Kings County Vignettes
Wolfville Main Street On A Saturday Night
by Eileen Bishop
What a quiet, happy place Wolfville Main Street was on Saturday night in 1942-43. This was the one night of the week when all stores remained open. Probably the folks who came to shop and visit along the street had as many worries and problems as today, but if they did, they concealed their feelings. Neatness, too, was everyone's pride. No garbage was placed outside where other folks could see it and the backyard was the place for their clothesline. None wanted passersby to see their wash. From one town to another Main Street was a manicured lawn.
Main Street--what a pleasant picture comes to mind. A beautiful sunny, summer evening and who would one see but Mrs. Charlie Jodrey and Mrs. Alex Gibson, sisters who always took their stroll on "open night." Timid-looking little ladies who never seemed to be in such a hurry that they couldn't take time to stop and look in each and every store window with a nod and a smile to those who greeted them.
Mrs. A. V. Rand always paid a short visit to her son's bookstore and felt so at home there that she always occupied the swivel chair in the office for a short rest before returning home.
Usually Arthur Parker the car salesman would be having his first drink of coca-cola at the soft drink bar, the first of many for the evening. Perhaps while there he might meet up with a potential buyer.
Up the street now comes Mrs. Dimock and her friend Minnie Soley a little later as Mrs. Dimock owned a boarding house where most of the employees of the two banks boarded, and, of course, the dishes had to be washed, dried and put away and the cup towels washed and hung out to dry before coming to town.
On one particular evening word would reach Main Street that Harry and Kin Fraser's daughter, Pauline, had that day arrived from the U.S.A. After an early supper there they would be with Pauline making her yearly debut on Main Street. Harry, puffing on his pipe, looking somewhat like Popeye bringing up the rear.
The first stop for them was MacKinnon's Drug Store as they by-passed the pool hall where the curtain at the front window was too high for them to see in, but most of the younger men and boys made a bee-line into the hall to play pool and pass the time of day with Clyde Carver.
At Val Rand's book store, they picked up their Sunday reading, as well as enjoying a drink at the soda fountain. While on this stop they would have a chance to pass the time of day with the folks from Greenwich, Gapereau or Grand Pre who were in for their Standards, Star Weeklys or their Liberty magazine. Edgar DeWolfe was there keeping check of the time to go to the station when the evening train came in. Miss Maude Kennedy walking her slow pace came in for there more sophisticated magazines. She was the lady who had few friends but harboured fifty to sixty cats.
Finishing their drink at Val's a cherry hello at Jimmy Williams and son Don who always wore a gadget in his eye--a gadget for a close-up inspection of the many watches hanging above his work bench in the back room waiting to be repaired.
Down past Otto Porter's grocery store, past Betty & Pete Jadis' resturant, to stop and have a look in Herbin's store window choosing the watch or ring they would like to own.
Down past Waterbury's store and Sam Horne's tailor shop, past the darkened home of the spinster, Miss Hales, they dropped into Hales Ladies and Men's Wear to watch with fascination the round, dark object gliding along the wires, up to the business office, sent on its way by Miss Hilda West and the bills in it exchanged for the customer's change from his purchase and sent gliding back to Miss West and to watch the well-dressed salesman Herman Baird with a flick of the wrist and a man's tie make such a perfect knot that you would surely want to buy.
Along to the Post Office, it being a great place for Pauline to catch up on all the happenings of the past year although the workers; the post master, Brighton fielding, Carl Angus and Churchill Connors had finished their work long before.
A quick glance into Woodman's Furniture Store and a short stop to say Hello to Bill Frank who was talking with a customer at the door, past Regan's tailor shop and the White Rose Service Station, whose proprietor Russ Whitman, was the only man around who could play the "saw."
Across the street they went like a gaggle of geese to glance in at Elmer Kennie at the Acadia Stores, up past Hancock's grocery and Jaddie Harriss' they went and stopped at Graham's studio to say a hello to Phyllis Barteaux and Vea MacIntosh.
Greta and Bessie Coldwell at Cleveland's grocery were good will ambassadors with jokes and laughter while Greta weighed out sugar on the Toledo scales. Up past VanZoosts bakery and the Royal Bank, into Porters' Dry Goods they go where Mr. Charles Porter greeted each and every on with "It's a Nice Day," even though raining and Miss Jennie Johnson would pass the time of day with the family.
Cecil and Marj Young, proprietors of "The Palms" would probably be outside on the step to take in the clean, night air while having a short respite before the young people would arrive for a coke and to listen to the juke box. the Acadian office where the local paper was printed which Pauling received weekly was in darkness as their shadowy figures would testify as they strolled by. Weaver's .05 - $1.00 store was well lit with a goodly number in browsing and buying. They hesitated at the theatre to have a look at the brightly-colored bill boards with the movie stars of the day.
Miss Hayes with her store of beautiful boxed hankies and yarn, smiled and nodded as she was busy with a customer.
Into the drug store for a quick hello to the quiet little druggist Ross Cochrane and his helper, Wilf Reading coming out. As they approached Bleakney's Hardware who should they see but Bill Bleakney, son Earle and Charlie Delahunt who was all slicked up for his Saturday night stroll through town. Charlie was a favourite of the town's people. With his horse and cart, he was a friend to all, disposing of their garbage and seeing that the students trunks and luggage were deposited at the D.A.R. Station platform at the appointed time.
After their sojurn there, they watched Cecil Hansford the barber lathering a man's face and stroking the leather strop to sharpen the razor for his shave. Next to the last was Mitchell's Electrical shop, then on to Arty Young who would be selling tickets for the evening bus trip on the Wagner's Tours which serviced the Annapolis Valley.
At the Evangeline Inn, they waved and passed by as Pinkie and Max Sanford were busy talking with hotel guests on the large verandah, and they had just met the owner Trueman Sanford on his way to Val's for a coke and to purchase a package of Rum & Maple pipe tobacco to last out the evening. They sauntered along past the Baptist Church and on towards home where they talked over and digested all the news tidbits they had gathered on their leisurely stroll through town.