all like them. They sure helped out the
three of them were doubling up in rolled oats and potatoes."
laughter.
''Well." Aunt Madge stooQ up· - the
"I don' t know if we were fired be­ sign Jo,hnny a.nd I were dre.ading. "It's
cause Sing Lee couldn' t understand time to go. Come on, Jenriy."
the orders we gave with our strong
Englis-h accents, or because I ran in­ "Ah, do�'_t go/'. I cried, "tell us
to the swinging door with that pig some more."
tray of dishe"s." Mother °laughed.
"
· But I can see him chasing me yet, out Aunt Jenny p·atteq my- head: "We' 11
of the doors and throµgh.the lobby be back and tell you more next time.
with that big knife, you girls running Musn't tell all in one day, but remind
after and trying to catch his pigtail me to tell you about the. 1-ittle dog
to hold him back." being blown down the main .street of
Saskatoon duri�g the hurricane." She
"Gee,_ Mum, I 1 m glad he didn't hurt smiled into my eyes.
..
you," �nd I gave her a big hug.
. "Bye, bye, come back soon," called
"Oh, it wasn't all bad," Jenny Johnny, already on his way out to the
joined in, ''we did have a lot qf fun, tree house, to think it all over.
being young and healthy and game for
anything." , "Bye giris-, " I heard my mother say.
"It wasn't all bad was it, and I' m
"That's right; remember the first sure we had more fun than the present
show in old Mason's barn?" generation."

"Yes, that was something!"· "In some ways," called Aunty Madge
from the front gat_e. "Come to my
"They turned to us and chorused: place next time."
FOLKLORE 13
 SASKATCHEWAN HOUSE

Restoration of a Landmark
Saskatchewan House, former home of This restored area with its inter­
the lieutenant governor of the North­ pretation program will be open for
west Territories and, later, of Sask­ public visitation.
atchewan is presently being restored
by the Provincial Government. Upon The second role of the building
its completion, Saskatchewan House will be that of a unique multi-use
will serve a dual purpose. community facility. The ballroom
will be fully functional and opep to
Its primary role will be that of use by little theatre and other com­
an important historic site illus­ munity groups. Dressing room and
trating the social, domestic and storage space are being provided in
political role of the lieutenant the basement. The area above the
governor. The central core of the ballroom is being remodelled for use
house, which includes a library, din­ as office space.
ing room, drawing room, billiard room
three bedrooms, and two bathrooms, is Saskatchewan House is a building
being returned to the 1898 time per­ rich in history. It was built in
iod. The greenhouse and ballroom are 1891 on 4 3 acres of bare prairie a
also undergoing period restorations. mile or two out of Regina. The isol-

Interior view: the front hall, 1900. - Sask. Archives Photo.

14 SUMMER 1980
 Exterior view in the latter 1890s. -- Sask. Archives Photo.
ated 'Government House', as it was that Saskatchewan House would be res­
then known, was a grand and splendid tored to become an historic site.
building - one of the first in Regina
to have the luxury of electricity. . The restoration of this building
has provided a great challenge for
Turn-of-the-century newspapers are all those involved. The architects
filled with reports of the events at and builders are faced with restoring
Gove�nment House. These events ranged the 90-year-old building to its orig­
from women's afternoon teas and "at inal appearance. It also has to meet
home 3' days to anmial N.ew Year's balls 1980 bui�ding and safety regulations.
gala receptions, and elegant dinner Furnishing and decorating the inter�
parties. Most were highlighted with ior has been equally challenging.
an orchestra playing in the back� With the use of old photographs and
ground and trips by the guests inventories each room in the restor­
through the greenhouse to enjoy the ation area is being redone as closely
flowers. Traditions and social func­ as possible to its actual appearance
tions such as these constituted a in 1898. Unfortunately, when most of
major part of life at Saskatchewan the building's original furnishings
House throughout its 54 years as res­ were sold at public auction in 1945,
idence of the lieutenant governor. no records were kept of the buyers.
Saskatchewan House is most interest­
The list of well-known guests who ed in hearing from anyone with any
have visited Saskatchewan House over knowledge pertaining to the where­
the years is as impressive as it is abouts of these or other original
long. Kings and queens, dukes and Saskatchewan House items. These
duchesses, prime ministers, polit­ pieces would be photographed and doc­
icians, even movie stars; anyone of umented for our files and possibly
note who passed through Regina was copied or purchased. Also valuable
likely to have been entertained at are photographs, which would be cop­
Saskatchewan House. ied and returned to their owners, and
personal memories of Saskatchewan
In 1945 the lieutenant governor House.
moved into a suite in the Saskat­
chewan Hotel, and Saskatchewan House People having information relating
was turned over to the Department of to Saskatchewan House and its past
Veterans Affairs to serve as a conval­ are asked to contact either Mandy
escence home. In 1958 the Department Mcinnis or Ivan Saunders at 565-5726
of Continuing Education moved in. or c/o Saskatchewan Culture and Youth,
They held their classes in the build­ 11th Floor, Avard Tower, 2002 Victor­
ing until 1977 when it was decided ia Ave. , Regina, S4P 3V7.
FOL KLORE 15
 IN GENERAL:

The Hired Man

A po.6).,,t.[on. o 6 dlgnlty • • • a. pe.lt.6 on. o 6 ma.n.y c.apabm..tlu , who en.joyed
.6 o uai. eq uallty unknown. ,ln. ma.n.y pa.MA o 6 the wo111.d.

By GIADYS D. NICHOLL . Many farm owners and operators started.

out at some time as hired men.
We are an agricultural people.
Throughout the history of ·this province The hired man was looked up to by
our fortunes have been tied to the land young boys as a position of dignity.
and the grain and the livestock that They sought to reach that place in farm
the land gr_ows. In this span o f time life when they could be as good as the.
since �arms began one of .the significant hired man - when they coµld stook.as
symbols of this way of life has been . mal)y sheaves and match him sheaf for
"the hired man. " sheaf at the threshing machine . . He
was either a pet or a pest in the eyes
This man has seed-�d other peoples' of the lady of the house, a friend or
grain, when moistu:re steamed_ fr,om,.the foe., of the girls.
s�e!'."fallow, ,and th� mead.owl ark sang,
and, the d?st blew in gusts as .dark as This man ?te at the same table as
.night under the spring sun·. . He has_ pis employer, enjoyed so_cial equality
driven other men's horses, .wild o;r. wel1 unknown in many parts of the world
broken, .when it was a joy or � trial to (even in parts of Saskatchewan). And
be in the field. he enjoyed those privileges.

H� ran other men'. s threshing machines He was a haywire mechanic with a

and binders. He has stooked other men' s pair of pliers. in _his back pocket and
sheaves, and when all else wa_s done he a jack knife in the front. He was a
milked other men's cows and done other veterinarian and stockman who answer­
men's chores - all in the line of duty. ed to "Tom, Dick_ or Harry" or just
"the ht red
°
man" or "Greenhorn".
His fortunes were tied to the land as
much as those of the farmers, an_d to the He came fro� local homes, from other
cruelties and generosities of prairie farms and towns and cities; from Ont­
nature. He suffered through the snows ario, Manitoba or Alberta; from Brit­
of 1906, the droughts of 1886, and all ain, Ireland or south of the border;
the winters and sunnners in between and from Poland, the Ukraine, Scandinavia
since. The "Dirty '30s" left their or Belgium; from Galicia or Bohemia.
mark on him; the hail hurt him too, as He wore flat-heeled shoes, had chores
did the grasshoppers, cutworms and saw­ in his blood, �traw in his bib over­
flies, and frost and low wheat prices. alls, and his clothes in a suitcase.
He walked the fields of.1939 after many
years of drought, the grain shoulder We all know him and without him this
high. His overalls got just as rusty province would be a poorer place with
as the farmer' s, and he knew it would much less to celebrate on its 75th
be one more year to "get along." Birthday. We salute the hired man.

(EcU.ton'.6 Note: Mtt.6. N,lehoU hat:i .6poken. about the �ed man. in. gen.eltai.. On.
the n.ext page, Ml.M Pwr.dy tell-6 06 a pMtleulM. �ed man., ho h,lghly negMded.
16 SUMMER 1980
 IN PARTICULAR:

The Gree.n Englishman

He eame, and �oon beeame a 6ine fulr..ed man,·He WM beekonw baek .to England
bt.d no.t 0 01r. long. RduJt�ng .to SMka.tehwan, he beeame a homu.teade1r. lwrv.iel6.

By HARRIET M. PURDY drive the horses, and if anything.went

wrong with the machines, he did not pre­
· much since
Farming has changed so sume to fix what he didn't know about,
the early part of the century. Farms but would get help. He learned quickly.
were smaller then. All had horses, His pale skin turned to a dark tan to
cattle, pigs and chickens, so more match_ his black.hair.
hands were needed to care for them,
And how he ate! Two helpings of
My uncle, Walter Purdy, was one of porridge, and potatoes and meat, ·for
the early Saskatchewan homesteaders, breakfast, after the barn chores were
but in 1903 he yielded to his wife's done, and similar-sized meals at noon
wishes, sold his farm and moved to and nlght. He didn't get fat either,
Ridgetown, Ontario. However, he con­ but developed.into a sturdy man.
tinued to come west__ ofte'n. In the
spring of 1904 my f�ther asked him to In the fall his wife wrote from
bring a hired man out from Regina. England, that his former boss wanted
There were always some who wo4ld work him back again. In England, Bob had
on farms at that time of year. been working in a ' gas-lit basement.
The doctor had told him he would not
Uncle found a man trying to get work
by walking out to farms, and took pity
on him for he was having no success.
Bob Haigh was small, very thin and pale.
Uncle said to my father: "I don' t know
whether he will be any good to you, but
anyway, he can have meals over Sunday. "

In the morning Bob went to the stable

and watched and tried to make himself
useful. Father thought he would give
him a try. Bob came from the city of
Sheffield, England, and knew nothing
about a farm, but seemed so eager to
learn.

He turned out to be one of the best

men ever, but the first weeks must have
been torture for him. Our farm had a
creek and bogs, an excellent breeding
place for mosquitoes. Bob was a tasty
feed for them. His face became swollen
and red, but in time his skin toughened
up and he also became somewhat immune
to their poison.
Bob and Kate Haigh on their golden
He learned quickly how to harness and wedding anniversary.
FOLKLORE 17
 TRA CING THE TRA IL S
The. tJr.o.iD., 06 e.a..tr1.1J ( what. ,i.l:, n.ow } Sa1i k.a.t.c.he..wan. 601tme.d a muc.h-navell.e.d
:tll.a.n6 polvta.:tlon. .6 y1.>.t.e.m. Some. o6 .t.he.m be.c.ame. ma,,i,n. Jtoad6 , o.t.he.11.,6 d,i.l:, appe.Me.d.

By ROSEMARY DUCKETT comparatively high in c lay content

are best for high yie ld wheat crops ,
The gumbo of the South Saskatchewan the moisture holding capacity caused
P lains almost defies .comparison with many a shed tear and fits of frustra­
any other soil in Canada. A lthough tion for early pioneers .
it is general ly considered that soils
On viewing this photo one can im­
agine that these farmers , one my
last a year unles s he got out. But unc le , could we l l be wishing that
now with his new- found health he de­ their faithful "Old Dobbin" was stil l
cided to try it again . pu l ling their conveyance as they are
"stuck in the mud" on this dirt traiC
Bob ' s wife and mother were disap ­ The horse was man '.s best friend unti l
pointed wh�n they didn't see him get someone invented a machine that went
off the train . He walked past them faster. No doubt , everyone over the
several times . Fina l ly , he laughed , age of SO can reca l l such incidents.
?nd they knew . that sound .
But this fragment of history is not
He tried his old job , but he .couldn't about the advent of the motor car ;
stand , what he cal. led "the bowing and rather , it is a few g leanings tracing
scraping . " On the farm he was a hired the old trail s and roads of ear ly
hand but he was a man. There were S?skatchewan .
stil l homesteads availab le so his wife
wrote to my parents to see if there The first recorded history of what
was some p lace where they both cou ld is now Saskatchewan goes back only
work , for she must learn to be a 2 00 years to when the fur traders
farmer ' s wife . reached our land in canoes via north­
ern water links . Their discovery of
So they came to us for another year . the beaver , wolf , buffalo , e lk , deer
Then he went to take up a homestead and rabbit soon l ed to keen competit ­
while she went to work for a neighbor. ion among Eastern Canadian and Europ­
That w�nter she came back , not as a ean companies for rich furs and hides ,
hired gir l but for Mother to help her til l final ly the Hudson Bay Company
make quilts and hooked rugs , etc. And was forced to move inward . Their
she went out to the stab le in fear and first estab lished in land post around
tremb ling , to learn to milk a cow. 1 7 7 8 was Cumberland House , now known
as Saskatchewan's oldest permanent
During that first year Bob had put up sett lement .
the neces sary buildings and was ready
for the family . They had one daughter , As forest Indians guided the Hudson
five years old when they came to Can­ Bay traders , and eventual l y others ,
ada. Strange ly , she had no recol lection over old Indian trail s and through the
of the ocean trip and the train . This unmapped land , several more in land posts
trip was in March , in unheated quarters , were built - Fort Pitt , Fort Carlton ,
on ly a little stove to boil water for Fort Qu ' Appe l le , Fort Touchwood , Fort
tea . Kate , the wife , had very bad chil­ Pe l ly , Fort a la Corne , and Ile a la
b lains that took a long time to heal. Cros se. Mis sionaries then began to
What a way to we lcome inmigrants ! locate at these s ites and at Prince
1 8 SUMMER 1 9 80
 Stuck in the mud, i.e. "Saskatchewan gumbo. "

Albert and Fond du Lac . stead" policy,· and, through extensive

advertising (offering 160 acres of ·
Prior to the fur traders, the In­ the "Richest Land on Earth" in West­
dian inhabitants had not been intro ­ ern Canada) settlers from Europe,
duced to the wheel so their trails Eastern Canada and the United States
were made by foot, pack horse and the began to surge into the southern and
drag of their travois . Fur traders central plains .
and missionaries were not interested
in the flora and fauna of the area; It was easy to make tracks in the
however, their reliance on European prairie wool on the flat pra1r1e .
and Eastern Canadian goods, vastly One can vague ly envision their per­
changed the mode of transportation . ilous journey, when even horse and
Inland posts could not 'be reached ox-drawn carts got "stuck in the
by canoe or boat so the horse and mud . " But they found a new awaken­
ox -drawn carts were introduced to ing in the warm sunmer air and fresh
the western plains as speculators, breezes, as the prairie, glorified
gamblers, merchants of dry goods, with the splendor of the sunsets,
whiskey traders, guides, cooks, bush gave them a sense of freedom in the
medics and adventurers streamed west. meditative serenity of the vast ex­
panse.
Wheels of the Red River carts, ox­
drawn carts and covered wagons marked Settlers from 1 880 to 1 9 10 and the
the land with well worn tracks which North West Mounted Police on their
eventually formed deep ruts to become famous trek west in 1 874 , brought
known as "trails . " names to the overland trails . There
are very few exact dates, since most
The federal government began sur­ of our history has been handed down
veying the new land, and inaugurated from the pioneers by word of mouth
a scheme to sell tracts of lands to and pen and ink descriptions in old
colonized companies in 1 881. When diaries .
this brought only a handful of sett­
lers, they then set up a "free home- Of the routes connecting the fur
FOLKLORE 19
posts prior to 1 850, the most famous Appelle-Elbow route, and from that,
of the old trails was the Fort Carl­ a short northern spur, Elbow-Prince
ton which stretched 900 miles from Albert . Angling southwest was the
Fort Garry to Fort Edmonton, comn­ Wood Mountain-Fort Qu'Appelle trail
encing on Portage Avenue, Winnipeg. which had two forks near Moose Jaw,
There were several branches of the a short spur, Fort -Walsh-Moose Jaw,
Fort Carlton trail in Saskatchewan : ending j ust south of Swift Current;
the trail from Fort Ellice ( St. Laz ­ and a northwestern route into Alb ­
are, Manitoba) to Fort Touchwood erta named the Moose Jaw-Red Deer
( near Punnichy) called the Touchwood Forks trail. South of Old Wives
Hills-Fort Ellice; the Fort Carlton­ Lake, a spur from the Wood Mountain­
Touchwood Hills which wended north Fort Qu'Appelle trail became known
west past the Quill Lakes; the Fort as Fort Walsh-Fort Qu'Appelle.
Carlton-Humboldt stretching on past
the Batoche area to Fort Carlton Another more southerly route was
( near Blaine Lake) ; and then the formed from the Manitoba border
Fort Pitt-Fort Carlton meandering straight west "as the crow flies" to
on north of Battleford into Alberta Wood Mountain, called the Wood Moun­
territory. tain-Fort Ellice trail .
•I

The first Saskatchewan

., settlements In the extreme south were three
were in the Cumberland House, Fort Boundary Co1lllllission trails, a short
Carlton, Fo�t Touchwood, Fort Qu ' one in the southeast corner coming
App.elle, Fort Pelly, Wood Mountain, in from Manitoba; a trail from Mon ­
Fort Walsh, Battleford and Prince tana ( just west of the Souris River)
Albert areas. Like spokes on a linking up with the Wood Mountain­
wheel, new trails forked out from Fort Ellice trail; and a third one
these hub centres. in the very southwest corner coming
in from western Montana.
Fort Carlton and Cumberland House
were lin�ed with two stretches of In the northwest section of the
trail, the Fort ·a la Corne-Cumber­ province, the Battleford-Fort Carlton
land House and the Fort Carlton -Fort trail followed the North Saskatchewan
a la Corne . Also, out of Fort Carl­ River from Fort Carltqn through the
ton was the most northerly trail, Saskatoon area back up to Battleford.
the Fort Carlton-Green Lake. Alth­ South from Battleford a more southerly
ough road building came only in this route led to Edmonton named the Battle­
century, it is interesting to note ford-Edmonton, and south of that �gain
that the first known road built in a short spoor ran vertical called Rib­
Saskatchewan was on this trail from stone-Battleford. Out of Prince Albert
Fort Carlton to Green Lake. stretched the Red Deer -Prince Albert
trail angling in a southwesterly direc­
From Fort Touchwood, on the Fort tion �o meet up on the western border
Carlton trail, the fur traders push­ with the Battleford-Red Deer trail.
ed southward. on an unmarked trail to
Fort Qu 'Appelle, and many trails Many other spoors forked off from
forked out from h�re , to the east, these famous Indian and fur trader
from the Manitoba border, the Fort trails as imnigrants from around the
Ellice-Fort Qu'Appe.lle route; and world were awakened to the challenges
still south of that, another short of the west: a Fort Walsh-Wood- Mount­
Fort Ellice-Fort Qu 'Appelle spoor. ain trail joining · up with the Fort
Stretching northeast was the Fort Walsh-Fort Qu'Appelle route; a Wood
Qu ' Appelle-Fort Pelly trail. Running Mountain-Montana trail; and a Wood
almost straight west was the Fort Qu '- Mountain -Regina trail which carried
20 SUMMER 1980
on as another Wood Mountain -Fort Qu'­ Qu'Appelle which joined up with the old
Appelle •spoor. Branching off from ' Fort Carlton trail around Humboldt.
the latter was the Fort Ellice-Old Coming in from Alberta, almost in line
Wives trail which also led into with Saskatoon, was the Edmonton-Sask­
Regina. atoon trail.

There was an Elbow-Touchwood H ills Many old trails have now become our
(north) trail, and branching off from main trunk roads, others were obliter­
this was the Last Mountain-Fort Qu ' ated, ,lost because they were pl owed
Appelle spur; and the short Prince under or were unused. Yet, many locals
Albert-Lebret trail. From Fort Touch­ can still trace these trails. I . vividly
wood winding north was the Touchwood remember my father showing me an old
H ills-Nut Lake-Red Deer Lake trail; oxcart trail that pas�ed through o�r
and south of the Nut-. Lake the Fishing · north pasture on · our farm at · Watrous,
Lake-Nut Lake fork. the deep deep ruts made by the settlers
who travelled into the Alla n Hills � and
In the extreme west, from - Fort Ben­ someday I would - like to pursue ,this
ton (th� · birthplace of Montana, and trail further. "' -
oldest American fur post, reached by
th� fur traders 'v ia the M is�ouri R iver) Is there one near you _that is·. -qnknown
there was the Fort ··Benton ..Fort Walsh to the general public ? Y.our -'lu,ck .of
trail, continuing on north from Fort finding a lost trail in your own conm­
Walsh as the Fort Walsh-Red Deer Forks unity may bring you pleasure; _ and since
which passed through the Maple Creek the Saskatchewan History and Fo�klqre
area. From Maple Creek northeast was Society is anxious to lear.n more. of our
the Maple Creek-Swift Current trail. old trail$, ·perhaps you m ight like to
Several trails spread out from Swift let - us know by writing to me, Convener,
Current. The Battleford-Swift Current Old Trails Corranittee, Rosema,ry Duckett,
trail was almost a strai ght line be­ 207 - 19 3 Lockwood Rd., Regina, Sask.
tween Battleford and Swift Current; and S4S 6G9 .
the Red Deer Forks -Swift Current trail
linked up with the Red Deer Forks­ Who knows, perhaps someday we could
Prince Albert spoor. follow a trail from east to west or
south to north on one of our group
From the Montana border, crossing tours, and thus study the history of
the Fort Walsh-Fort Qu'Appelle trail the settlers along that route.
(near Shaunavon) was the northerly
route to Prince Albert and Fort a la
Corne known as the Montana-Elbow, References: Saskatchewan Archives,
then the Elbow-Fort a la Corne trail Regina: maps and brochures; Atlas of
wh ich passed through Batoche and .. Prince Saskatchewan, 1969, J.F. Richards,
Albert. Out of Prince Albert was the K. I. Fung, Department of Geography,
Montreal Lake-Prince Albert, the Prince University of Saskatchewan; History
Albert-Green Lake, the Fort a la Corne­ and Scientific Society of Manitoba,
Prince Albert and a short spoor Prince 19 7 1-72, Hynall Printing Limited,
Albert-Fort Qu ' Appelle which l inked Winnip eg - History of Trai l s ; The
up w ith the Fort Carlton trail just to Last Best West, Jean Bruce, 1976,
the west of Batoche. Publish ing Centre, Supply and Services
Canada.
Out of Battleford we f ind the Battle­
ford -Medicine Hat, Battleford -Sounding
Lake, Battleford -Turtle Lake, Fort Pitt­
Battleford, Battleford -Saskatoon,
Battleford -Batoche and Battleford -Fort
A h istorian is an editor of yest­
erday ' s news. j
FOLK LORE 2 1
 A Marsh y ,.. .Main · Stree r
t
Iu ..
ma..ln :tho1tou.gh6a1te .. the buft 06 many jok.u 601t moll.e than 60
WM yea!L6 .
' ... hM a Ma..ln Sue.et 06 wfuc.h
HoweveJt, Ca.Jtilj.f..e now • m e,i.,ti.zen.6 may be pll.ou.d.

By DORIS SILCOX exaggeration , but the fact remained

that the street was extremely
...
When a branch of the Canadian Pac­ ... .
troublesome especially during wet
ific Railway pushed westward out of spells .
S ouris , Manitoba , it crossed the
Alameda,-Moosomin pioneer trail in During sunmer ' s dry periods as
well , one could be assured of mup.
1900 at a large" marshy area near the somewhere along Main Street .. due t:b
northern boundary of section seve-n .,
township eight , range two , west of the heaving and thawing of frost
the second meridian. It was at this boils. One citizen reports that in
intersection that the town of Car ­ ..
la:ter years when the old Stone Hotel
lyle , Assiniboia , Northwest Territ­
..
..
was torn d� , 40 loads of .- -'
stones... ....
--- -
ories , had its origin , and the marshy and much of the debris were dumped "'.
portion of the old trail became ..
into 'a hole on Main Street in front
• ..
"Main Street" of the new settlement .

We cannot pass lightly over Car­

of tC...
. ...·ochrane
"
.
' s Hardware artd the
present hotel' , making that • end of
the street the firmest for some
~
.,.•
,r'

lyle ' s Main Street , for , until 1966 years .

it was the town ' s most notable lia­
\'

bility , the butt of many j okes and I asked the late Joseph Cutler why
tall tales , a source of great con­ the pioneers selected this route. "I
cern · and expense to the growing town , don ' t know , " he replied , " but it was
becoming worse , it seemed , as the awful ! " He went on to describe con­
years passed . ditions that he had witnessed at
this point in the old trail .
· It is indeed difficult today to
understand why the pioneers in­ It is a well known fact that the
cluded this low lying area on their pioneers chose for their trails the
route to and from Moosomin· . Today ,,
most direct route from point to
it appears that there are a number point , diverting only to skirt a
of higher and drier spots nearby , slough or lake , to ford a creek or
which might have served better as a river at the simplest and most advan­
trail . We must remember that before tageous spot.
the drought of the 1 9 30s the water
table was much higher and the entire Let us take a look at section seven.
section , - except for a few "islands" , Morrison Creek cuts through the north­
..
was a labyrinth of sloughs , pot­ west corner and more or less borders
the west side. The creek bed is wide
holes and marshes .
and low along much of this mile of
I have heard more than one old­ .. its course. Today the bed is dry , but
timer declare that the best duck such was not the case in earlier years .
hunting site in this area was where We can only assume that it did not aff­
McLeod ' s Service Station now stands ord a good fording point .
and easterly along the track . As a
child I recall some conversation The natural run -off west of Main
concerning the town of Carlyle , that Street was toward the creek. On the
it had a muskeg "right on its Main east side of the street the rurt-off
Street" . This , no doubt , was an followed a course southeasterly
22 SUMMER 1980
 I
,
I

, "
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( Q:-
J "

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f "

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r ('
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I 0
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I I
I � t'.

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/ca'";ly l e town site : section 7 - 8-2 -W2 . Arrows indicate direction of

natural run -off of spring thaws or heavy rains in ear ly 1900s .
,:?''
I

t
i
I est that the old trail was the highest
I, ridge among the marshes .
'I
I Back in August of i as7 the Palliser
I
1 Expedition trekked this way enroute
from F or.t Ellice to and from La Roche
Percee , passing close to the east side
of the "conical hill" which we call
IJ , AL 19 m £J>II "The Hart". Does it not seem possible
"r• 13 •.S C.U/t rl I S
that the expedition may have chosen
this same route through section seven?
This , of course , is supposition but
from between the CPR station and the if it were the case , the passage would
National Grain elevator , over the in all likelihood have been used by
tracks , between McLeod ' s Service Indians and traders in earlier days ,
Station and Biberdorf ' s shop , down possibly having been originally an
through Andrew Thomsen ' s home site and Indian trail . There is no doubt that
so on southeasterly. This would sugg- La Roche Percee was something of great
FOLKLORE 2 3
significance to an ancient civilization were in pregress, the Town Council
which once dwelt in these parts. considered the parking situation .
After considerable discussion and
Another point of historical inter­ consultation, the decision was made
est : It is possible that a portion to have centre, rather than curb
of the North West Mounted Police made parking. Over the years this seems
its way along this same route from La to have been a reasonable decision.
Roche Percee to Fort Ellice in early Wide sidewalks were laid providing
September of 1874. Here is an ex­ ample space for shoppers with their
cerpt from "The Story of the Mounties", bundles. Businesses too, are con ­
published in the Western Producer, tinually being renovated and improved,
April 2 , 1970 : "On July 8, 1874 the greatly adding to the general appear­
little force of North West Mounted ance of Main Street.
Police, numbering less than 300,
moved out of Dufferin, Manitoba, and A few years later when # 1 3 Highway
headed westward . . . For two months the was re-routed to pass the town on
cavalcade with its ox -carts, wagons, the north side of the CPR tracks, it
cattle, field pieces and agricultural was deemed necessary to construct an
equipment crawled steadily westward. egress and exit from the town to the
At La Roche Percee the greater part of highway. The original plan was to
"A" Troop was detached and proceeded exit off First Street West since the
via Fort Ellice northwestward to estab­ one off Main was obstructed by the
lish itself at the Hudson's Bay Com­ depot and platform as well as a grain
pany post at · Fort Edmonton". elevator. With the sale and removal
of the . depot and platform, as well as
Regardless of how the trail came by the fire which destroyed the elev­
about, we must assume that the pion­ ator, ample space for the preferred
eers knew what they were doing and outlet off Main was now provided.
had a valid reason for passing through Negotiations with the CPR for the pur­
the mars· hes of Section seven. chase of the required property now
began in earnest to the dismay of the
There have been great changes in the Town Council, for Marathon Realty (a
topography of the section since- the - - subsidiary of CPR asked the shocking
days of high water tables, multitudes price of $4000 '. After considerable
of sloughs and pot-holes. No doubt, planning 'and much consultation, the
the drought of the 1930s, drainage and council purchased. In view of today's
.. fills have · played a significant part inflated land prices, this was indeed
in the drying of the ·more · shallow an act of foresight on the part of the
sloughs and marshes. Today, one. would council of that day. This portion was
have some difficulty visualizing · where duly paved, curbed and lighted. Some­
they once existed. time later the residential south end
of Main Street had a n�rrower pavement
. In spite of the lowered water table, laid
Main Street continued to be trouble­ Today Carlyle has a Main Street of
some. Holes were r. epeatedly filled which its citizens may b.e proud.
with stones, brick and other debris
to little avail. The laying of
weeping ,tile and the installation of OMISSION
water and sewer lines relieved the
situation to a degree. In 1966 two The byline was inadvertently
blocks of Main Street were dredged, omitted from one of the stories in
filled and paved at an approximate the Winter issue. · About Midwives and
cost of $92 , 000 (not including street Tonsil Clinics was written by Myrtle
lights) . While plans for Main Street G. Moorhouse of Aneroid, Sask.
24 SUMMER 1980
 ,

Sadie of the Sun

na.Jtm
I:t U6 e.d :to be., and p1toba.bly -6:UU ..u.i , :tha.:t :the. bu.t time. :to be. a. tJOtmg-6:te.Jt
on :the. Wa.6 ( ..w I -6umme.Jt holiday-6 . Many Jte.a.de.Jt-6 will. Jte.la.:te. we.U :to Sa.c:Ue..

By DARLENE INGRAM KIDD Thi s morning Mommy had the churn

fi l led with cream waiting for Sadie.· . ·
WHEN Mommy had taken the ten -pound Rogers
syrup pails , that she used for cream
She knew -they would come. She knew pails at separating time each ni�ht .
it would be full , too. "But when?" .
and morning , from the cellar ·out �o : :
the well. There she lifted the lio ,
Sadie had climbed the ladder to the from the well p latform and drew up
loft in the barn every morning since the chain. At the end hung the cream
summer holidays began. Still th ey can. One by one , Mommy empt,ied the
were not there. Still it was empty. syrup pails of thick cream into the
But she knew it would be full soon. big can , carefully scraping every
And ·they would be there. scrap of thick cream , scum , and froth
from the pail. These were the parts
The last wild strawberries peeked richest in butterfat ; butterfat was
from under their th ree oval leaves. what the creamery needed and paid
When Sadie and Mommy had boiled this for. But the pail containing the
last picking into sweet , red j am , thickest cream , Mommy had left at the
then it would be time. house. That cream she dumped into the
churn.
And now , the j ars full of burgundy
j am lined the cellar shelves. Sadie Sadie skipped breakfast and began
listened for the shuttling from the her task. Round ' and round she turned
fi�lds and meadows. Daddy did some the handle. In response , round and
filing. She�watched him from her fav­ round turned the beaters twirling the
orite rock. Her rock was sort .of cream. From her perch on the top step ,
roan--red and white mixed--like Roany Sadie studied the cracks in the lower
the roan cow. Her rock rested in the three steps. Each Saturday morning
shade of the poplar b luff behind th e after she had scrubbed the kitchen
barn. This was Sadie ' s cool summer floor and before scrubbing the out­
dream spot. door toilet , Sadie took the scrubbing
brush to these boards. She remembered
She heard Daddy rivet on a coup le the clean smell of sprmce and soap as
of new sections. But Pat and Mike , the boards dried in the sunshine.
the black work team , still stood in
the corral. Obvious ly , he would not That thick cream was still not
begin today. butter.
CHURNING "Would they come today?" She won­
dered if they ' d be black or gray?
The next morning Sadie swayed into Maybe white. Even orange. "Naw , not
the kitchen still half asleep al­ likely."
though it was already after nine o ' ­
clock. Her hair was a tang led mess There were lumps in the churn. A
and the corners of her eyes held few more turns--there it was. A yel­
Sandman ' s grains. "Would it happen low mass floating in thin milk. Mommy
today?" she wondered. was already carrying in a milkpail
FOLKLORE 2 5
full of sweet , cold well water when fields. Away·• in the far corner of -,
Sadie s lid the churn onto the cup­ their farmlands she s aw Daddy hunched
board. '
behind the black , shiny rumps of Pat
and Mike. Around and around they went.
" Just wait ' n ' I ' ll help you , Sadie. She could not hear the shuttling but
We have to save all the buttermilk. waves of green bent and went down be­
Daddy will ,want a drink at noon ' n ' side Daddy.
maybe there ' ll be enough to make some
biscuits . " Sadie went to the house for her
things. The rest of the morning she
Mommy unscrewed the lid and shook sat on her roan rock. It was cool
the butter from the beaters back into
• • there so she did some practice darn­
the churn. Mommy held back the butter ing to exhibit at the fair. She da�n­
with her laced fingers while Sadie ed best in the morning when it was
poured off the buttermilk. cool. Her hands didn ' t get clammy
and knot the wool.
nQuick , take this buttermilk down
l

cellar to cool. You can mix and wash "Make your warps close together
the butter when you come up. " and anchor them well in the good part
of the sock. Weave loos ely and neatly.
Upstairs ag�in , Sadie mixed the ' N ' don ' t leave any loose ends. " It
greasy butter between her fingers. was kind of fun, Sadie thought , to
She patted it against the s ides of see how well she could darn. That is ,
�he bowl. After Sadie poured off the mostly , it was fun. Unles s she didn ' t
moisture she had wrung from the mushy feel like it.
mass , Mommy poured on some ice-cold
water. As Sadie washed , the water As she stitched , she pretend-sniff­
turned white. She poured again. Once ed how it would smell when it was full
more she washed with ice water; once but she couldn ' t quite do it. 1 1 0 well , "
more she poured. Mommy added a small she promised herself--"soon it really
handful of salt. This time she added will be full. "
no food coloring-the cows had plenty
of green grass at this time of the On her way to the house
w , Sadie not­
year and that made the butter a nat� iced that the heat was liquid-rippling
ural , healthy yellow. the horizon. Yes , this was the right
weather to fi l l it.
Sadie wondered what else her mother
might . have planned for her. She was When Daddy finished eating his din­
anxiously aware that she hadn ' t vis­ ner he s aid he would be done tonight
ited the barn yet. She wondered what if the sunshine held. Sadie ' s heart
Daddy was doing today. She could have thumped. She fought to hold her j ub­
asked but she enjoyed the mystery of ilation. At last Daddy left the
waiting to find out for herself. table and Mommy took away the dishes.
Sadie leapt from the table and out
Sadie ' s bare feet expertly picked of the door. She hugged her dog ,
their way around the cowpies to the Brownie , who lay panting in the shade ,
barn. She climbed the ladder but until he got: up and moved. "Day after
there was nothing. Outside the barn tomorrow we '- 11 fill it ! " she whi"s per­
she noticed the corral was empty this ed.
morning. She wondered • • • • • . • MILKING

DARNING Daddy wanted to finish while the

sun still shone. That evening Sadie
Behind the barn Sadie searched the helped Mommy milk the cows.
2 6 SUMMER 1 9 80
 Pansy, Daisy, Spot and Rose stood the day after.
in front pf the barn-door at five o ' ­
clock. Feeding the milk cows their AT LAST !
chop and tying them up was always
Sadie ' s job but tonight she would get Tomorrow was hot and dry. The next
to milk. She would also get to use day was, too. This was the day they
Daddy ' s milk stool. It was the best would fill it , Sadie climbed up with
' cause he had used it the longest. Daddy behind the team. Across the
He ' d used it even before Mouuny and fields to the corner of the quarter ·
he got married so its edges were rub­ they bouneed. Daddy forked and forked
bed round and the flat top was as while Sadie tramped. As her own two
shiny as a button. It felt good, too, feet sprang through the thick pad of
and rocked j ust right for milking hay, Sadie allowed herself to dream
cows. of lots o f tiny feet padding among
these stems.
Sadie pressed her forehead against
Daisy ' s flank. Carefully she let her Just before noon the rack was full.
eight-year-old hands encircle the two Daddy stood atop the load near the
front teats. She pulled towards her front of the rack driving his shiny
and squeezed, careful not to pinch. blacks. A tired Sadie found a hollow
Daisy ' s long tail with the white in the load where she was hidden from
ringlet at the end whipped around •
Daddy ' s view. She curled up and suck­
behind Sadie ' s head and lashed across ed her thumb. It tasted salty. For
her mouth. "Soooo now, Daisy, " Sadie the first time, she became aware of
soothed. Her hands moved in a steady the criss-crossed scratches on her
rhythm now and j ets of milk bounced barefeet, legs and arms.
off the bottom of the empty steel
milkpail screaming a deafening din. At the barn Daddy pitched the hay
Ten strokes more and the froth was off the rack, up through the opening
creeping up the sides of the pail above the barn. Sadie and Mouuny moved
and each squirt of milk became a gen­ it back from the opening. What a
tle rhythmic "rip, rip, rip." terrific bed they were making !

Sadie felt her wrists begin to After dinner Sadie and Daddy got
tighten. Milking required strong two more loads. As she tramped,
wrists which Sadie did not have, sheets of sweat caught in Sadie ' s
but each time she milked her wrists eyelashes making the fields a shim­
hurt a little less and were a little mering blur of gold and green. Each
less stiff. Besides Moumy said, time they finished a load, Daddy,
"Strong wrists are good bread kneading Mommy and Sadie gulped icy water
wrists. If you' re ever goin ' to make straight from the pump at the well.
the best loaf of bread in the junior Daddy pumped for Monuny and Sadie,
. section at the fair you'll need strong purposely dousing them as they drank.
wrists. " Then Daddy drank and daringly ducked
his whole head under the gush of
Where was Myrtle, the white mother water. A knot of happy workers left
cat, tonight? Sadie knew that one of the well.
these days Myrtle would have her sup­
per alarm clock set in perfect harm� One more load before nightfall. On
ony with milking time. their return trip to the meadow,
Sadie noticed that the goldenrods and
Daddy finished j ust before sundown. ragweed along the trail were closing
Sadie prayed for hot, dry sunshine for the night. The shadows became
tomorrow. She could hardly wait for long and grotesque. A j ack rabbit
FOLKLORE 2 7
 Two haying scenes from years gone
by . (Below) heading out to rake,
bounding across the f la t cas t an el­
and (above) ready to go for another
ephant ine image. As Sadie ' s t ired
load .
legs tramped a loose last load, she
noticed movement along the fenceline·.
Her exhausted body willingly sagged
against the rack while she watched.
Satisfied that it was only Mommy
crawling among the charred trunks
and tangled new growth seeking rasp�
berries, Sadie resumed her task.

But at intervals she checked the

fenceline. There it was again- an­
o ther movement. She stopped work to
watch more closely. "Daddy, Dadcly, "
she whispered as loudly as she dared.
"Look. " Daddy went to Pat ' s bridle.
He soo thed. He could not risk a run­
away whatever the pro· blem.

A b lack bear wobbled along the

fenceline toward Mommy. Sadie caught
herself th inking that he looked like
his coat was too big and loose and Mommy crashed among the bri t t le
she hoped he would no t walk out of twigs seeking a bet ter patch. The
it. A ridiculous though t at a time bear hesitated. Mommy stumbled from
like this. Why couldn ' t Mommy see the brushpile onto the field.
him and get out of there? Sadie shook
as the bear approached Mommy ' s spot "My God, a bear. " She· tore for home
of the fenceline. Daddy cautioned favoring her sore leg � The bear whir­
Sadie to be quiet. led on the spo t and hastened away in
28 SUMMER 1980
the opposite directi'on . Sadie was harn swallows flew back and forth
glad this was the last load. swooping through the open end of the
loft and up into their chirping nests
The thumb-sucker sucked herself to among the rafters. They angled
sleep in her grassy mattress as the curiously close to Sadie ' s head as
load swayed home. Finally they had she inspected the empty pockets of
the rack clear. The loft above the dry grass . Nothing yet.
barn was full of hay.
Sadie slowly retraced he·r steps.
That night Sadie ' s brown limbs web­ She skirted the hens scratching oats
bed the sheet. Her dry, sun-whitened out of the manure, careful to make a
hair mopped the pillow. She slept, an extra wide detour around the cross
her nostrils full of the scent of white rooster. His beak, wings, and
fresh-mown hay. claws flying at her bare arms and
legs we·re no treat. Of course,· he
SHELLING PEAS hadn � t dared to attack her since she
got big, but she could remember once
She slept far into the morning and · when she was small, only six, Daddy
awakened to a dismal picture--a kit- had saved her from that rooster ' s
chen brimming with peapods needing to wrath by dumping a pail of cold wat­
be shelled. She guessed her day ' s er on him .
work was determined.
Her toe uprooted a puffball. Sadie
Sh�lling peas was a challenge to ,
squashed the sponge ball again and
her. It could be monotonous but she ag a:!n beneath her toes watching the .
made up contests which made her work rust-colored dust puff out of a tear
faster. She competed with Mommy but in its side. Everybody said never to
she knew before she began that she get th at dust in your eyes;,._it would
would win. Then she competed with he make ) ' O U go blind.
herself and the clock to see if she
could beat her record--shelling a A MIX-UP
pint sealer full of little, green
marbles in just seven minutes-. She Sadie lay in bed a long time the
sat at her shelling, back against the next mcrning . Surely they would be
kitchen wall staring out of the there today. She waited in her cool
screen door the rest of the morning bed a little longer, certain that if·
and most of the afternoon. she stayed there long enough they
would be in the loft when she got up.
Once, during that morning, Sadie
eyed Myrtle weaving her swollen s ides Without bothering about breakfast
through the weeds behind the barn. or even washing, Sadie wandered
She placed each paw gingerly, careful ankle-deep through the grass glisten­
not to shake down the dewdrops onto ing with dew. Bits of grass stuck to
her sleek fur. After every few steps, her bare feet. She stopped on the
Myrtle vigorously shook each of her wooden well cover to let the sun dry
hind legs out behind her. Then-leap­ her feet. She leaned her weight
and Myrtle was gone. Another mouse against the pump handle to pump water
less in the chopbin. for the cows. The regular "splash,
trickle, splash, trickle, " lured her
Then Sadie slipped away to see if on. Up, down, up, down. She pumped
they had arrived. The hot afternoon long after her arms were tired . She
sun dried her sweaty back as she watched the icy water creep up the
swished through the tickly fox-tail sides of the trough. The sparkling
in the yard. The loft was full. The water lapped and rippled across the
FOLKLORE 2 9
trough. Perfect except for the g lobs hay. Sadie '.leaned back against the'
of green slime f loating at the far hay in deep thought.
end. Sadie stooped to scoop the blem­
ishes from the trough , leaning over This was a special thinking place.
the s ide until she was wet to the This afternoon it would be her spec­
shoulders. Satisfied with her clean­ ial reading place. Mommy and Daddy
ing, she straightened. never disturbed her here.

Panic seized her. She g lanced at Daddys were funny--they worked so

her right hand , then checked her hard to fill the loft and then forgot
left. Her best 19¢ birthstone ring about the peaceful place until winter
was gone--resting at the bottom of when they started emptying it. Sadie
the · trough. Sadie reached and reached. thought it a shame that people gr9w
up and forget the lovely things like
"Sadie , what's wrong?" Daddy heard lofts full of hay.
her sobs. He strode from the shop to
drag the trough for a little ring She heard movements ! She did. In
with an emerald stone. The seconds the cleft between two mounds of hay
seemed hours but from the depths of she found them-two white ones , one
the mud-bottom trough Daddy produced black , and a m ix-up.
the ring.

She dried her tears and turned to INDIAN RECIPE :

the barn. Even from the bottom of the MOOSE NOSE
ladder she could smell it. She could Singe moose' s nose over open fire.
see the slatted sunlit dust pouring Scrape clean and scald. Wash. Boil
between the boards , lighting the two hours with salt and pepper .
hollows among the rounded piles of Cool and slice.

*** ***

EX TRA COPIES
**
To obtain additional copies of this magazine

send requests, along with

$ 1. 50 PER COPY

to

Mrs. Rhoda M. Hall

107 - 1st Avenue N.W.
Weyburn, Saskatchewan
SASKATCHEWAN HISTORY S4H 1N7
& FOLKLORE SOCIETY

30 SUMMER 1980
 In the last previous issue of

A BOUT
Folklore we asked our writers to pro­
vide us with some biographical in­
formation about themselves. One of
the really positive aspects of this
venture into the production of a
periodical has been the-enthusiastic
support of sp many writers. And we OUR
would certainly like to know them
better.

Only a couple of writers have res­

ponded to date. We hope that others
A UTHORS
will do so. Send a photo too , if "Over the years I have had some
possible. writing success, including public­
ation in Canadian Home Journal,
*** Toronto Star Weekly, Family Herald,
and The Western Producer, and have
Harriet Margaret Purdy, who writes been -lucky enough to win a few prizes
about The Green Englishman in, this ·· for poetry and for short stories. I
issue, is an 81-year-old resident of am a · member of the Saskatchewan
Balcarres. Named for her . two grand­ Writers' Guild and a small informal
mothers, Miss Purdy wrote in our · writing group in my own area here.
Summer 1979 issue about the First So far I have one book to my credit
Saskatchewan Music Festival in 1909 - which won a- publishing award from
in which she was the youngest part ­ the Department of Cul ture and· Youth ·,
icipant.
•�or several years I have,,. been
"My career, " she said, "was in working with the Sturgis R. E.A.D.
farming as a poultry breeder urider Club (a- · New Horizons group) taping
the 'Record of Performance ' program interviews with local senior citi­
(federal government -supervised) from zens on the subject of pioneering
1925 to '61. Then in Balcarres as experiences. These I have �een
' mother' to two somewhat-retarded transcribing one by one and putting
women. " in a monthly pamphlet that we dist­
ribute among our members who like to
She has lived in a suite in Park ­ read each other's stories. Much of
land Lodge since 1972. Her hobbies what these people tell me I find
are tracing the family tree, house truly fascinating. This is an area
plants, gardening and •••fortunately predominantly Ukrainian, and settle­
for us •. .writing. ment here was on a much more prim­
itive scale than for my own parents
*** who came to Rouleau from the State
of Iowa bringing horses, cows,
Patricia G. Armstrong authors this chickens and farming equipment with
issue' s lead story There Was No them and having a lifeline back
Bridge Across the Ocean. Born on a home. "
farm near Rouleau, Mrs. Armstrong
is now a retired school teacher That sounds like a very worthy
living in Sturgis. She is the project, Pat, and we hope that more
mother of two daughters and a son, of your interviews will be shared in
"all for sometime on their own, and Folklore.
my husband, Hudson, and I are living
by ourselves. - SHFS
FOLKLORE 31
 Letters (Continued from Page 4)

sod house that he had/ built many years to build a sod barn. I could not
before. It was one of the first sod find any prairie sod but found a low
houses he had built and it was in bad spot with peat sod. By plowing
shape. The outside wal ls were propped about six inches deep , it he ld to­
up. The sods had settled down away gether fair ly wel l and was light and
from the roof as th� posts that held easy to hand le, so I used it to
the roof did not settle. build a barn 2 6 ' x4 8 ' with a sod roof.

Mr . Thomas had a sod b lacksmith shop Many people wondered at me

that he ha� bui lt a few years after building a sod barn when logs were ··.._
the house •.· While it was many years so p lentiful. I knew nothing about
old at the time I was there � it w{ls how to use an axe, but I 'did know
stil l in what you might say "perfect how to build a sod building and it
shape. " Mr . Thomas saw where he had stood up wel l for more than 10 years,
made a mistake in building his first by which time I was able to build a
sod house and set about to correct good frame barn.
his mistakes · and ca� up witll .what
h� thought wa·s the prpper way to Thought you might be interested.
build a sod building, with a self­ I am now past 80 IJlYSelf.
supporting roof that settled down
with the sods,.• . - Gordon Brown
Pelly, Sask .
He taught me this method . While I
never built a sod house tp live in ,
I �id build a so.d pig pen. and lien FROM CAWARY
house on my S. S. B. Farm at A lida,
and they stood up wel l . While sitting irt a dentist ' s
waitin.g ,room I picked up a copy of
In 1934, owing to the drought and Folklore magazine. It" ,interested
grasshoppers , I moved up here to me . very much since I, too , am a
Pel ly where there was lots of log_s Sa.skatch_ewanit.�.
and timber. It was in October when
I got here and I had to build a barn . Sis·t�r Justine_ Friedt .
for my cattle , and not mu�� time and 409 lOA; Street N .W.
no money to do it. So I se.t about Calgary , Alta. T2N 1W9

Box 1238
Moose Jaw, Sask.
S6H 4P9

32 SUMMER 1980