OTHER DAYS

By GENE AUTUMN

(Serialized in the Charlottetown Guardian)

From — November 25, 1931 To —— December 8, 1931

(Nothing appeared in issue of November 27)

(Some years ago, the Guardian published a series of interesting reminiscences of early days in Prince Edward Island, submitted by an esteemed correspondent in Crapaud. The gentleman, now in his 89th. year, has written a further series for the Guardian, under the pen name of Gene Autumn. The first number appears in this issue.)

(Apart from some minor changes in spelling and punctuation, we have retained our correspondent’s charmingly original method of ex- pression. A pedant in grammar, might find fault with the structure of the sentences, but such criticism would be beside the mark in the present instance. The writer is not a “literary” man. » Neither, for that matter, was John Bunyan. Some of the world’s greatest literature was produced by men who possessed no other qualifications than native wit and imagination, a seeing eye, a well stored memory, and a healthy curiosity as to the events and personages with whom they came in contact. Of our corresponde-nt’s qualifications in these respects, we shall leave our readers to judge. We confess to having read his articles with great interest and appreciation and trust they will find equal favor with the public.)

(Our correspondent entitled his contributions, “ ALittle History of the World,” and it will be noted, in the first article, that he goes back a considerable distance in order to get a “flying start” at his real subject, which is his reminiscences of early days in this Province. We have dis- carded the title, but retained the introduction, which serves admirably to prepare the reader for the good things to come. — Ed. G.)

CRAPAUD IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

Crapaud never was a French farming settlement. It was all in woods. The first two English emigrants were Mr. Christopher Smith and Mr. Trowsdale- and their families. They took up two hundred acres of land each, rented at one shilling an acre, from Lady Westmoreland, for 999 years. They lived on adjoining farms, fronting on Crapaud River.

Mr. Smith had four sons and two daughters. I knew them well.

Matthew was a Methodist preacher. I have heard him preach many a time. He lived to be about ninety years old. I heard him preach his last

sermon. His text was: “Behold, I lay in . . . for a foundation.”

It was. these two Englishmen that laid the foundation of Crapaud. They had no front town road. At this time, there was a French Road at the back of their farms, from Prince County to the French capital. One ran from Crapaud Corner close by Platts Mills to the back of Hampton, Neil McDonald’s farm. At that place, there was a cross road leading to Sandy Point shore for the farmers to fish herring and lobsters by the- cart load, to haul up seaweed to manure their farms.

Mr. John McKinnon, Road master, took French leave to close the Government road to the shore. He filled in the road out of the shore to please a few petty Grits. The farmers rebelled against it, and went out.

“.5; 33 g