Cape Breton's Magazine

Mickey MacNeil from lona • Ghosts (I was told to ask you to tell me about a ghost, or something like a ghost, that was seen, or that you saw. Maybe there's more than one story. I'd heard about one where a fellow--or maybe it was yourself--riding in a wagon and seeing something on the road in front of you. And it stayed in front of you. though. It kept travelling.) Oh. yeah, that would be--well, you see. there's a lot of ghost stories. Especially in country areas, there's a lot of those things happening. Not as much now. but there'd be quite a bit of it happening. Well now. I know there was doctor--have you heard of Dr. Daniel MacDonald? Dr. Dan MacDonald? Now, Dr. Dan MacDonald was the doctor in Baddeck. That's before C. L. MacMillan and before--oh. he was there be? fore Maclvor. and before Dr. Gillis was there. (A long time ago.) Oh, dear, yes. He was from Judique. He was married (and) he then went from Baddeck--he lived in North Sydney. And he was the head doctor of the hospital in North Sydney. So while he was in Baddeck, he would be doing the same run as Dr. C. L. MacMillan. But he was a big. able man--strong--terrific strong. Scared of--well, you can put it-- you can almost say he was scared of noth? ing. He'd be handling horses. So he went Down North one time. Dr. MacDo? nald himself that used to tell the story. And he said. "Now. isn't it strange for a man with so much courage and so much strength, that he would get scared." But he didn't get scared just at the time. But on his way coming back from Down North, he saw a fellow ahead of him. So. he was very glad to see the man ahead, because he was after driving an awful long distance alone, and anybody would be company to take a little while talking to. Especially if you're travelling in the nighttime and a long dis? tance- -40 miles, maybe, of a drive. So he took in the lines to get the horse to move on so that he'd overtake the fel? low ahead. But he wasn't overtaking him. So. he then forced the horse a little. He had a good horse, powerful horse. Still he wasn't overtaking him. But he said to him? self. "Well now. what...? Isn't that man-- isn't he a terrific walker, when he can walk faster than the horse, and the horse trotting!" So he took out the whip and he--WHIRT--he took the whip to the horse. Well, you can be sure--horse well fed and him in good condition, that he'd start moving then once he got a little tap of the whip. Still he couldn't overtake him. Well Dr. MacDonald said to himself, "I needn't bother trying." But he kept an eye on him. Followed him all the way, keeping an eye on him. But the fellow was only a little piece ahead of the horse--just about a f 'I t! 60