Page 48 - Aunt Annie MacLeod, Wreck Cove

ISSUE : Issue 48

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1988/6/1

(Who do you think's controlling all this?) Well, controlling the future of things. But I heard a minister talking about it. That he didn't believe in it. (But do you? Is this God's plan?) I think it's God's plan. (So you were going to marry George one way or another.) That's what I think. (That's fair enough. So you married George.) George Murray MacLeod. He was called after a Member (and Premier of Nova Scotia), George Murray. You know how people were then about politics. I guess they still are, some. (And one of the things the two of you did, was you ran the post of? fice. What does that mean, to run the post office? What do you do?) Well, you got stamps, and you got your postal notes, and you had to make up a--every once in a- while--and you had to count how much was on hand and how much you were spending and all that. We had it for 10 years. And that's politics, like in the country. Crazy. Why do we do it? (I don't know.) Oh, I don't know either. It was a bad, bad thing. Kenny Morrison and his wife were real nice people. And they were good neigh? bours, and they'd help you in any way they possibly could. We had nothing against them; they were lovely. They were just grand people. But, we were Conservatives and they were Liberals. So, we were asked, Did we want the post office? They had it for 40 years. Now why should we do that to them? I'm telling you, politics, in the country--it's ridiculous. (But, did you have a choice?) Oh yes. we Since 1914 H. H. Marshall Limited Corporate Head Office Halifax, N.S. 3731 Macintosh Street B3K5N5 "WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS OF PERIODICALS & BOOKS" I BRANCH OFFICES CHARLOTTETOWN ST. JOHN'S SYDNEY H. H. Marshall LIMITED, 103 York St., Sydney (539-3220) DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOMED "H. H. MARSHALL LIMITED TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE MANY PEOPLE WE SERVE. IT HAS GIVEN US OUR VALUED HERITAGE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO AN EXCITING FUTURE." had a choice not to take it. They would have kept it. But, just to show them. Well, it wasn't, perhaps, ourselves. It might have been just some other people that say. Well, why not get it, and why not get it? And Alex Morrison had the telegraph. They even asked us. Did we want that (too)? Said, No, not going to have any telegraph. But then there was an(other) election. And the Liberals got in. And (George) lost his job (working on Cape Smokey, widening the road). Oh, a Liberal got to be boss. (And did you lose the post office?) No, nobody wanted the post office. Even when we. were moving over here (to Sydney), they didn't want the post office. Kenny Morrison didn't want it, and Alex Morrison's didn't want it. And I said I didn't care, we were going to move any-way. Whether they had a post of? fice or not. Oh, I was really very tired of the post office. I'll tell you now. There was more involved in it than the post office. In the wintertime, you know, Smokey (Moun? tain) wasn't plowed then. And the mailman from north came up, and the mailman from Englishtown came. And they both used to stay at our place. And their horses. And leave in the morning. So then I got in? volved in--they'd have passengers. I'd say, "Now, don't bring any passengers here. I have a houseful already." "Oh, can we sleep on the floor? Anyplace. Because we want to be ready to leave with the mailman in the morning." And that wasn't the worst. One time, I had four councillors and two driv? ers. They came and they went down, and they couldn't get over Smokey. They went to one house--no, couldn't stay--came back. Imag? ine- -four councillors and two drivers, and two mailmen. Oh, my God. And oh, where we used to sleep--I don't think I ever gave it, no. See, George and I and the children perhaps slept in one room, two beds. But I don't think--I never gave that up. No. ?ut I remember that. That's no lie! We had one night: 24 people. (Someone told me that you liked the compa? ny.) Oh, and it used to be a gathering place. Everybody came for the mail and... Well, we were young, and I guess perhaps, you know, we didn't mind. Then one time, I had a teacher boarding. Holy Moses, when I think of it! (I had the sense that you enjoyed all that company.) Oh, I did. (And that you would be up long hours baking for them.) Yeah. Oh, my God, baking! But, you know. And we al? ways had somebody there in the wintertime. Well, I mean, we had good board. I'm not bragging, but we had good board, on account of the mailmen. And we always had somebody. To Subscribe to CAPE BRETON'S MAGAZINE, See Page 96

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