MR. AULD He was the keeper of the General Store In the village that we called ours A quiet man with a kindly way As he went through his working hours.

His hello was always cheerful

As we gave him our list of needs. We’d often be short on ready cash He was never known to heed.

He never favoured anyone He used us all the same He’d hear the gossip on some poor soul

But never hear the name

I used to wonder at this gentle man When amidst the clamour and din. He’d stop and wait on a ragged child And be cheered by the happy grin.

He reserved the odd and endless jobs For those who needed there

He’d pay them all with a cheerful heart And give them the fairest share.

He was never one for the lively life

He walked the narrow line

You’d see him at church on a Sunday eve And the Hall at Christmas time.

But all of us must go to sleep Mr. Auld has earned his rest For he was the kindest among the kind

The best among the best. By Bill Andrews

RALPH R. BURNS GENERAL STORE

Ralph R. Burns grew up in South Freetown on the farm of his parents, Russell and Anna Burns. He worked for Scales Hydro Electric and Moore and MacLeod in Charlottetown before establishing his General store in the village. He purchased a lot of land from George D. Jardine (code 40) and opened his store in September, 1933.

In 1934, while the depression wore on, Ralph married Mary Ellen Heffell and together they put in long hours of work, with small profits. There were, however, those whose fortunes were even less and while passing through Freetown by rail or by road would come to the store seeking some food or a place of rest.

It may be of some interest to note the prices of some items for sale in 1933. Bulk tea, which Ralph bought in 100 pound chests sold for $.30 per pound. Large All Bran went for $.25 a box, Campbells Tomato Soup cost $.08l/2 and sold for $.10 a can.

To make ends meet Ralph engaged in several side lines. As a youth he learned in a neighbours barn how to cut hair. His first willing “customer” was his chum Preston Reeves. Another means of income was

as an agent for the Sun Life Assurance Company. Yet another was raising silver foxes.

In 1939 they purchased from George Jardine a lot of land next to the store. William Francis had been the carpenter for the store in 1933. He was employed again, this time to construct a house.

The operation of a general store required a large quantity of merchandise; groceries, hardware, clothing, drugs, meats, etc. He installed gas pumps. First selling Irving products and later those of British America, now known as Gulf.

At one time a grocery truck operated in the back roads of Prince and Queens’ Counties, gathering eggs in exchange for groceries. This meant packaging a great quantity ofbulk items and grading eggs for shipping to Halifax and Saint John.

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