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By Catherine Freymonc/ ne moment Australia's salty surf Ornaer above my mates and I; the next. we were pried. plucked, polished, pack- aged and perched on a shelf in an English home. We nestled amidst straight pins and bobbins while a young mother~tovbe hapi pily bummed and sewed. Ribbons and rosettes adorned a tiny ivory gown. We were sewn down the front in a lustrous line, She proudly showed the gown to her husA band. who kissed her soundly and exclaimed, “It's a fine creation Bella. but ntll your finestl.“ as he tickled her expand- in; abdomen. Love and laughter deepened over the ye rs. as baby Mary was quickly jriined by Iiittii‘ia. Peter. Harry and Kate. Every chris- tening day I glowed wtth pride. Between times. the little gown was wrapped in tissue paper and stored in a large trunk. After Kate. years passed. Childish l'cet gave way to deeper voices and sedate steps. The gown yellowed. but we pearls never lost our milky luster. Sudden sunlight startled me out of quiet sea dreams. Mary and Emma were sorting through the trunk. Soft chuckles and recol- lections stopped when Emma lifted out a long dress. exelaiming, “Ooh Mary. look here! And this lace tablecloth would make a smashing veil!“ Mary turned to her mother with shining eyes. and Bella smiled at her daughters. “Mary. I'd love to sew you a new wedding dress, but with this war rationing..." The girls brushed away her worried sighs. “This’ll be elegant. Mum." “We'll gather lace like this See how it goes with her hair?" "Look at these pearl buttons » they'll add the perfect touch I" War worries faded as they prepared for the wedding. Mary was radiant; I felt her heart heating with youthful love as she and her soldier exchanged vows, For a while, joy drove away war‘s shadow. William trained; Mary turned their little Ilat into a cosy home. One eve- ning. Mary casually inquired, “Do you remember my wedding dress?" “Indeed I do,"stated William. “You were a Vision (ifbeauty!" “Would you mind if I snipped those pearl buttons off?" William looked puzzled and Mary gig- gled. “I need to saw them back on that christening gown." William jumped up from his chair. “A baby - you - us?" He wouldn‘t let her lift another finger all evening. War ground on; the inevitable day ar- rived. After one glance at William's face, Mary cried, “You're being sent off!" He nodded somberly. Their remaining hours were filled with small talk and silent ten- derness. Mary knew she'd be fine with her parents, but her lips quivered when Wilâ€" Iiam said goodbye. She pressed a tiny package into his hands and gulped, “Come home to me - to us." I was off to war in William’s pocket. Nightmare days congealed into muddy. bloody months. Sometimes William rubbed me between his fingers: sleep came easierthen. One day he marched upagang- plank; soon swells rolled beneath us. Night. silence suddenly, darkness splin- tered into white light. Screams. hot groaning metal, icy rushing water - then silence once more, William drifted down. ward. Clouds of silt rose, veiling steel and flesh. I gleam in the darkness, and over me, the salty surf roars. Catherine Ruth Freymond i: a member of the Victoria II WI, Lennox a Addmgruri, Kingston Area. This story was the Ontario winner of the FWIC Tweedsmuir Community History Competition 7 "The History of .2 Button." Long-time Members (50+ Years) Dwight WI. Muskoka - Rheta Asbury - 7B Anniversaries Oswego Friendship WI, Haldimand. 10 Kipling WI.Nipissing. .. . .. 50 Little's Hill WI. Simcoe Kempenleldt 50 Bethel WI, Lanark Suull’l , 55 Frankvrlle WI, Leeds . . . , . . . ... 75 Wolfe Island WI. Frontenac. . . .. 75 Woodhouse WI, Norfolk . . . , . . . . . . BS Bentpath WI. Lambtun South . . . . . Castletnrd WI. Plentrew South. . . . Consecon WI. Prince Edward . . . Hainetsvrlle WI. Middlesex East . .. Cherry Valley Wl. 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