Cape Breton's Magazine

in the house to eat." And Father, of course, would get things, and he would go up to the house and tell my mother to get some clothing ready to send to those poor people. And my mother was just as good as my father. (Did your mother work in the store?) Oh, no. She had 6 children--well, of course, she always had help, because you could always get country help. We al? ways had a man who took care of the stable. And of course we always had female help in the house. (Do you remember Gabarus when it had 1000 people living there?) Oh yes. And we had a Roman Catholic church, a Baptist church, a Methodist church, and a Presbyterian church. All the Scottish people in Gabarus were Protestants. And Gabarus was divided. We lived at The Hill. And then, about a mile and a half, was The Barachois. And at The Hill we had our own school, and at The Barachois they had their own. Which was all wrong--it shouldn't have been that--it should have been one big school. And that's what my father wanted them to have. Politics, yes, people and politics--very strong. We were very staunch Conservatives. And down at The Barachois there, the major? ity, I would say, were Liberals. Therefore, the feud wasn't any different than it is today. And whenever a politician of any note came to Gabarus, of course he was al- ways a guest at our house. I have a picture I shall show you before you leave of Sir Charles Tupper. He spent a night at our house. He came to Gabarus from Louisbourg by boat, steel boat. He went to the village hall and made a--well, it was a gathering--made a speech. Then he came to our house and they had a big din? ner party--all the Conservatives, and the big whips in Cape Breton came. And then that night at 8 o'clock he was to go out on our porch and make a speech for all the country people. And the people came from Grand Mira or French Road--all over the place. And our place was all decorated, you know--our place was always well kept. We had beautiful flower beds on both sides, and lovely trees, and iron gates and fence--all that sort of thing. So we had a big arch over the gate with "Welcome." They had the trees all over trimmed with Chinese lanterns. And just about the time Sir Charles was to go out to make the speech, the heavens opened. And the rain, and the thunder, and the lightning. The country people in their best clothes got soaked and drenched. But Sir Charles made his speech just the same. So he stayed at our place all night. And I was 5 years old. I was very shy. Anyway, I didn't want to see Sir Charles. But in the morning, our house--you see, it was a large house--so he came down the stairway. Then there was a hall as lonp as from this t Turnstone Pottery EARTHENWARE ISLE MADAME 226-3004 Robert Ojolick MRAIG/MCIP OJOLICK Twenty Townsend St PO Box 1058 Sydney, Nova Scotia Ojolick Associates Architects/Planners Tel 902 539 8075 DRI E DEPARTMENT OF REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION working to develop: • manufacturing and processing industries • export trade • tourism • medium & high technology ocean industries • Cape Breton investment, by means of the Cape Breton Tax Credit OUR OFFICE IN SYDNEY Main Floor 66 Wentworth Street Sydney, Nova Scotia BIP 6T4 Tel: 564-7007 Manager: Ed Mroz Canada Bay Natural Foods "For Your Health's Sake Buy Natural Foods" Great Selection of Vitamins and Minerals Beer- and Wine-Making Supplies Bulk Herbs and Spices by the Ounce or Pound C.O.D. Orders Accepted by Mail or Phone Glace Bay 35 COMMERCIAL STREET * 849-4387 Sydney ACROSS FROM K-MART, TOWARD SCHWARTZ * 539-6767 HottZ Rent a Cat 24 HOUR SERVICE - 7 DAYS A WEEK 539-1538 1430 George St. Sydney, N.S. Sydney Airport 539-5623 * Specializing in all makes of cars, trucks, 4-wheel drives, and passenger vans. I • Local pickup and delivery. ffi&ftzi; To raserve a car anywhere , in the world, call Toll Free 1-800-268-1311 ' The*l way to rent a cat Hertz rems Fords and other fine cars. 'J'' Proud to be the official supplier of vehicles '57'"" for the City of Sydney Bicentennial.