Memories of Skeleton Lake by Paul Temple

them and they would leave off an agreed upon number of pasteurized
milk in bottles, but the law said he had to chill the milk to 55 degrees
immediately after milking so he would have to build a chiller.
Inspectors would check this temperature without notice. Dad said
Cecil would chill the milk. Later Dad and some of the young teachers
helped Cecil build a large concrete box big enough for several cans in
the barn fed by cold spring water. They mounted a thermometer to
check it. There was room in the middle for a block of ice if it got too
warm. The association lent him the money for the material. When
Cecil wondered how he could pay it back Dad said “Raise the price
50%”. The prevailing price had been 10 cents a quart so he raised it
to 15 cents and paid back the loan early.
Notice I said “Ring him up”. Nobody telephoned. You would ring
them up by turning the crank on the phone which sent a charge
that rang in about 10 houses. Each had a special ring. As I recall,
Wilson’s ring was three short and a long. One quick turn was a
short and two quick turns was a long. Of course the rings went into
all ten customers on the party and drove visitors nuts. The local
people learned to ignore all but their own ring, but they might listen
in on your conversation to find out the latest gossip. Next to the
radio it was the best entertainment. It was called “hacking”. Rupert
Murdock’s employees are in jail now for the same thing. How times
change.
Cecil hauled gravel from Wilson’s pit about a mile away with his
wagon and team. Several Norvoc volunteers would spread it on our
trail which was mud in rainy weather. He let me ride beside him and
one day I asked him if I could drive the horses as they carried a heavy
load. He said they didn’t need driving, they knew the way. Then I
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