Page 43 - Danny Mike Chaisson, Belle Cote

ISSUE : Issue 54

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/6/1

around! Danny Mike laughs. (You never saw him.) No. (Not yet.) Not yet. (Because, I've talked to people who would have an animal, a horse maybe, down, lying on its side. And they'd go and they'd get some water from a brook into a pan. And they'd put a coin in that pan, I think a silver coin. And there was a prayer that they'd say over it. And then they'd throw this water on--right down the length of the horse. And very soon after, the horse would get up and be feeling better.) Ha. And did you believe the story? (Well, I don't judge them that way.) A person that would believe that would believe in ghosts. (Do you think prayer can help a horse?) Well, it would--I'd say--yes, prayer can help a horse, and help you, and me. I think if we prayed more, probably we'd get along better. I believe that there's a fellow up there, the Almighty is there. I think so. (When you would go to tend to horses, though, and cows, would you ever use prayer?) No, I don't think so. Maybe I wasn't religious enough. But I often tried to find out the cause, and the remedy, you know. But probably I wasn't religious enough.... It wouldn't hurt, though. To tell you the truth, I never believed that it would hurt an animal to pray. But if you don't feed an animal, you can pray all you want, and it's going to starve. Or if it's sick and you don't do anything about it. Prayer might do it. but you've got to do your part of it. Eh? I believe that. I believe in prayer. But I think you've got to do your share, you've got to carry a part of the load.... (Emma: Dad, which one was it--they were against yellow flowers--was it the sheep or the cows--the ragwort?) Oh, the cows. They were poisoned with this ragwort. Probably that was one reason that a lot of people quit farming in this part of the country--the one big farm, the family farm. This yellow weed, it was a killer, it was deadly for animals. Yeah. And when they were just coming out, in the spring of the year or early part of summer, the animals would eat that. And one feed wouldn't hurt them. But if you continued there for a number of weeks, then you've had it. The animal had it. And there was very little--there was nothing you could do. Ragwort poisoning. And the fields here one time were covered with it. And I--you know, my memory's not that good, tut I think one control of it was when people started using lime. You know, it was on the sour soil that they would thrive very good. (Would you help them when the lambs were coming?) Oh, yes, yeah. Sometimes the sheep wasn't developed enough. So you just had to try and make room--sometimes you Specialists In ____.=' mndoy/ 341 Welton St.. Sydney SERVING ALL OF CAPE BRETON PRODUCTS LTD. Phone:539-4111 No structural changes No more painting Clean from inside FREE ESTIMATES REQUESTS the pleasure ofyour company- wholesome dining in a uniquely warm atmosphere. FULLY LICENSED FAMILY RESTAURANT Real music Is alive at Sunchasers! FEATURING: Jazz • Big Band Diideland The Joe Waye Trio's "Trip down Memory Lane" and a Jukebox of Great Music from the '50s and '60s f?ESTAURANT/LOUNGE 419 Welton Street • Sydney . FOR SHOWTIME INFORMATION: 564-6831 •

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