Cape Breton's Magazine

place called LaSalle, Manitoba, 20 miles from Winnipeg. While living there, for 2 1/2 or 3 years, we used to visit my uncle's brother's, John MacDonald and family. Him and his wife were formerly from North Riv? er." That's my history. "And they lived in North Dakota. And we used to go there-- Hoople, North Dakota. They had 24 horses, as they had horses then in place of machin? ery. My uncle only had two horses, as he didn't work his farm. He had it rented out. He had over 300 acres. There were two high? ways going through it. It was over a mile long. No trees, rocks. The buildings were by the river, LaSalle River. We lived a mile from the village. And Rachel could watch me all the way to the village, to school. . "I felt lonesome leaving there, as I liked animals--had a dog, cats, pigs, cows, and the two horses--which I talked to them. I washed some of them, and brushed them, and when they were sold--their farm--they went to British Columbia, as there was another sister of my mother's out there, and her family. East Burnaby, it was called. They bought three lots of land and built a house on it, and I went to school out with my cousins. To church, Sunday school. And there were lots of people out there from North Shore "Then a letter came from my aunt who brought me up, and she said she wanted them to send me back (to Wreck Cove). I came when I was 16, and what a letdown that was for me. All my friends left behind, and everything so different to what I was used to. I can never understand that I didn't refuse to come. There was nothing she could have done if I had--didn't want to come back. But I believe somebody had been pray? ing for me." I don't know. Wasn't it funny that I did that? But I suppose, you know, I was say? ing- -I was telling someone here not long ago--well, perhaps the excitement of com? ing, and that. But boys, when I came home, I had an awful letdown, I'm telling you, just now. I don't remember feeling as bad when I went away with them to Manitoba--I had nobody to play with, and they were living on a farm-- as I did, really, when I came home. That night, I remember I came on the boat to In- Annie's aunt. Rachel Morrison MacDonald gonish. And it was in May. And my uncle sent Collie Shaw with a horse and wagon down for me. Came home. And they had lamps there then. And everything looked so dark. (How did your Aunt Rachel get you in the first place, to take you away to Manitoba?) She was lonesome because they had no family of their own. And they were going to sell the farm in Manitoba, and come back to Cape Breton. But then when they went (back) out there, they didn't sell it right away. I guess we were there for two years. (How did she get you?) Well, I guess she told the other sister that she was lonesome and she wanted to take me out there with her. Be? cause, when he'd be out--she didn't like being alone. (She wanted you for company.) M-hm. I don't know was that her idea. But, you know, she might have had something else in mind. I don't know. I often thought about it, that perhaps she might have thought I wasn't supervised enough. Or it might have been my education. It might not have been just for her own reasons that she wanted me out. It might have been more to protect me. (You never found out for sure.) No. I don't know. WBERE TOMORROW'S STYLES ARE FEATURED TODAY Jacobson's Ladies' Wear Imports from Around the World Famous Canadian Designers I 1 SMJJ'i Jacobson's Tweed & Hickory 330 CHARLOTTE STREET * PHONE 564-8132 SYDNEY Designer Sportswear from Around the World 263 CHARLOTTE STREET * PHONE 564-6308 SERVING CAPE BRETON FOR OVER 55 YEARS