Douglas Island news., 1917-04-06


 cause Che snow which has carpetod Mother Earth for the past four months is rapidly disappearing We lknow it from Che manner tn which our systems crave that most famous oI an spring tonics, sulphur and mos Iasscs. which craving is an acquired instead of a natural one
 The boy who has never had thc |patcrnal arm In halt-Nolson around Ihis neck while a pint or more Of sul- |phur and molasses have been poured down his throat for the benefit of |his system. has missed something in life. The Stroller has never read in any medical work that sulphur and molasscs are good for the system, but .it is timc-staIned tradition that they are. If any moro obnoxious mixture Is ever discovered. sulphur and molasscs will probably be given rest.
 10 Is in the spring that the aver age housewife begins Co talk about wallpaper and such uuintcrcsting topics. But she cant help it any more than fisherman can help ly- ing. She should be forgiven altho Co Che average man the subject is a painful one.
 "In the spring the young
 mans fancy
 Lightly turns tho thoughts
 of love"
 But it is only for one spring, as @ .rulc. The fouowig spring usually finds him turning his thoughts to striving Co remember where he will find the Castorio bottle. without striking a light.
 10 is in the spring that the time for house cleaning comes, and for a week or ten days the old home ain't what it used to be and family rela- tious become much strained. 10 is n the spring that a burned incense from old shoes and other relics ot former days Is waited from thithcr Go thence on the sun-kissed eHltH
 Itts u Che spring that "rho ,ow- .inr asra a.aar s,7Vly c.o- the '0a |"  They wind slowly tor tb, reason chat most of them tre tor emasl.eJ from the efectr 1l hard winter Go H'a. any other way.
 The Stroller was raised on a farm and even yet Che force ot habit caus- cs him Co think about burning his bed when Che breath of spring first begins to fan his brow. An those old songs about the farmers life being SO happy and free were composed and sung for Che purpose Of keeping boys uu Che farm who didn't know any better. The farmer who succeeds in any hay community never goes Co bed between Che first of April and thc first Of November. and if he does his more thrifty neighbors say he Is lazy and won't allow his son Go swing on their gates. They say "HIs old man sleeps iu summer Cowpcr knew what he was about when he said in his Yearly Distress
 70. why are farmers made
 SO coarse.
 Or clergy made SO fine2"
 If any further evidence that spring is iu the offug was wanted. it was seen one bright day the fore part Of the present week when a small flock ot ducks was noticed winging north ward. While it Is yet early for ducks to be going north, the fact that they are going may be taken as an indication that an early spring Is in store for this country.
 Speaking of early ducks recalls Go the mind Of the Stroller something that came under his observation several years ago in the interior Yu- kon country.
 An early duck. sent out probably Co select a summer route for the main flock. had fallen before the uuer- ring aim of a Moschide hunter and !. the chief or Che tribe had appointed a tcn-ycar-old boy. scrofulous James. by name. Co bring thc duck to Daw- son and sell it. thc price fixed by thc tribal council being S2
 Now, while there may be a whole lot about an Indian that soap and water will remove. there Is in him a steadfastness of purpose which no |arEumeut will swerve or diversity |obliterate.
 Scrofulous James was told Co sell the duck for $2 and with that aim in view he grasped it by the feet and startcd out.
 Buy 'cm duck2 Two dollar," was an James would say, but he per sistently said that to every person he would meet
 The fact that James did not sell his duck the first day. the first week or even Che first month Of his canvass laid not appear to disturb him in the least. In fact, it was a canvass-back duck.