Page 8 - Johnny Allan MacDonald of Enon

ISSUE : Issue 48

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1988/6/1

where did you learn that?) I didn't learn it. We had a lounge here (a day bed in the kitchen)--oh, it wouldn't last long. You know, there were so many of us anjrway. There were 10 in the family. Of course, the oldest was gone away. But a lounge wouldn't last very long, between I and my brother. He was older than I, and he was awful big too. Well, I started making a lounge, any? way. And my father asked me, "What are you doing?" "I'm going to make a lounge." "Hmph. Another one for to smash up." "Yes. When I'll be through with it, I'll leave it with you to smash, if you can." (Johnny Al? lan points across thg kitchgn.) Right there, still. (That's the lounge.) That's the one. (It lasted a few years. Johnny Al? lan laughs.) I have everything, even the corners, dovetailed in hardwood, and hard? wood sides. Bay Woodworking Custom Cabinets HEAVY WATER SITE 849-6858 GLACE BAY A Summertime Production Society Presentation May 30-June 4 Savoy Theatre Glace Bay June 7-10 Rel}ecca Cohn Halifax June 11 Tmro June 13-14 Wolfville June 15-16 Antigonish June 17-18 Pictou June 20-25 Savoy Theatre Glace Bay (But how did you learn to do that, and where did you get the proper tools?) Oh, there were tools. Well, you know, what I had for chisels was spikes. I'd beat them out, you know, and then sharpen them on one side. That's the only thing I had for chis? els. And when I needed a bigger chisel I'd batter it more. (Laughs.) Hard times! (And starting from that lounge, is that how you made your living, as far as cash is concerned?) Well, as far as cash--cash came in different ways, you know. I never had much cash. But I was very lucky. Now, when I was in the lumber woods in British Colum? bia, I had a lot of money, made a lot of money there.... And then another time, I went to the States. (First, how did you get to British Colum? bia?) I went on The Harvest first. (Note: Regarding the Harvest Train to Western Can? ada, see "MacDougalls and Whittvs and Songs" in Issue 23 of CAPE BRETON'S MAGA? ZINE. ) And after The Harvest I went out in the woods. I wanted to see what the woods were like. I could see the picture in pa? pers, and so on like that. But to see the real stuff. The pictures have nothing to do with the real standing of lumber. (Was The Harvest the first time you went working away?) Yes. (How-did you learn about The Harvest, to go with it?) Oh well, that was the talk through? out the country, anyway, and many people went out on The Harvest, and got along. And then you'd have a certifi? cate that the farmer would sign, and that would bring you back. (When you went to The Harvest, would they expect you to be a good farmer for them?) No, they didn't. A good many that goes out there, they're from the city, and they don't know a damn thing about farm? ing . They know nothing, only to see a horse trot? ting on the street--that's all they'd know at that time. And I was classed to be one of them. I wasn't long show- A NEW IVIUSIC & COMEDY SHOW with LUCKY CAMPBELL MARCEL DOUCET STEVE GAETZ BERKLEY LAMEY BETTE MacDONALD MAX MacDONALD DORIS MASON MAYNARD MORRISON COOKIE RANKIN HEATHER RANKIN Musical Director LEON DUBINSKY Producer STEPHEN MacDONALD SUPPORTED BY CAPE BRETON DEVELOPMENT m 1'1 DEPARTMENT 01

Cape Breton's Magazine