andjim Chisholm became involved in a dispute over the location of the line dividing their property. Jim Arbing lost the battle and had to sell his house and land to cover the legal costs. Mr. Arbing moved across the road to a house near where Donald Lord’s house now stands and relocated his blacksmith shop to the southwest comer of the Crossroad near where Sheldon Dixon’s garage now stands.

The blacksmith shops had an anvil, a crank to work the bellows which fanned the coal fire, and a steel drum full of water to cool the hot irons. The shops, where the smithy worked at his trade shoeing horses and repairing farm machinery, were open from dawn to dusk six days a week.Jim Arbing’s shop, the last in the community, was torn down when the Trans Canada Highway was built in 1952.11

Door to Door Salespeople

Folk did not travel very far in the days of the horse and buggy and horse and sleigh to acquire clothing and the necessities for home. Most of the necessities were produced on the farm. However, some boughten items were required and added enjoyment to the life of the recipient. The deliverer of these goods was most likely the Travellin’ Man. One can imagine the excitement when the children saw a traveller with a heavy pack on his back turning in at the lane’s end. He had bolts of materials and other necessities for dress making, combs and brushes, clothing for men, women and children, ointments, liniments, cold cures and tonics, as well as costume jewelry. There was something for every— one. Money, however, was not available to spend in a frivolous manner so purchases were carefully considered. The first travellers, who came from Charlottetown, were often immigrants from Lebanon. The trav. eller would unroll his large pack on the kitchen floor. After all the contents were viewed and the purchases made, the Travelling man would be given a cup of tea and a meal and if it was dusk, a bed for the night. The following morning he would gather up his pack and leave for the neighbours house. The visits from the Travelling Man became fewer with the building of roads and the coming of the automobile that permitted rural Islanders to visit town occasionally. However, visits from salespeople continued to be part of rural life.

Native Indian women usually made their rounds in the summer displaying beautiful hand woven, colourful baskets of all shapes and sizes that they would exchange for either cash or food. Sewing baskets, potato baskets, and egg baskets were necessities on the farm.

Donald MacLeod, Victoria, delivered coal that was unloaded from the vessels that sailed into Victoria harbour. Coal was the source of heat for many homes and was also used in the blacksmith shop. Today the oil man, either Russell Noonan from Albany or Paul Moore from Crapaud, make bulk deliveries to houses in the community. Several

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