Cape Breton's Magazine

more than today--I know that, all right. But there were things then that were hard, too. It wasn't all sunshine. And there were feuds, and there were dis? putes and grudges. Christy told us a story about someone down here at Wreck Cove schoolhouse was supposed to have told a lie about another person. And after the service was over-- prayer-meeting, or whatever they were having--that the woman that, I guess, the story had been told about, came out. And in a loud voice in Gaelic, she repeat? ed three times, "I'm naming"-- and she named the woman--"a liar, a liar, a liar!" You wouldn't have that done at a church door today, huh? Would you? They were hard in some ways. But I guess that was the excep? tion. There was a lot of kindness and a lot of good will. But it wasn't all sunshine. It never is. At another later visit, this time at Evelyn's home, with her sister Annie Mae MacLeod there, Evelyn added: our father would change completely when he was drinking. (He never) mishandled me or mistreated me, and I can't say that he ever did-- any of us--with his drinking. But he would be angry, you know. And a differ? ent person, when he was drinking. He wasn't a happy type that when he start? ed to drink--maybe that was because he didn't want to drink. Annie Mae: I think he was so put out with himself. He was cross at himself. Annie Mae Evelyn: And he told me one time himself, he said Eddie was the only one that never really--we sort of gave up. We thought, "Nah, he'll never stop," you know. But he said that Eddie al? ways kept thinking and saying that he thought he might stop some day. So how many years? Fifteen, I guess he had--sober years. Did he have 15 sober years? Annie Mae: I guess he did. He never drank after our mother died, did he? Evelyn Oh. no. Annie Mae: Or before that. A year or two before. (Where was your father while Christy was raising you? Was there any man in the house then?) Oh yeah, he was home. He was home. But--you already know, he had a drinking problem, my father. You knew that. I often think of, that once December came--there wasn't much money around during the winter. During the summer he worked hard--he was a hard work? er. During the summer they'd be lobster fishing. And then he had a sawmill. And in the winter they'd be cutting down logs, and hauling them out. And then in the sum? mer, he'd saw them and sell them. So there was more money in the summer. But I always enjoyed the winters better. Because once winter came, my father very seldom drank from the time December would come until maybe May. And to me, that was the better part of the year. 'Cause I sort of felt secure, you know--winter is here now, and.... (Do you know why he would not drink then?) Because it wasn't available, I guess. (He didn't have money, or it just wasn't available?) Both, maybe, both. He wasn't the type anyway that drank every week or every month, you know. He could go maybe for two or three months without drinking. But my goodness, he worked hard. Evelyn: Never went to AA or any of those. He said it was from the Lord he got it. . . . Annie Mae: He told us he was walking up Charlotte Street when a verse of scripture came to him. And that was the end of drinking. He said, "I knew then I was never going to take a drink again." Evelyn What was the verse? An? nie Mae: That's what's the sad part, that we can't even remem? ber. Isn't that awful, for us to forget that?... He said he was walking up Charlotte Street and this piece of scripture came to him and he said, "I knew then," he said, "that was the end of drinking for me." Evelyn: And he never craved for it. He never had an urge--he told us that, too. That he never had an urge after that. He had no cravings at all.... too, I often think. During the winter-- part of the winter they'd be logging away out in the mountain, with a big horse and VOLUME ONE BOOKSTORE Bag No. 200 Port Hawkesbury Centre Port Hawkesbury, N. S. Phoebe Timmons Res.: 863-1825 BOE 2V0 Phone (902) 625-1514 Wilson Timmons Res.: 345-2387 133 Church St. Antigonish Shopping Centre Antigonish, N. S. B2G 2E3 Phone (902) 863-4112 VOLUME TV'O BOOKSTORE The Face of Sydney is Changing... The City of Sydney con? tinues to grow and change with a commitment to the challenges of the future and a recognition of our responsibility to the past. From Centre 200 to the Whitney Pier Historical Society, from excellent shopping to the heritage builclings of the North End and our Waterfront • first-rate restaurants and motels make Sydney your base for ''//of Cape Breton. Within easy reach of the Miners' Mu? seum, the Fortress of Louisbourg, the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Museum and the marvellous Cape Breton Highlands • Sydney of? fers lots of reasons to visit and to relocate here. You are Welcome in Sydney, Mayor Vince MacLean