The Icelandic Canadian - 01.05.2008, Page 47

Vol. 61 #2
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
137
Train Stories from the
Icelandic River
by compiled by Margaret Wishnowski
Reviewed by Borga Jakobson
tedious, but the stories underline the same
points. All who read the book will remem-
ber that the Torrie family were good peo-
ple who did their best not only for the
C.P.R. but for the community and the peo-
ple as a whole. The waiting room at the
Riverton Station was always clean and
warm and welcoming on a cold day. In
summer the flowing well provided cooling
drinks for school children and travellers
alike. The garden at the stationmaster's
house was always well-kept and beautiful
and was obviously appreciated by the
townspeople.
The train station was for a long time
the hub of the community. There people
met to exchange news, welcome visitors,
and pick up their mail. When the station
was closed and train service ceased it was
like the end of an era. Hulda Clarke says it
all at the end of her story, " to quote the
words of a song, 'those were the days, my
friend, I thought that they would never
end,' but unfortunately they did, and the
whistle is heard no more."
Some of the stories are not "train sto-
ries." They are stories of times gone by in a
pioneering community. For older people
the stories have a nostalgic effect. For
younger people the stories offer a glimpse
into life in former years in their own their
own locality.
The first story, "Here She Comes," by
Aurora Stinson is a little gem. It creates the
atmosphere of excitement that surrounded
the arrival of the first train. Train service
brought with it the opportunity to travel
from Riverton to Winnipeg and points in
between for a reasonable fare. It meant a
great deal as far as business, mail service,
fun and community life was concerned.
The story is a vivid description of life in
rural Manitoba in the early years of the
20th century. It is a story that should be
read not only in museums but in our
schools.
Many of the other stories are brief.
There is a good deal of repetition in the
book. Sometimes that becomes a little