Entire Staff a Santa Claus to Mr. Pout, Xmas

On Christmas Eve, at the close of the biggest day in the history of the Vernon Store, the staff gathered for a few minutes to extend good wishes and exchange tokens of friendship. At the conclusion, Mr. Pout was captured when trying to tip-toe off, set securely within the smiling circle, and compelled to listen to the following effusion which Tom Bone, the store poet, says he did not compose. It is now being blamed on Jack Ricketts, and so far Jack hasn't denied it.

Mr. Pout was too full for words (honi soit qui mal y pense), but he managed to express his hearty thanks for the splendid support and co-operation he had received from the entire staff during the Christmas rush, also for the kind thought which prompted the giving of such a beautiful gift.

The coffee pot was one of those long narrow "prohibition" coffee pots that you are unable to tell what is inside of until you taste the contents.

Tom Harrison struck up "He's a Jolly Good Fellow." "Arry" thought it was "Auld Lang Syne" and started off on his own, while James Henderson, in an endeavour to put them both right, commenced "Will You No Come Back Again."

When the company broke up, those three were still at it, and nobody could tell which was winning.—R.W.

Miss Cridland, treasurer of our Sisters' Sewing Circle, has been absent from the meeting several week. We were surprised to see her at the last meeting. She says her absence has been due to the fact that she had to attend "prayer meetings." We have since learned that a certain young man's "tin Lizzie" is being overhauled. May it take all winter—so Gladys will be at every meeting.

Miss Phillys Ripley, the girl with the sparkling eyes, assisted for several weeks in the hardware department but is back once again at her old stand tying bows for the kiddies. Her eyes still sparkle and there are many beaus waiting for her to cast her spell on one of them so that two may be tied into one bow.

"Wonderful how popular some men are," said Watson, when he heard what happened Christmas Eve. The girls in the dry goods department placed mistletoe on the light over Mr. Andrews' desk—and not one missed him, even Mabel had hers. Nuff sed.

Mr. Tom Bone, assistant manager of the grocery department, the staff poet, has changed his vocation and now spends his evenings making musical instruments. We wonder if it will be jazz or operatic music.

We are glad to learn that Mrs. Griffin, wife of C. Griffin of the men's department, is home once again after being confined to the Hospital several weeks with typhoid fever. We all wish her a speedy recovery.

Vernon, Gem of the Okanagan

—and the H.B.C. Store, One of Its Institutions

Thirty years ago, there were only two stores in Vernon, The Hudson's Bay Company and W.F. Cameron, both firms carrying a general line of merchandise. The only other stores in the Okanagan Valley, at this period, were one at Enderby, Landsdowne, Okanagan Mission and Penticton, so that these stores supplied the necessities of life practically to the whole of the Okanagan Valley, reaching from Sicamous to fifty miles beyond Penticton and from Grand Prairie to the White Valley district. The towns of Armstrong and Kelowna, at this period, were not in existence.

Travelling in the early days was by stage and boat in Summer, the boat running from Sicamous to Enderby, thence by stage to Vernon, and the only method of travelling in Winter was by stage or pack horse. Mail, also, was received by these means of transportation.

The great bulk of trading, at that time, was done with Victoria, which was a greater commercial centre than Vancouver. All merchandise from the Coast was carried by freight trains to Sicamous, transferred there to a small steamer as far as Enderby and thence by wagon to Vernon.

Business conditions and the manner of trading in the early days were entirely different to the present day method. There were no banks in the Valley, all banking being done through Vancouver, cheques often passing around as currency and would have as many as a dozen endorsations before reaching the bank.

Yearly credit was the system of trading. Farmers, ranchers, trappers and Indians paid their accounts once a year after they had received money for their crops and catch of furs; the amusing feature in regard to the credit in these days being that the average customer would ask of his account, simply looking at the total and settling up without checking up. Considerable business was done in the bulk, tea sold by the chest, flour and sugar by the ton, and other commodities in similar large quantities.

Thirty years ago the Valley was passing through a stage of transition from stock-raising to wheat producing.

R. P. Rithet & Co. of Victoria controlled a large flour mill at Enderby, where all the wheat of the district was taken and milled. Wheat then sold as low as $18.00 per ton at the mill, the farmer doing his own hauling. A few years later $28.00 per ton was considered a wonderful price.

During the period under review, very little fruit was grown and it was not until 1892 that the growing of fruit was given any serious thought. At that time, Lord Aberdeen purchased the land now known as the Coldstream Ranch and started fruit growing on a fairly large scale, the land being purchased from Forbes G. Vernon. After him the City of Vernon was named. He was, at that time, member for the Okanagan Valley, also Minister of Labor and Works.

At this period the population of Vernon was about 300 and, generally speaking, were considered prosperous.

A Mr. Gray of Nicola was the largest cattle buyer and a general round-up of cattle was made twice a year, when he would make his purchase from the ranchers and drive the cattle out to the coast or prairie markets.

(To be continued)