Page 8 - Margaret Neil James - A Love Story

ISSUE : Issue 60

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/6/1

It so happened that my brother's wife got sick in Baddeck--Duncan's wife. So I stayed over there, and helped her. And then, once she got on her feet, I worked for a little while in the telephone office over there. And then I worked for--looked after an old lady who was 102 when I left there. I worked there for 13 months. An old Mrs. Roberts. And I left there the 1st of August, 1954. And decided that I was going to go to work in Sydney. I had a chance for a job in St. Rita's Hospital. I was 22.... But-anyway, this was when I saw the picture of the little children in the paper. This Neil James MacNeil was looking for someone to help him look after the 3 children. And it said in the paper--their picture was in there, and it said, "We are Francis 3 1/2, Mary 2 1/2, and Michael 1 1/2. We would like someone to help Daddy take care of us." It was an advertisement in the Victor? ia-Inverness Bulletin. And it said, "You will get a good home and wages. Apply Neil James MacNeil, Gillis' Point." And ,1 didn't know where Gillis Point was, and I didn't know who the people were or anything. HORYL'S Superior Sausage Co. Jltd. 21 Union Hwy. • NEW WATERFORD • B1H 4K4 Phone 862-7177 or 862-7178 Our fine products include: * Polish Sausage |paiWil!'|| * Salami * Kolbassa * Garlic Bologna 0'''''' * '?' Pepperoni * White Pudding ''''' * Medium Hot Pepperoni * Black Pudding '*'?3'P' • Sliced Pizza Pepperoni We take pride in using only the finest government inspected meats, and the care it takes to make our sausages. When you ask for HoryVs, you get the best. • SPECIALIZING IN QUALITY DELI MEATS FOR OVER 60 YEARS • MacLeod Lorway and You. Partners Prosperity Together we can keep your future bright. • PERSONAL INSURANCE • COMMERCIAL FIRE • CONSTRUCTION • LIABILITY • BONDING • PLEASURE CRAFT • LIFE • TRAVEL MacLeod Lorway Insurance 539-6666 (Toll free in Cape Breton) 215 Charlotte St., Sydney - Fax 539-4067 But I had friends in Baddeck who I always went to church with. And we were going to confession that evening, and they picked me up. This was a Saturday evening. And I said, "Did you see the picture of the lit? tle ones in the paper?" And poor Tena MacLean, Lord rest her, said, "Yes." And I said, "Wouldn't I like to go tackle that job!" And I said, "But I don't know if I can do it or not. If he still needs any? body or if I can do it or not." So, she never said anything. But she was related to Neil. She never said she knew him or anything. So, I guess when she went home that night she called over to her cousin over here, Mary Dan D., and asked Mary if Neil had got anybody. And--I laugh about it now, because, you know, the way things'11 happen! So anyway, I had a couple more days to finish at Roberts', and I had told that old Mrs. Roberts' grandson, Willie, that if he would get me paper, I would paper the living room and her bedroom upstairs, that needed papering, before I'd leave. So, I was upstairs this Monday morning, finishing papering this bedroom. And it was just around noontime. And the phone rang. So I went and answered the phone, and here was Tena. And she said, "I have a visitor up here for you." And I said, "Oh, what? Who's that?" And she said, "The fa? ther of those 3 children." "Oh, my Lord," I said, "don't let him come down here yet." And I said, "How did this happen?" And she said, "I phoned over, and he doesn't have anybody, any housekeeper, so he's wondering about you." So I said, "Well, keep him there, for goodness' sakes, until I get cleaned up." I was just finishing papering and I had the border to put up. So she said, "Okay." So Tena went to give him the tea. But Neil James was anxious to get down to see me and get back, because he was driving the schoolbus. So I went upstairs and I put the border on the bedroom, and I came down and I got washed.... So the knock came on the door. "Lo and behold," I said, "I lost this job, whatever'11 happen." Because I looked like death warmed over, with a pair of overalls on me and a plastic apron, and my hair up. So I said, "Oh, heck with it, I'll give it a shot, anyway." So, I opened the door, and there was Neil. STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 10

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