Cape Breton's Magazine

Chapel Island. I don't know whether they built it on the island--very likely they did. (Ruth Whitehead: I think they did. I found a document from the lieutenant- governor of Cape Breton Island giving per? mission to Francis Bask and Tomma Michel, it says, to build a chapel on the Indian Island. And it's dated 1792.) Oh, 1792, yes. And my father used to say that he heard that from, I don't know if it was his father, or--his father died very young, I don't even remember--must be one of his uncles or something. But this Francis Basque had quite a few boys. So I often think they must have gone back to sea, most of them. Because he had quite a few boys, and they were cutting timber for the church. And my father said, "My good? ness, he must have been a very religious man." Because these guys that were cutting timber for the church, they got telling dirty stories--what generally happens when a gang's working. And Great-Grandfather didn't like the idea. He told the foreman or whoever they were, "We're cutting wood for our Lord's house. And if your gang is going to keep on telling dirty stories, I'll take my crew away, my boys away. I won't help you any more." So they had to cut out these dirty yarns while on the job, cutting this timber. So, that's the kind of man he was. And then another time, he was the first one to use knife and fork and spoon po? litely at the table. And the Indians, they had been Catholic a long while but they still had that old habit of eating with their hands. And they thought that was aw? ful. "He thinks more of the white man's tools than he does of our good Lord's tools." Said, "His hands ain't good enough, he has to use them man-made arti? cles to eat with"--and they didn't think much of him. But when he got a saucer for his cup, that was the pay-off. They said, "Our Lord's ground ain't good enough for him, he's got to set it on something." And they even talked of hanging him. Said a man like that should be put to death, be? cause he ain't fit to live. He had a hard time to talk them out of it. At that time I guess they spring-poled them. They'd get a long slender birch or something stronger, climb up and bring it down like a spring pole, then when the thing was released-- they claimed that's the way they used to hang people. But Great-Grandfather managed to talk them out of that. Yes, they were going to put him to death for using forks; well, they didn't say too much about him using knife and fork, but when he used saucer to set his cup on, they said, "Our Lord's ground not good enough for him." So they said he should be put to death. (Ruth Whitehead: You were telling me a story about a father and a son, who were WE'RE PROUD TO SHARE... Scottish and Acadian Festivals Hiking trails, picnic and camping parks Museums and heritage The warmest waters north of the Carolinas! Cottage crafts and works of art The Cape Breton highlands National Park Fresh and salt water fishing Horse racing, canoeing, and other sports Fine accommodations, gift shops Restaurants Wildlife The Sunset Side of Cape Breton Requests for Visitor's Guide, brochures, and general information may be made to: Inverness County Department of Recreation/Tourism P.O. Box 179. Port Hood, N.S. BOE 2W0 (902)787-2274 DRUG STORES MAYFLOWER MALL - Grand Lake Road - 539-5080 CAPE BRETON SHOPPING PLAZA - Sydney River - 564-8151 15 % DISCOUNT TO SENIORS LAST THURSDAY EACH MONTH Free Delivery in the Sydney Area WooIco Drugs operated by Manson Drugs Ltd. Serving Sydney since 1903 ?? 40 YEARS OF SERVICE TO CAPE BRETON ~ 2U|e (Biiiihvm'B Aib 'ocietg of (tope Breton ' INTAKE HOME STUDIES PROTECTION FOSTER HOMES ADOPTION problem identificatton; referral support services; crisis intervention all ages, in permanent homes CHILDREN IN CARE I Suite 7, Provincial Bulging. 360 Prince Street, Sydney, Nova Scotia Bl P 5L1 (562-5506) I SINGLE MOTHERS counselling; support |jhe commonity'S responsibility is to protect our children! counselling; support 9 "A UNITED WAY SERVICE AGENCY"