Cape Breton's Magazine

And then all winter long, the man and his wife would go visiting to the neighbour's house. And that's where the yarns used to come. They'd be telling stories. I wish I was good on telling you stories. Ghost things and scary ones. The kitchen loft, where we were in the wintertime--we used to take the mattresses off our beds and put them over there. And we'd sleep over there. Because it was warm. The heat going up, you know, from the kitchen. It used to be nice and warm up there. And we could hear them talking down below. Listening to the stories. It was great. I had a sister--one of my older sisters--Bena. And she didn't like to talk about our bringing up. And I love to talk about it. I love to think back on that. (Why do you think she didn't like to?) Well, she didn't want her friends to know that she came from such poor communi? ty and poor ways. We were never dressed "to a tea." My mother made our clothes. And she wasn't the only one--all the peo? ple on the Shore. And they made some of our clothes in the loom. She'd make skirts for us. Jackets. And she'd make the eld (heavier woolen cloth)--when they go mill? ing? Well then, that stuff there. She used to make the pants--they were much heavier, and warm. And whether it rained or snowed, it didn't go in. Oh, my God, when I think of those things. But it was fun. Peggy Thomais, she was a CAPE BRETON'S HOME HEAT SPECIALIST SULLIVAN FUELS SERVING SYDNEY & SURROUNDING AREA FOR OVER 30 YEARS! Josie's mother's parents: Rory and Mary (MacDonald) MacDonald seamster--is that what you call it? She was great on making--she'd fix a dress for us girls. There was Janie Urquhart and Jo? sie MacDonald and me. We were of the same age and we were always together. And she'd fix up, maybe--I'd have a dress on my mother made. And she wouldn't like how the neck was or something. So she'd get a lit? tle piece of white cloth, you know. And I she'd cut it out and sew it up, and she'd make a collar to put on it for me. And oh, that was so WE OFFER YOU THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: • Senior Citizens Discounts • Ultramar Lubes & Greases • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Leasing Energy-Efficient Burners - Furnaces & Water Heaters CALL TODAY: 564-8213 ALAN SULLIVAN wonderful. (I'm sure they had nothing as nice as that in Bos? ton.) No, I'm telling, no!... My sister Annie (in photograph on page 19), she was the seventh daughter. (What does that mean?) Well, it was a lump that would come on anyone. 'OUt services Me Bee r'cKets J. A. ' Gtea' Ho-''.r.'s'. '& >nta naTChaRotteSt?! I 539-4800 (' Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. J Young & Son Maritime Marlin Travel , . rtoo9 OR TOLL FREE 1-800-565-1538 Mayflower Mall ] 564-0600 Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.