Cape Breton's Magazine

Lizzie BgIIG Grant continued from inside From cover Sydney River. This was a bitter blow to the pride of Ernest Allnutt. Annie lived only a few short weeks more and then the question arose as to who would take the children. T.B. was a dread disease and those who had children of their own were afraid. The bur? den of bringing up Lizzie Belle fell to Hector's older sister Belle whose family were all married. Annie Mac? Kinnon died of T.B. at the age of 34 and her daughter Lizzie Belle was brought up by her Aunt Belle and Philip Mac? Leod (orig? inally from West Bay). They resid? ed in Hali? fax and that is where Liz? zie Belle came at the age of 6 and where she "occasion? ally" at? tended school (Alexandra). She proved to be a great attraction with her "latest hit" from Boston "East Side, West Side." At the age of 12 the family moved back to Cape Breton, hoping to make a good living at the steel plant which had opened. They lived at Sydney River and one winter at South Bar. Finally they bought a piece of land at Catalone and began to farm. This is where Lizzie Belle had her first expe? rience in trying to make a living off the land. Here she learned the Gaelic and the local young people had great fun with her mistakes. Her cousin Duncan took her to Sydney to see a movie (her first). It was a comedy in which a car drove through a flock of hens. In relating the story in Gaelic the word hen is very much the same as the word for their droppings. This was great country fun. She read the chapter in Gaelic from the good book every day for her Uncle Philip whose eyes were fad? ing and he did the correcting of her pronunciat ion. In this three-year period she managed to learn to speak and read the language fluently. Family of Wilson and Lizzie Belie Grant. Bacl< row, left to right: John Fitt, Philip Westbury, Donnie Grant, Aiister Grant, Ernie Grant, Don Green. Middle: Chris Fitt with Alice, Ethel Westbury with Anne, Wilson Grant, Elizabeth Grant (Lizzie Belle), Treva Grant with Barbara, Ann Green with Sheila. Front: Phyllis Westbury, Betty Grant, David Green. At the age of sixteen she set out on foot for the church at Mira Ferry, carrying her shoes to save them. Be? fore coming in sight, she stopped at a small brook, washed her feet, and donned the shoes. She planned to "join church" but the matter was not so simple as professing the faith. At the meeting of the elders no one knew her. She had no family. However when it became known that her uncle was Hector MacKinnon of Sydney River, an elder at St. Andrew's, she was accepted. Her cousin, Duncan MacKinnon, son of Hec? tor, came when he could to Catalonei bring? ing reading material and buying eggs and other produce from her at "city prices," a Canadian Parks Service canadien Service des pares ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK No Admission Charge Winter Schedule: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Beautiful, Intelligent and Peaceful BADDECK, N. S. 75 km. west of Sydney on Route 105 3IVIAJOR EXHIBIT AREAS: Bell the Man Bell the Experimenter Hydrofoil Hall GUIDE SERVICE AVAILABLE CanadS