REMARKABLE WOMAN

Grey River Argus, 21 May 1928, Page 7

REMARKABLE WOMAN

A CARRIER AT SBVHNT V-ONli .SYDTTEp, May -• Mrs A. . Mackie, of Malvern, Vic toria, a renuukable personage, celebrated her 71st birthday last week by renewing ‘her carrier ’s licence. < The licence was held by her husband and his father before him. The business therefore, is a family tradition. Wlu'n her husband died nine ycais ago, Mrs Mackie was off’rod a comfortable home, a life of ease, by her children, but she steadfastly declined, and to-day she is probably the only active women carrier in Australia, ‘‘l have been used to hard work •’ my life,” she said, “and while I have the strength to work I will be a burden to nobody.” And so it is that” / she has carried on the busine s of supplying wood and coal to her customers just as her husband did. She does not wax enthusiastic over

“new fangled ideas.” but nevertheless she got a pleasant surprise when she heard “Many happy returns of the day” broadcast over the win less. It was those daughters of hers that did 1 it, she explained. Those chillreii of hers wk're always up to some mis chief or other. Iler two daughters are aged 50 and 43 respectively. Mrs Mackie was married when she was only 19 years of age, and lived in her present homo for 40 years. Mrs Mackie, whose gospel is hard work, is too busy to philosophise for long on the ways of the world, but on her birthday, sh efound time to recall the “good old days,” she said “when girls and young folk generally had to work and not go gadding about to shows and dances as they do now. With their short hair, short skirts and flighty ways, T don’t know what the girls are coming to. Wo were just as happy, or even - happier, in rny von ng days when we had long skhts. But why worry? When you hale plontv of work to occupy your time and hands, there is no time for worry and von get more time *o Tire.”