Ba = gone by,: and’ what t has happened. to" all those « intervening years. = Somehow: they’ve come and gone 3 in-a@-round of seasons, and:-look- : _ing. back one ‘wonders if anywhere along the path cne has achieved’. "anything, or has it merely been Sa@ question of- aimless plodding ance. but> the question ‘depresses me - one’s bright dreams. Getting back to that long past - Christmas, . “ofident, high’ tn. public: favour, - for weren’t we part of. the new “generation. fighting: for. all. those. ideals to make a better- : tervening years.. _We were stationed. “in an’ Italian town then, a Can-~ adian regiment, young and con-..; . rambling stone building that had - “been a school or. college, and ©: we were. ‘ushered. into'a gloomy almost: medieval ‘room. that was”. = world. --Tt ig strange, but some-.. > 5 es public relations and our :gone: sour:: dn -the ins ae ked upon. as a: ‘generation. of ogres with no’ god but material-. heavily the night “before, it ism, and with militant: “youth in “ Febellion: as they seek for thelr: “new ideals, cess a "Ie was’ bleak’ and~ “cold and resentful in -that Italian. town ‘for. in spirit it-was still Fascist, © over a- ‘measured span of existe - - 1. don’t know about you, but: at least in‘ the mess. as we ate breakfast, there was good- . “will and conventional greetings. ‘when I consider it in relation to. The army has a routine ot its own for: this ‘particular day and mid-morning, as custom dic~- tated, we were invited to. the sergeant’s’ messo* ~ SELLING OUT | a remaining stock ‘at Cost . and: below a = LADIES? AND. CHILDREN’ S WEAR. ~ BRENTWOOD DRY GOODS CORNER OF WALLACE DRIVE. ~ AND WEST SAANICH RD. They. were’ quartered tn a. ~ Carousing © mood, : changed it vail. - rolled. in with letters, the first oa that had: got through to. us~ in. =~. many weeks.. Immediately there “We Wave Moved!” “Lois Beauty Salon Is Now Situated At 6601 WEST SAANICH RD. FOR APPOINTMENT - PHONE 652- 2304 We Wish. All Our: ‘Customers And. “at a = Local Ortong | Distance SIDNEY. me54831 Friends The: Seasons. ‘Greetings. s ‘Daily: Interline Service woé& trom Vancouver _ a ~® Fully Equipped to Handle Any. Job” bd - Stdpeing & Storage. FREE ESTIMATES ~ NO O OBLIGATION ident FREIGHT ~ 382- 4841. ‘I -forgotten.:: ° Slegg Brothers — Ltd. -- There .1s still, time to have that rumpus room completed | for Christmas . - Special atx ‘MILL PRE-FIN, ROT CUT MAHOGANY. PANELS. i _ Quality Grade Only” $329 Axtxd MILL. PRE-FIN ROT; cur MAHOGANY PANELS | * Quality Grade ‘only $30 “axtxd ‘MILI UNFIN, ROT. CUT: ‘MAHOGANY PANELS. ~ “EXTRA SPECIAL - “11's NEW, ~ only S) ae axtal/t AVOCADO SEX oniy. G29 Visit our store and let us, assist you with your rumpus -Foom plans, Free estimates. : OPENBa, m. to 5:30 p.m. ‘Ste59, Brothers 9674 FIFTH st. | ALL LUMBER LTD, 656-1125 D,' LUGGAGE 20% OFF for Christmas IT : Linoleums, Vinyls; ‘Ceramic. por Plastic Tiles . ,. the, firm’ - CARPETS & LINOS L1D. Victoria, B.C: “Now » “we are helped drive away. the loneliness, ~~: “but now the sight of those bottles was hard -to: takes - Still there. was nothing. for it but. to grit... one’s™ teeth” a -Hitle bit, maybe gulp down a steadying drink, the conventional greetings. | “After. an hour, or maybe. a ttle longer, we moved on to the: -and then give and receive ‘all _ next stage of the ritual, serving... the: men. their Christmas dinner, . . It was the best meal. they had -. had- in-- months,’ and would: have° . -for months to come, ‘but-it-was_ Of course. -we went: through. the. formalities : Of STeMerry. ‘Christinas’; “and* “there--was a-lot of joking back “and forth for’ we had been: to- - no more-than that. gether’ “tn the . regiment: for a long. while, but underneath each of us-felt lonely, with our thoughts “and: memories far away... At any -other time: ‘such a meal, and the - quantities of red wine that wash- ‘ed it down, would have had ev- eryone: in. a stamping singing ‘but. this was Christmas day and somehow dif- ferent. “Then: ssaiaie happened that The mail truck “were volunteers: to help with the - sorting, and a line of men wait- ing patiently, hoping desperately “that there: would be at least one . for them in-a:familiar. -hand- writing. Some were to be dis- ‘appointed ‘and they went: back to the. vino. and a’ “feeling of quiet, bitterness, but: most of us were © lucky, -and all: we wanted to do “was to get somewhere quiet where we could read and re-read_and.... then read“ those” letters” c ‘again. i “Yes, we: ‘were. ent Jonel bu - how we no ‘longer felt alone and = ‘The “mere fact: that “they had come to.us seemed J: promise. that. somewhere in’ th pes future - we° would someday. share | “Sewerage “We Buy ‘and Sell Old. Chinas ‘Furniture and Bricabrac. 9612. 4th, Street, Sidney ‘Phone 656-3515 For. the - “Finest an floor Coverings “o>.” Carpets, to contact is. HOURIGANS | TB. Pandora. Avenue _ vee “and! Silver a BUTLER. R BROS. SUPPLIES LTD. Keating Cross. Road 652-1121 Sy “Brentwood-Mill Bay FERRY SERVICE i.¥, MILL BAY Leaves Brentwood avery hour, from 7:30 a.m. t 6:30 p.m. Leaves Mill Bay every hour, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:60 p.m. Sundays and Holidays-Extra trips. Leaves Brentwood at 7:30 p.m. and $:30 p.m. Leaves Mill Bay at 8:06 p.m. and 9:00 porn. Coast Farries Lid. ie evactese _ ing,, _ BV6~2401 ay ee contribute”. to every discussion, - ‘Alter officially opening the n Brentwood Bay branch “of. the Royal Bank of Canada, Mayor, R Gordon Lee of Central Saanich . proceeded - to: the counter. and “opened the first: ‘account,’ Helis ‘shown: accepting his:pass. book: -” ‘Present for and participating in . the ceremony with his worship "Wallace Dr., accompanied byMr. , and‘ Mrs, Barry Bickford: with |. Doug, Brian and ‘Joanne, Simp= SON. Ra... spent. a3 day weekend cand Manager MrseV.L - Dykes velopment, from. Vancouver, Ji i, ° in Seattle recently. ” uecessful tea-and bazaar on Sae turday December 7, in’ the abe sence of President Mrs.F,Aker, ice. Pres. -Mrs, - duced Rev. 0,. L.. Foster, who - officially opened the tea. Ap- =--proxtmately $260.00 was realized -—:, from. the affair. A.C,W, members re reminded that the church will be. decorated for Christmas on ° “Saturday afternoon December 21 ind” all are asked to help.” Sun- yj, Ser ce. atte Smith: and’ Ralph’ My Snair,. both of Vancouver” and G. Harrison, manager of the Douglas and Saa deh Branch in Victoria STAFF PHOTO | Festal Fare Ends — Municipal Year No Wassail Bowl ‘was present, but an excellent’ cup of. coffee and.a festive ‘assortment of ‘tide. Po bits “and. cakes celebrated “the | ‘conclusion of the last official council meeting of: the! year. at. - Central Saanich municipal hall | last Monday... Thanks to the hostesses, Mesdames Tanner and © Wood, «and. an honorable. ‘mention - to Alderman: Margaret Salt who graciously assisted. “The occasion was. also. in the. “ot. office, . but. z satisfaction’ ‘ot. “having completed” ‘ “the, financial ‘projection request=_ : - ed by the Department of Munict- ; Ppalities,’ and the knowledge’ that “no. more’ can be done at the a municipal - evel. until there is -. -action at a. higher level of gov~ “ernment, “:Meanwhile- Mayor’ Lee chatted with ‘animation. of his newly dis= © - covered ‘Eldorado’ in: the Yukon , “Territory, ‘and he was optimistic : » of a-fabulous strike with’ a poten- [2 tial yield’ “beyond the’ dreams, of averice, . ne The Mayor expressed his per-- - sonal pleasure that Mayorzelect, {- ) Alderman. A.M. “been ‘elected by acclamation as “his” ‘successor, “Although,”’ he mused, : at “would perhaps: be more ° accurate ‘opposed.’ (The British form of " expression.) Alderman C.W, Mollard, who * “retires in mid-term for: health: “reasons, was by no. means ine “active at his final council meet= Hee: had something _ to. and | even made references to an” "Aladdin Travel 442. Beacon Ave: -. SIDNEY. Your P & O Agent 656-4115 jp 1 Oak: Bay council decision: made - An the year 1908, ° > AS ‘is “usual