RANCHER BECOMES EARL

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1929, Page 3

RANCHER BECOMES EARL

SAD TO LEAVE WESTERN HOME. VANCOUVER, February 23. The new Earl of Fgmont, farming in a lonely settlement away from the end of steel in Alberta., has his regrets about accepting the title. A very distant kinsman, he was horn in lowa, and sent, to England to l>o educated. For thirty years he Ipis farmed on the Prairie, like his father before him. He is 55 years old, grizzled and lean, brown as an Indian, a typical rancher. Avon Castle in Hampshire is the family seat of Fgmont. There is land in other parts of England and Ireland, and shares in. forty companies. When the new Earl was interviewed, he was dressed in well-worn overalls and sweater, working at the woodpile. His son, aged 14, clad in chaps, windbreaker, Mexican hoots and sombrero, was saddling up to look aftei' the cattle in the foothills of the Rockies, south of Calgary. *« I’ve lived in Alberta, for twentynine years.” said the Earl. My father lived here before me. We’ve ranched and raised fair horses and cattle. There is no natural reason why I should not stay here till T die. I love the foothills, the ranch, the cattle, the horses. I won’t leave it unless it is absolutely necessary.” Turning to his son, now the Honoui*ahle Frederick George Moore Perceval, lie said, “ Wlmt do you want to do. Fred?” “I want to stay out here and \wo with you. Dad,” said the hoy without hesitation. “We’ve hatched together since mother died. You taught me to read and write, to shoot and ride. We’ve got a nice home here. I don’t want to leave it.” “ Suits me. too, son,” said his father, as the lad swung away and cantered off after the cattle, “ You see how lie feels,” said the Earl. “Tt’s the same with me. I promised his mother that I would bring him up in the hard, clean ways of the Canadian West, so that, if ever thtime came for him to succeed to the title, he would he possessed of a stout, healthy body, be a good sportsman, and bo proficient with horses and cattle. Mv elevation to the peerage is no surprise. I’ve known for years that it was likelv, and 1 have !>een kept m close touch with affairs at Home. My cousin, the ninth Earl, who has died, wn.« married, hut his wife predeceased him several years, and there were no children. T married my wile in Montreal seventeen years ago and brought her out West and settled here. Our son was horn in 1914; she died when 1,0 was seven. We’ve lived simple lives here, where 1 am known as Fred, and where everyone round is known to me by their Christian names. Tt is my nrhirnl environment, hut, for the hoys sake, I must go.”