Cape Breton's Magazine

Ranald; Did you say that you remembered one. Flora? Flora: Oh, I was thinking of one story that Dan told. I always remember, he was talk? ing about the awful storms they'd have--like thunder and lightning--and they'd be sailing. How the lightning would come down the spars of the ship and all that. And he said this was a real bad night and he just felt--all of a sud? den, he felt like he was covered with some? thing, emd he said he started picking all this stuff off his face. He said it was like wool. I never forgot that story. Ranald; And it was the lightning, was it? Flora: It was supposed to have been the lightning that left all this stuff, the wool on his face. Oh, it was a great place to go visiting, you know. Ranald: What was his name. Western Dan? Flora: MacKay. This fellow was Dan MacKay and he was married to a Sarah Ferguson and they lived in Malquish. And she was a beautiful cook so it was a great place to go visit. You'd get all these good cookies and cake. She worked for years in Boston as a cook and it was a great CO. Cape Breton Auto Radiator RADIATOR HOSES • REPAIRING • CLEANING • RECORING T'o' ' COMPLETE CYLINDER HEAD SERVICE _ . 518 Grand auto * TRUCK * INDUSTRIAL Sydney Lake Road Complete Line of Gas Tanks 564-6362 • NOW DOING AUTOMOBILE AIR CONDITIONING • IF YOUR OIL TANK IS MORE THAN 12 YEARS OLD, CALL IN THE BOSS With Ultramar HomEnergy' easy financing terms. The space-efficient Boss tank is easy to install, easy to clean, and easy on the pocketbook. ' Easy financing terms ' 6-year guarantee, the longest in the industry ' Durable 12-gauge steel construction 2f Made in Atlantic Canada ' Baked on Enamel ' Bottom opening to prevent corrosion ef Easy financing terms Call us today for more on the BOSS. P.S. We'll dispose of your old tank too. i' 'i''' '''??'M W' "' IP' *%! '' IP Bottom Opening Storage System HomEnergy Feel Right at Home place to go visiting. It was better than any television you'd watch today. Lena: Yeah, there was no television, you had to make your own entertainment. Ranald: When you were kids, did you speak mostly English or did you speak Gaelic? Jimmy; All Gaelic in our comer. Flora: Yes. Ranald: So these older men would be telling stories in ? Jimmy: In Gaelic. Roy: Well, there's some spoke both but my grandmother couldn't speak English, spoke Gaelic, all Gaelic. Ranald; When you were kids, did any of the older people tell fairy tales or hero stories from Scotland or anything along that line? Jimmy: Oh, yes. Sgeulachdeui. Flora: Yes> and emother thing was the ghost stories. They were big on ghost stories. Jimmy: Well, if a guy knew you were there and you were scared in the nighttime, look out! Flora: Yeah, he just loved And you had to go home in the dark. Jimmy: You just couldn't get home fast enough. Flora: That's right! Lena: I remember that time we went down with Wellington. We were waiting for Wellington to come home and we were at Lauchie MacDonald's and he was a great one to tell stories. And he'd be stamping his feet while sitting there. Flora: Yes, I can remember that. Lena: Great one for telling stories, and I was only about that high, I guess. My father was carrying my brother and we started down the road and I was so scared from listening to Lauchie MacDo? nald 's ghost stories • Flora: I bet. Lena: ...that I pulled up the collar of my coat like this. I was scared I'd see a ghost on the way. oh, he was great for telling ghost stories, emd money in the ground. Jiimnv: Och, and money, about money--digging money--places in the country they'd dig mon? ey. They used to dream, you know, where there was money buried. Flora: But you know he really had a dream one time, out in the outer hill. He fell asleep there on a rock emd he dreamt. He came home emd told them ahout the ships that were flying up edxjve him and everybody thought he was cra? zy. And that was before the planes came into being and--emd well now, he prophesied that or predicted it or whatever • or he dreamt it. Jimmv: There were a lot of the fellas used to * ijm,. SINCE 192'j'r" lWAY tm'' >DGE CABINS Sydney: 539-7580 Glace Bay: 849-4626 North Sydney:794-2010 The first choice for fine food and lodging on the Cabot Trail THE MUSIC IS UNIQUE: • Piddle Music every night 7-10 p.m. 'And Three Fiddle Concert/Ceilidh/Dance every week (summer: Wednesday • spring/fall: Friday)' THE FOOD IS SUPERB: 'Dining room 6-9 p.m. (reservations suggested) • And Fiddlers Bam B-BQ 6-9 p.m. (July/August). THE SETTING IS CLASSIC And you don't have to be a guest of the Inn to enjoy a Normaway evening THE NORMAWAY INN 902-248-2987 or 1-800-565-9463 54