Page 46 - Edith Pelley, William Davis's Daughter

ISSUE : Issue 60

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/6/1

(How did that affect your family?) Well, it affected it pretty bad. Because they used to say, "We know where our dinner's coming from, but we don't know where our supper's coming from." And that was true. They'd know where their dinner was coming, but they didn't know about their supper. But they all managed. They all grew up, and they all had a happy home. And they all got married, every one of us. So. (Edith, in the strike in 1925, when your father was killed, when and how did you come to know that your father had been killed? Describe that day to me.) Well, we were out on the school grounds. And they were coming on the grounds with the pit horses, in truck wagons. And they had just after putting a load of clinkers on the grounds. And the principal came out and rang the bell--it was at recess--for us to come all into the classroom. So we went in. So on our way home at dinnertime, we got to what they call MacKinnon's Hill. And we met my Uncle Bob. He said, "Go down to my place or to your grandmother's for dinner today." But he didn't tell us noth? ing. So we went down the back road. And WE CAN HELP YOU REALIZE YOUR DREAM OF HOIUIEOWNERSHIP! FORAII/JORTGAGE TO BUY, BUILD OR RENOVATE, SEE THE LOCAL EXPERTS League Savings 8 Mortgage 235 Charlotte St., Sydney, N.S. BIP6H7 Phone:539.8222 -/. / some people came out of their house, and said, "Your father was killed today." We were saying, "No. Dad wasn't killed." And they said, "Oh, yes, your father's dead. They got him down in the undertaking par? lour now." So we went down to my grandmother's. We found that he was dead. My two brothers and some more boys went downtown. They were supposed to go to school. And they said, "Let's go out to the plant (the pow? er station at Waterford Lake) and see what's going on." And they went out. And my brother, they said to him--my brother Jim--"That's your father laying there. Pick up the gun, and shoot that fellow on the horse." And my brother bent down, and he said, "No. I'm going home to tell my mother." He said, "One life is enough to take." So, he left to come home to tell Mum, and she had already known. (So the last time you saw your father had been that morning.)' That morning. He came down. Got up out of bed, and he carried-- Jean was the baby--and he carried her downstairs. And he put the nipple in his pocket. And the bottle, he set it on the cupboard. So he said to Mum, "I'm going down as far as the post office, and see what the boys are doing." And when he got down, they said, "Let's take a walk out to the plant." So they left and went out to the plant. And before that, we used to get penny candies, and there used to be a ring on them. And we used to buy them just to MIKE'S LUNCH ' LICENSED ' Your Family Restaurant Home Made 'SSDDEE& ''' '' Cooking mOQI'glP or Take Out [ OPPOSITE STERLING MALL '4 Sterling Rd.? GLACE BAY ??849-1010 Overlooking the Margaree Valley at the Junction of Route 19 and the Cabot Trail A full-accommodation Lodge featuring: DINING ROOM LOUNGE SWIMMING POOL SPACIOUS ROOMS Take advantage of nearby recreation: BEACHES GOLF FAIRWAYS CAMPING FRESH AND SALT WATER FISHING HIKING The best of Nova Scotian musicians entertain in our loiuige every weekend. Check with us to see who is playing, and drop in for an enjoyable evening. P. O. Box 550 MARGAREE FORKS Nova Scotia BOE 2A0 Phone (902) 248-2193, William F. Maclsaac, Manager RELAX IN THE BEAUTIFUL MARGAREE VALLEY

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