Cape Breton's Magazine

Allan MacArthur who, through ceilidhs and less formal visits, shared over eighty years of memories with Margaret Bennett. Allan MacArthur was one of a small group of bridges left to us between that world and this. And he is one who prided himself on being such a bridge. When he tells a story his mother told him, about their family's first coming from Scotland to Cape Breton, he has a foot in each world. He tells it like this: "You can leave an t-Eilean Sgitheanach to? day and be home again tomorrow...but when my people came out, the Maclsaacs, it took them seven weeks on the boat from the time...bho'n deach iad air b'ta ann an To- ber Mhoire, agus...landed on the Gut o' Canso. Nuair a' chunnaig mo Sheanair's mo RESIDENTIAL ??MERc,AL G.Landry's Vacuum Service Ltd. 1 SEPTIC SYSTEMS CLEANED INSTALLED & REPAIRED [ BACKHOE BULLDOZER RENTAL I PORTABLE TOILET RENTAL & SERVICE Front Lake Rd. Sydney 564-8413 'L SERVING ALL OF CAPE BRETON C' Senior Citizens Secretariat ''i' 4th Floor, Dennis Building, 1740 Granville Street • P.O. Box 2065, Halifax, N.S. • B3J 2Z1 HELP IS JUST A TOLL-FREE CALL AWAY One of the widely-used services offered by the Senior Citizens' Secretariat is that provided through the toll-free telephone line for seniors and persons who care for their needs. Our staff is trained to provide the answers to many of the questions that concern seniors, including those about pensions, home care services, community volunteer groups, home maintenance, housing and health. Moreover, our staff knows where to tum for answers to inquiries about problems with which they might not be totally familiar. It's a no-cost help line and information service established specifically for our older citizens, their families and their caregivers. We've devised a telephone number to match our mandate: For (4) twenty-four hour (24) service at no charge (00) to persons 65 years and over (65). When the bracketed numbers are put together they read 424-0065. That's us • easy to reach, easy to remember. Dial 1-424-0065 if calling from points outside the Halifax area. Sheanamhair an t-'it, nam biodh long a' dol a dh'Alba air ais cha tigeadh iad air tir, ach bha 'm b&ta; dol do dh'Astrailia, agus...they would never have landed if the boat was going back to Scotland." (Ms. Bennett restates the paragraph en? tirely in English, thus: "You can leave the Isle of Skye today and be home again tomorrow...but when my people came out, the Maclsaacs, it took them seven weeks on the boat...from the time they went on the boat in Tobermory [Isle of Mull, Scotland] and...landed on the Gut o' Canso [Cape Breton]. When my grandfather and grand? mother saw the place, if the boat had been going back to Scotland, they wouldn't have landed; but the boat was going to Australia, and...they would have never had landed if the boat was going back to Scotland.") Province of Nova Scotia Hon. Jack IVIacIsaac, Chairman The Senior Citizens' Secretariat The book includes family history and traditional lore and it con? tinues well into the present century. There are stories and songs, many of which will be fa? miliar to Scottish and Cape Bre? ton readers such as a story of the MacCrimmon piper or a story told of the Newfoundland period • in the life of Dr. MacPherson, the Cancer Doctor. Another example of Allan's role as a bridge is the song called "The Dominion Mine Strike Song." This is from the 1909 coal strike in Cape Breton. A 20th- BATTERED WOMEN AND YOUR CHILDREN: If you need help, call 539-2945 TRANSITION HOUSE