64 It Happened in Iona

loaded truck. In winter the truck would be stored in our garage and with Maurice’s departure for the Air Force in late 1940, it remained relatively inactive except for occasional outings for odd jobs and for farm use from time to time. Right after the war, the old faithful was disposed of for spare parts, with the cab finding its way back to our woods where it remains to this day with its many memories.

In the early 405 Maurice purchased a 1930 Oldsmobile

sedan which frequently brought him home on leave from bases in Summerside and Scoudouc. When he went overseas in 1943 he left the car at home. For the rest of the war we used it sparingly for short trips around the community and occasionally even to Charlottetown. It was a lovely rangy car with loads of power and comfort. Shortly after the war the old Olds was sold.

On a rainy May day in 1945 our family took possession of a new red Ford 2 1/2 ton truck from McGowan’s in Kilmuir. It was a powerful and classy vehicle with many improvements over the 1938 model. One of its various attractions was a very popular ruxell gear. The old steel box was soon transferred to the new chassis after which it faithfully hauled both gravel and asphalt with Leo as driver until it was sold in the autumn of 1946.

My own first venture into the world of automobiles came in 1949 when I purchased Henry’s 1938 Plymouth coupe as he was leaving to begin an oil career in Calgary. It had been over a lot of road by this time, but a new engine had been installed which made it a very peppy and versatile car. In the process of getting my driver’s license I took the required road test in the middle of Charlottetown with a Mountie by my side. The test was not too strenuous although I managed to drive through a stop, sign onto a busy street for which the Mountie scolded me. In the summer of 1950 I traded the Plymouth at Wendell Barbour’s on Euston Street for a new 1/2 ton red Dodge, the list price of which was $1674.00. For a long time I had been an admirer of half-ton trucks and this one more than filled the bill. It had a large bright cab and was a delight to drive. Handy around the farm, it was particularly nice to handle when loaded. On November 4, 1952, the day Eisenhower was first elected president, I traded the red Dodge for a new green Chevrolet sedan from Home Motors on Fitzroy Street. The list price was $2200.00. I 10ved this car with its over-all neat styling, pretty dash and pleasant hum in the lower gears. I traded this friendly car in January, 1955 for a new black Chevrolet sedan at Dowd Motors, successor to Home’s, on Fitzroy Street. This was a good vehicle, attractive in its simplic-