Cape Breton's Magazine

taught school two years, and I could have engaged and taught here ever so many years. But, "Don't worry, Ida," he said, "you won't have to work too hard." And he hired help whenever he could. (How are you doing? Are you tired yet? Tired of me yet?) No, dear, I don't get tired. I'm so used to working, you know. Look, take my hand--see the strength I got. (Yes, you're a very strong woman.) See the strength I got. (Yes, you're a dangerous woman!) I have strength in my hand. (Yes, you do. You also have strength in your person.) Well, maybe. (That's why I'm so interested in what you've come from.) Yes, probably it is. They had to work hard for a living. I remember when my father used to fish. He had a sloop. And then he had a smaller boat. He would go out--we called this "the brook" out here. When you go out, you have a look at it. And you see that small open? ing in the beach? My home was there. He used to take the little boat and go out to his nets out there, and fish on his nets. And go out through that small opening. And one night--I can remember this so well --one morning. The drift ice was out there. We had no radios to tell us the drift ice was out. We had no television to tell us Discover Winter in Inverness County, Cape Breton • Enjoy the quiet beauty of a clear winter's day • Cross-country skiing and snowmobile trails • Outstanding traditional music • Natural wonders of landscape & wildlife Write or call now and receive a free package of information about our winter events, information on trails, snowmobile trails map, and information on accommodations. Come visit us next summer! Send us your name and address and we will put you on our mailing list for our 1997 Summer Events brochure Come to Inverness County, the heart? land of Celtic music in Nova Scotia. Inverness County Recreation/Tourism p. 0. Box 179, Port Hood, Cape Breton Nova Scotia BOE 2WO 1-800-567-2400 email: [email protected] 1997 is the Year of Music in Nova Scotia ' anything. We didn't know it was there. And my father went out the night before the drift ice came in. And he set 14 nets. He (had) worked all winter long to (knit) those nets. And he set them, for the her? ring. Next morning, they were all ripped to pieces with the drift ice. And we were lit? tle children. And we started to cry. He said, "Don't cry, children. God provided for us so far. He won't forget us." That fall, our apple orchard yielded twice as much and more, of fruit. Twice as much more apples--and we had a few plums and things--as it ever did. God helped us. Oh, yeah, we put our trust in Him--always. I always did. I always put God first. What? ever He wants to do for me, I'm satisfied. I'm happy here--He did it for me.... I could never do it on my own, my dear man. I got it through my relatives, through my father and their people. They always helped one another. Always helpful. (See, I don't think people today know what it's like to knit 14 nets, and then to see them lost.) And he worked a whole winter. He made them all himself, brand new. Then he tanned them, then he dried them. And he went and he made the buoys to put on them. You know, buoys--a little piece of wood or some? thing you make. (A float.) A float. And you make them. And he used to like to make nice ones. And he painted them so nicely. And he went and he put them on every net. And when he came home that night, "Now, Vicky," he said. Vicky was my mother's name. He called her Torie--Victoria. But "Vicky," he said, "I don't know if I'm go? ing to get rich with all the herring I'm going to have in those nets. But," he said, "I worked hard." In one night, every? thing was swept just like that.... And I can still see him looking out the window, crying like a child. He had lost his summer's earnings. I'll never forget that, never.... And I can still remem? ber- -"Vicki, " he said, "there's our summer's wages gone." "Well," she said, "what's the difference, Peter? I don't want any new dress this summer. I'll use my old one." "i don't care." he said, "that's all right. We'll still live on with the children...." At Druker Insurance Tenants and Homeowners may qualify for a 40% dis? count. Discounts are given to non-smokers, those age 55 or more, those claim-free for three years, if you have alarms, or if your house is less than 10 years old. Call Druker Insurance to see how big a discount you deserve. And, if you agree to a $1000. deductible, your discount could be 60%. Call Druker Insurance 361 Charlotte St. Sydney 562-5504, or 1-800-661-3500 '' (toll free) ''"= Mastercard or Visa An Independent Insurance Broker 82