STARTING AFRESH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 71, 23 March 1912, Page 12

STARTING AFRESH.

AN EMIGRANT PARSON. - From the "cure of souk" 'in the enug little village of Frant, in Suwex, to farming in the Golden West is a step which the Rev, R. E. Walker is shortly going to take. Early in June, accompanied by his wife, Lady Emily Walker— daughter of the Marquees of Hertford— his five children, footman, maid, and two of the villagers, Mr. Walker will be already on his way to Vancouver Island, where he is going to take up iorty acres of iarm lal&d. The whole party, including the footman, is going to embark on a new lile in Canada— the life ot the agriculturist. The decision- of "parson" to turn tanner has, it tho village veriMwmlar, "struck Frant all of -a heap," and while some declare that tho euro of souls is not a good braimnf for tilling and ploughing, all vote him j"a rare plucked uh." Mr. Walker has the cut of a farmer. His jolly round face and homely beard convey the impression of tho optimist, and, considering tnat so far the rector has only philandered with the art of lattoning pigs, 1 his adventure to the Far West savours of optimism. But then it is the optimist who Hucceeds in Canada. There is no room in the great Dominion for the pessimist and the grumbler. Mr. Walker, in the course of an interview the other day, said that it was the thought "of liiß children that had decided him to start lif^ afresh in a, now country. "I sue no prospects for them here," he said. "I have four boys, and I want- them to have an opportunity of making good in the world—which is a difficult thing in this tax-ridden country. Tho living is a good one, but I do not see how I can do tiip best for my boys with the present and ever-increasing, burden of taxation. In that wonderful country wo shall all be able to settle down comfortably together, and my boys will Lavs a fine chance of making good in the world. "I shull be vei % y busy with the farm, and I mean to work hard. I don't mind how hard the work is, for we are going out j-there to make good, i Half the vdlage wanted to go out With us, but I am not founding a colony, and could not afford to i take them, though if things prosper we ahull be pjeaSed to have "iheni out .there! We shall build our own house on the forty acres." Lady Emily will be the "Admirable Ofichton" of the expedition. During her ten r years in the cosy rectory Bho li&b studied the problem of rearing Chickens, and though, as she declared, "it is impossible to make thorn pay over here," she considers tkat they will do well on Vancouver Maud. The rector has not had suoh luck. His task was to watch over the pigs, which, unfortunately, wore overcome with swine fever, and succumbed. x Lady Emily will look after the poultry, while Mr. Walker will superintend the dairy ; and the children aro tc»bo brought up on the farm. ! ============ An American millionaire was onoo presented to Pope Leo XIII. "Sir," said the son of Washington, grasping the Pope's hand and shaking it heartily, "I am right glad to meet you. I knew your father, tho late Pope."