IMH 74:4 351

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Wednesday, November 24th

According I suppose to promise made yesterday Bob Foster came soon this morning to help kill the heifer
and was much gratified to find that his help was not needed. For it was snowing when we got up and kept
at it all day. The former snow had only thawed off in favourable places. It was about three inches deep
again on those places at 9 o'clock P.M. Nothing much was done but get wood, except that Father
went to town after dinner, taking half of the beef killed yesterday, in the hack. Bob brought back some
corn (five sacks I think) this morning which he had borrowed at times Father bought him a pair of gum
boots to-day and a copy of Scott's novel "Reddgauntlet"

Teaching Notes: Again we see the sale of fresh meat going directly to town. Remind the students that
this was before the days of the Pure Food and Drugs act.

The expression "gum boots" is still used to describe boots that are slip on and come to about the knee.