pA:12, v7.47 — Just for Best Friends

Just for Best Friends

Mountain Views News Saturday, November 23, 2013

MVNews this week: Page A:12

A12

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views News Saturday, November 23, 2013

PET OF THE WEEK

NED & PRINCE

My dear Auntie Evelyn turned 100 years old this past
week, and believe me when I say that you would never
know it if I hadn‘t told you. She is remarkably healthy
for her age, she has a steel-trap memory and she is as
sharp as a tack! My mother’s sister, Evelyn Swallow-
Leake was born the eldest of three children in Worcester, Massachusetts in November of 1913. She
spent most of her younger years growing up during the Great Depression, which as we all know was a
rather difficult time in American history. On the other hand, it was a time that seems purely ethereal
to me, at least from the way my Aunt Evelyn describes it. She always gets excited and quite chatty
when she shares her childhood memories, and I truly enjoy hearing them. I do my best to document
the details of her stories in my journal, and I treasure her memories as if they were my own.

In one of my conversations with Aunt Evelyn a couple of years ago, she recounted a very vivid
recollection of times when she would accompany her uncleon a horse-drawn carriage, while he made
his lumber deliveries from one area of Worcester to another. Evelyn, who was about 10 years old at
the time, would wait by the road side after school had let out, knowing that Uncle Carl would soon
pass by in a carriage pulled by two horses towing a load of lumber. She would ride along with him on
his deliveries until it was time for her to go home and time for Uncle Carl to take the horses back to
the barn.

Even as a young child, Aunt Evelyn was an avid animal lover who was fortunate enough to have had
pets of her own. Her face lights up every time she reflects on her memories of showing appreciation
and affection to the two work horses that pulled the lumber truck Uncle Carl drove. She delights in
remembering the fact that she made sure each horse got a carrot and a friendly pat on the nose before
she was hoisted up and assumed her position in the seat next to Carl, then off they would go.

Among the many specific
details that my aunt remembers
about this experience, I was
most amazed by the fact that
she recalled the name of the
company Uncle Carl worked
for at the time. It was Stone
& Berg Lumber Company of
Worcester, Massachusetts.
Equally amazing is the fact
that Auntie even remembered
the names of the two horses
that hauled that loaded lumber
cart! Their names were “Ned”
& “Prince”.

The day after Aunt Evelyn
shared this fascinating story
with me, I decided to do a
little research on Stone & Berg
Lumber Company, just to see
if there was any history on the
internet that I could connect to
Auntie‘s childhood memory.
Well, I am happy to say that my
Google search rendered way
more than I had expected to
find. First of all, I was shocked
to discover that Stone & Berg
Company is still in business!
Of course they no longer
deliver lumber via horse-drawn carriages, but they are still thriving as a building supply company in
Worcester. I called the phone number provided on their website, and I was directed to the current
owner of the company, whose name just happens to be Jennie Berg!

Jennie was very cordial and kind enough to take the time to listen to my story about how my Aunt
Evelyn remembered having been on several Stone & Berg lumber delivery excursions back in the
mid 1920‘s. Needless to say, Jennie was as please as I was with the fact that Evelyn still had such
clear memories about the early days of the Berg family’s business, including such specific details as
the names of the two horses that pulled the delivery carts. Jennie confirmed that my aunt’s memories
were perfectly consistent with what she knows about the history of their company, and amazingly
accurate down to the last detail. She was as pleased as I was to know that my Auntie was able to retain
and share her memories of having been there 90 years ago when the Berg family business was still in
the hands of her grandfather.

Soon after our somewhat lengthy phone conversation, Jennie was thoughtful enough to send me
a package of Stone & Berg Lumber Company memorabilia items, most important of which was a
photograph of the two horses my Auntie Evelyn remembered, Ned and Prince, harnessed and hitched
to a fully loaded lumber cart parked in front of the Stone & Berg building, with a gentleman standing
beside. I forwarded the photograph to my Auntie Evelyn, and after comparing the face of the man in
the Stone & Berg picture to a family photo taken around the same time, they were both confident in
confirming that the man standing next to the hitched horses in the photo was indeed my great uncle
Carl Woods!

I can’t begin to describe how happy it made me to be able to bring my dear old Aunt Evelyn’s childhood
memory to life and full circle at her ripe old age of 100 years. All it took was a listening ear and a little
research on my part, along with a good bit of random kindness on the part of a friendly person who
also appreciates her family heritage, and one whom I still have yet to meet face to face. And as you can
well imagine, both my Aunt Evelyn and Jennie Berg were very pleased to have found a bit of their own
family history re-connected in a rather random way that they had least expected.

MAPLE

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

Maple is a loving and affectionate 2-year old female dog available
for adoption. She is a mixed breed dog whose genetic heritage
likely includes some Boxer, Whippet, Staffordshire Bull Terrier,
and maybe other breeds. Weighing 40 pounds, Maple is the
perfect medium-sized dog and has some of the cutest ears ever
seen. Her favorite activities include being pet, going on walks,
and playing fetch. She has good leash manners (including being
non-reactive toward other dogs on leash) and is learning some
basic commands in her foster home. Maple is athletic enough to
enjoy a hike or run, but is relaxed enough that she does fine with
a good walk each day. She loves to snuggle, and will be a great
companion for relaxing around the house or hanging out with
friends.

Maple is blossoming in the safe and stable environment of her
foster home after having a difficult start to life as a street dog
in Los Angeles. She is learning to feel comfortable with her two
canine foster siblings, and is beginning to show play behaviors. She feels most confident with other
dogs, but should only be paired with a stable, gentle dog and with dog-savvy owners who feel ready
to integrate a new dog slowly into their home. She could also be an only dog. Maple is living with cats
in her foster home, and is doing very well with them. We think she will be a wonderful best friend for
an individual, couple, or family living in a condo or single-family home.

For more information on adopting this adorable and loving girl, please contact UHA Adoption
Coordinator Katja at 951-973-2757 or katja@hope4animals.org.

LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND??

So is Arthur! He is approximately 2 to 2 1/2 years old
and weighs 7.9 pounds. He is a very sweet, cute, playful
and friendly tan Chihuahua boy. He is a very social
dog who has been friendly with people and other dogs
from the first day we met him. Arthur has a fun loving
spirit, an irresistible personality and will put a smile on
your face. He is always eager and happy to go out for
a walk and is a very good little walker, always enjoying
every moment. He is up to date with all routine shots
and ready to move in. Please stop in and consider
making Arthur part of your family!

He currently resides at the San Gabriel Valley Humane
Society located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in San Gabriel
with his roomie, Zander. We are located off San Gabriel
Blvd., north of Mission and south of Las Tunas.

To arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ with Arthur (aka…..
SG10420), please stop by any time from 10:00am to
4:30pm Tuesday thru Sunday.

His adoption fee is $120 which includes his neuter
surgery, a microchip, first vaccinations and a free
wellness check-up at a participating veterinarian. Feel
free to call us at (626) 286-1159 for more information
on Arthur.

See our website at www.sgvhumane.org for information
and photos of all our available pets.

We’d like to hear from you!

What’s on YOUR Mind?

Twitter: @mtnviewsnews