A WINNIPEG PROFESSOR. — Rev. Professor Hart, of the Presbyterian College, Winnipeg, and Mrs. Hart, stayed with his brother, Mr. John S. Hart, and found his venerable mother, Mrs. John Hart, sr., wonderfully well at the age of ninety-six years. The Rev. gentleman took the first part of the Old Boys’ Reunion services in St. Andrew’s Church on Sunday evening.
FATHER O’CONNOR’S WELCOME. — Rev. T. P. O’Connor, of Kemptville, gladdened the hearts of his old friends in Perth and in the Bathurst and Burgess parishes by coming along with the rest of the Old Boys to the reunion. Father O’Connor has been away from the county quite a few years, but he has been by no means forgotten by any of his old acquaintances, of all creeds, who gave him a cordial welcome.
A FAMILY REUNION. — A happy reunion of three brothers was that of the McCusker “Old Boys.” Patrick McCusker, of Brantford, come here in 1863 from Enniskillen, Ireland, and went to Western Ontario shortly afterwards; John, of Ferguson’s Falls, came out in 1862, and Edward, town, in 1867. The three met here by appointment, and have certainly enjoyed their reunion. Patrick is foreman on the T.H.& B. Ry. between the C.P.R. and M.C.R.
A HERO’S MOTHER. — Mrs. Patrick Donegan, of London, Ont., was revisiting the scenes of her youth at the reunion. She is a daughter of the late Mr. James Manion, one of the ex councilors of North Elmsley, and married Mr. Patrick Donagan, who afterwards became locomotive inspector at the London works of the C.P.R. One of the saddening events of her family life was the death of her son John, who was one of the Canadians who fell at Paardeberg in the Boer War.
NORTH-WEST SANITARY OFFICER. — Dr. Patterson, of Winnipeg, his wife and two daughters, were among the early arrivals. The doctor is sanitary officer throughout the North-West in connection with infectious diseases, and visits far and wide over this vast territory. He took in the Rideau trip on Monday, and thinks this extensive stretch of water with its islands wooded with Canada’s most beautiful trees, its picturesque shores and nooks, is unequalled as a summer resort.
FROM THE FAR WEST. — Mr. George Templeton, of the Dominion Lands and Titles Office, Calgary, N.W.T., was among the early arrivals of the Old Boys last week and he intends remaining east about four months. During this time he intends visiting friends in Drummond, Napanee, Smith’s Falls and other places. Mr. Templeton thinks the far West a wonder for progress and development, but has by no means lost the love for his native town and its ways since he left it.
A NEWSPAPER MAN. — One of the most prominent Perth Old Boys at the gathering was Mr. Archibald McNee, proprietor of the Windsor (Ont.) Daily Record, and president of the Canadian Press Association. He was one of the speakers at the Saturday evening reception, where his plain, sensible address was much appreciated. He has been spoken of as a coming Senator for one of the western districts, and if in the course of events such as an appointment should be made the Old Boys, among the rest, would be ardent endorsers of it.
STILL IN THE FLESH. — It falls rarely to the lot of man to read his own obituary in two or three papers, but such fell to Mr. T.K. Ward, of Langston, Mich., an Old Boy of Perth. Some years ago his death was reported in the Perth Courier and copied in the Pembroke Observer and several Michigan papers, and all these accounts Mr. Ward had the pleasure of reading. The gentleman is still in the flesh and was one of the many visitors at the reunion. The Courier had a very pleasant call from him and Mrs. Ward. He is a brother of Misses Ward, of Drummond. He is one of the solid men of Langston.
NORTH LANARK’S REGISTRAR. — Dr. P.C. McGregor, once of Balderson, now of Almonte, registrar for North Lanark, was one of the Old Boys who went to the High school here forty-five years ago, and was a member of Mr. William Fraser‘s Bible class in St. Andrew’s Church on Sabbaths. A High school teacher for thirty years, principally in Almonte, like his type of Scotch Presbyterians he became a first-class member of whatever community he resided in, and a few years ago he was appointed registrar for the North Riding. He spoke at the Old Boys’ reunion services in Knox Church on Sunday afternoon.
A SUCCESSFUL DENTIST. — Mr. Alex. Thornton, D.L.S., of Chatham, Ont., is a good sample of a Perth Old Boy, who well behaved, talented and assiduous, has prospered. He is a son of the late Mr. John Thornton, cooper, and after graduating from the Perth High school, taught school and put himself through the school of dentistry, and is now practising his profession in Chatham. He occasionally fills the Methodist pulpit also, as a lay preacher, and besides taking part in the Old Boys reunion services in Knox Church on Sunday afternoon, occupied the pulpit in Asbury Church on Sunday morning, and in Knox church again in the evening.
A NOTED WEATHERVANE. — We challenge any poultry fancier, breeder or owner to produce a rooster or cockerel with a history equal to that of the one outlined on the belfry staff of the “Old Bell” church, the cut of which appeared in last weeks’s Old Boys edition of the Courier. The rooster in question was given to the church by the late Hon. Malcolm Cameron, and was the target for many years of sportsmen going down the river. When the weathervane was taken down it was found to be riddled with bullets, and passed into the possession of the late Judge Malloch. Mr. Robert McLean secured it next and the “old bird” is now doing weather duty on the barns of Mr. Walter Cunningham in Elmsley.
A MERCHANT PRINCE. — Mr. Thomas Ryan, of Winnipeg, who left here about 1881, a youth not much above legal age, was one of the most conspicuous visitors. He is one of the Old Boys of whom the old town may well be proud. His first venture in the Winnipeg of early days was a boot and shoe store in the days of the boom, and he succeeded beyond his most ardent hopes, and is now one of the solid and wealthy citizens of the prairie capital, besides being a most worthy one. His tone is a moral and Christian one, and he is prominent in every useful work for the advancement of morality, charity and religion in Winnipeg, and is a familiar mark in the public platforms in that city in those interests. He is an ex-Mayor of Winnipeg. On Sunday he took part in the Old Boys’ reunion services in the Methodist, Knox and St. Andrew’s churches.
ABSENT FIFTY-FOUR YEARS. — An “Old Boy’ assuredly is Mr. Samuel Ritchie, of St. Joseph, Mich. A son of the late John Ritchie, a pioneer settler of the Scotch Line, Mr. Ritchie left Perth in 1851, and after a few years in different parts of the states, settled down in St. Joseph, following the mill-wrighting and lumbering business. He has prospered greatly. For many years he was thought to be dead by his relatives here, until in some way a few years ago, some of his family discovered an advertisement of Mr. G.A.C. Ritchie in the Courier. Enquiries were set on foot and communications established with the absent one. Mr. Ritchie came home for the reunion, and his visit is the first in fifty-four years. He sees many changes since he went away, all for the better, and his opinion is that the world is crowning better. Out of a family of eleven, but four survive: James Ritchie, Douglas; John Ritchie, Althorpe; Mrs. John Campbell, Hopeville, and the visitor, Samuel Ritchie, from St. Joseph. He has spent a pleasant visit with his friends and relatives in Perth and vicinity.
“COURIER” GRADUATES. — The Courier Office graduates showed up well at the reunion. Mr. Walter McLean, who learned his trade in the office and was for years its foreman, now occupies a good position with the R.G. McLean printing office of Toronto. Mr. James Heveron, who served his time in the eighties, is now proprietor of the St. George (Ontario) Sentinel, and is one of the solid men of that village. Mr. Ernest D. Lowe, who graduated at the same time, and who has been foreman in Carleton Place Herald, in the job office of the Montreal Herald, and in other offices, has now a good position in Ottawa. Mr. David Irons, of Montreal, was a later graduate, but no better boy ever left the office. Mr. Richard Smith, of the McLean Trade Journals, Toronto; Mr. Lorne Sheridan, of Mall job office, and Mr. Wm. Smitherman, of Mt. Brydges, Ontario, who is now in the grain business, turned up at the right time, and were all a credit to their old Alma Mater. Mr. Frederick Lee, son of Mr. John Lee, turnkey of the Perth gaol, has left the printing trade, and is now in a flourishing store business for himself at the Capital. Mr. Norman Anderson, who is a star baseball player and who played with the Perth team in the match with Smith’s Falls on the big day here on Saturday, also learned his trade at the Courier office.