| These stories were all gleaned from conversations with Carrie Smith and her brother Les around 1999. Many were prompted by remarks made by Murray Creightion in emails from Australia around the same time. Often one idea would lead immediately to a fresh thought. Unfortunately there are probably many more stories undiscovered. |
| Don’t Be Left-handed Pa
had a real problem with his grandson, David, being left-handed. He
would frequently insist that things like scissors or utensils be placed
in the boy's right hand. Clutching a fist of the little guys
hair, he'd say, "You little Indian, use your other hand!" |
The Old Shotgun
Somewhere in this telling, the name Garry got thrown in.
Apparently this more earthy Smith still has an interest in guns whereas
non of the immediate Smith boys do. Les had this old shotgun that
no longer fires but is something of a Smith heirloom because it was
used to kill fowl to feed the passengers on the CPR. One
enterprising, Eastern Smith had a contract to supply game to the
railroad. Les phoned young Gary who was very pleased to receive
said shotgun. Said shotgun was probably on the gun rack in the
family kitchen. It may also have been the one involved in the
following incident related by my mother. Papa was under the weather a little and there were pigeons feeding in his fields. "Take the shotgun out a give them a blast," he told his youngest daughter. Carrie had never fired a gun before but boldly carried the brute of a thing outdoors. She laid the barrel across a plank in the Creighton/Smith fence and pulled the trigger on both barrels. The kick scared the hell out of her and knocked her on her keisher but she went back in smiling when she discovered she had killed two pigeons. |
| Murray’s Ol’ 22 Calibre (Murray
1999) I still have an old 22-calibre, single shot that once hung on the
original farm gunrack. It’s the first gun I fired over 70 years ago,
and the same with Les, only longer ago. It was used to shoot at pigeons
in tall cedar trees just across the front creek from the farmhouse,
kill rats in the chicken yard at dusk, and shoot robins in cherry
trees. I dont think I have fired it since we left Canada but it still
seems to function ok. I cant recall how I got it in the first instance;
I dont think Les wanted it. |
| Buster Disappears
"Buster was a great hunting dog. He disappeared one time.
We were along the top of a rise looking down into a boggy area.
We sent Buster down to circle the bog and flush any deer around to meet
us. He took off. We heard him thrashing through the bush a
little, then a short squeal like he had hurt himself or something- then
nothing. We went in to check and nothing. Never saw Buster
again." |
| Anti, Anti Eyeover Anti, Anti Eyeover was a favourite game among the kids. "It was a good house because you could throw the ball right over it." Carrie said. "Usually we played with a tennis ball." "What happened after you caught it?" "You run around the house and tag the other guy." "Then what?" "That's it! It's a kid's game. No purpose. Just fun!" NOTE:
On Carrie’s 85 birthday, Murray wrote in an email “For a birthday
present, I’m going to forgive you. You will recall (I think it
was 1929) we were playing Anti Anti Eyeover at the farm and you were
sneaking around the corner as usual so you knew I had caught the ball,
and POUNCED. Your spindly bracelet caught on my front tooth
(permanent) as you yanked at the ball. BINGO! By some
miracle I grew a third tooth, so this finally had a happy
ending.” |
 |
ABOVE:
At the beginning, cedar blocks served as the foundation for the
farmhouse. (Murray & Buster circa 1926) This spot was a
popular hiding place for hide and seekers. |
| Hide and Seek "Where did you hide? Did you have some favourite places?" David asked this of Carrie and Les at a family lunch. They were both in their 80s but their replies were instantaneous. "In the garages. In the toilets out back. Around the stump with the clothesline. Down in the cellar. Under the water tank.” I was immediately intrigued by the mention of the ‘stump’. They were referring to a giant willow stump that dominates the left of the driveway as you approach the house. I discovered it has been chopped down twice but still persists in sending up vigorous new shoots. In 1999 it still looked like a good place to hide! |
| Charcoal Eater The story goes that the young Murray was constantly getting into the charcoal. He would wander the property looking for burnt out stumps not yet removed and pick off pieces of the black stuff for culinary sampling. The doctor theorised that the boy's body craved some important element found in the charcoal. "Yummy!" |