Cape Breton's Magazine

'64, '65, '66, for Richard Cotton. But I only worked two winters, because he wasn't working in the wintertime. Besides that I used to go sometime in April or May, and then Christmas. And then in 1966. That's all we had. It was $5 a cord. Not too much. And 4 cords a day, it was only 20 bucks. Power saw. You had to pay your own gas and oil and repair, for the power saw. And then we moved--we moved to Toronto for 8 years. And then I came back, and then I worked in the bush a little bit, here and there. And then I worked two years on the highway. And then on the highway I was kind of fed up with that. There was a wom? an there, and she lived in Boston. And she had a piece of land down home, and she asked me if I wanted to cut the pulp. And there was quite a (lot of) pulp. I bought a 4-wheeler. And it was only 10 minutes running from my place. So I was cutting for her. Then I was cutting $20 a cord. And I was my own boss. That's what I like. (How old were you when you started working outside of the home?) Well, when I was 12 years old, I went to make hay with my un? cle- -he lived in Margaree. Patrick Le? Blanc. He was married to my father's sis? ter. And his son was older than me. And then they asked me to go and help him for haymaking. That was in 1935. So I stayed there maybe for a month and a half, hay? making. (In French, Leo added that they loved to hear songs at his Uncle Pat? rick's. "I didn't know that many songs, but those that I knew, every second night they'd ask me to sing.... My cousin was older than me. He used to go to dance, and before going to the dance he used to drink a few glasses of beer--and then he'd make me sing. He'd love to listen to old songs. I was only 13, so I didn't know too many at the time. ") And then the next year they asked me again, so I went. Because, we were a big family. Take Route 22 Out of Sydney to the World of Louisbourg "I got married August 19,1947," Leo told Rosie Aucoin. "We were three couples getting married in Cheticamp Church that day. You'd take your turn getting married. You had no choice; it was the way it was.... Got married, and then we went to have lunch at Judy's parents', and had supper at my parents' house. That night we went for the dance at St. Joseph du Moine Hall.... We were two couples celebrating in the hall. After the dance was over at the hall, the party continued at my parents' house and lasted until the next day. "We went to bed at 2 a.m. and got up at 10 a.m. We had stayed at my father's house. We had breakfast and started singing again until suppertime. "They always sang a certain song the day after a couple got married." Leo told Rosie that • when the couple got up in the morning • someone from the family, or a close relative, would wait for them to come down the stairs, and sing this song for them, it was a great honour. His brother Freddie sang it for Leo and his bride. SONG ON NEXT PAGE (OPPOSITE) home. So, after the ha3rmaking, they asked me if I wanted to stay for the whole year. And I'd be going to school in Margaree. So I said, "I like it over there." Not because I didn't like my father and my mother. But we were a big family. And I (told) my fa? ther and my mother to leave me there. I said, "I'm okay." So, doing the barn work, milking the cows. Splitting wood a little bit, put the wood in the kitchen--you know what I mean. For the night. And then, feed? ing the horses. This and that, you know. I stay there for a whole year. Then, the next year, I was 14. I stayed there till the haymaking was over, and then I went back home. And then I was working with my father on the farm. I was 14 years old. Till I was 16. Then at 16 I went to the bush not far from home, here and there. But there wasn't too much work. Sometimes in Bad- deck you'd get men working. Loading boats-- Cape Breton A Warm Welcome Awaits You in HISTORIC LOUISBOURG Cape Breton, N.S. at the Bed dt Breakfast Home of Mrs. Greta Cross 48 Pepperell SL (902) 733-2833 COMFORTABLE ROOMS HOME COOKING KITCHEN PRIVILEGES REFRIGERATION AVAILABLE CHILDREN WELCOME SHELTER FOR BICYCLES AMPLE PARKING SPACE OFF MAIN ST. QUIET AREA - SCENIC VIEW Bienvenue! Ciad Mile Failte! FORTRESS ViEW FORTRESS VrEW RESTAURANT Specializing in: • Lobster in season • Bras d'Or Trout • Scallops • Haddock • Clams • Sole Steaks • Turkey • Ham • Chowders • Chops Sandwiches • both hot & cold 7513 Main St. • LOUISBOURG • 733-3009 ? WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE ? I ( Open MCfear HjpundServing fHbme Cooked 9i{e.cds) Stevens' General Store' IVIain Street • LOUISBOURG The Store with Almost Everything! Fresh Meats • Fresh Fish - including Lobster Fresh Produce • Hardware Complete Line of Groceries Ice • Film • Camping Supplies • 6/49 Louisbourg! From the Old Town to the New