Page 7 - With Evelyn Smith, Wreck Cove

ISSUE : Issue 65

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1994/1/1

he wanted Aunt Christy to take a fur coat at the same time so that people wouldn't think there was anything going on between them. But Aunt Christy said. "No way." She wasn't going to have any part of that. So then he decided that he'd take the two of them up to Maine, to his lumber camp. And they were going to be--I guess, I think Christy was going to be cook. And of course, (this other girl) was going to be his mistress, I guess. So Christy was sort of a camouflage. And they went on the train--she tells the story--herself and this girl. And Barnjum with them on the train. "And oh," she said, "he was so sil? ly about this girl." And all he kept, singing a song--"my blue Scotch lass" or-- there's a Scottish song. And he kept sing? ing this to her on the train going up. And oh, Christy was disgusted with the whole thing. But anyway, they got up it was on Saturday night ing Christy woke up and was saws, sawing. Well, thought she had gone to She had never heard the was really terribly put whole thing. And I don' up there too long. And h back to Murray. to Maine. I think . And Sunday morn- all she could hear I guess she Sodom or Gomorrah! like before. She out about the think they stayed e brought them But anyway, he went away--went on one of his business trips. And this girl had a boyfriend. Although she was pretending that she thought a lot of Frank Barnjum, she didn't really. She was just taking him for a ride, and for his money. And while he was away, herself and the boyfriend got married. And someone squealed, I guess, and sent him word, because he came home. And Christy was afraid--she said she was trembling. He came in the middle of the night, and he was like a man that was demented, you know. He felt so terrible about what had taken place. And I guess herself and this (fellow) that she married. And I think they had left. But anyway, he was trying to find out from Christy what took place. And I think, if I remember correctly, I think they had a wed- ding in his house--you know, while he was gone--and they had the food and everything! And he went around looking-- she had taken her clothing. And he went around to see if he could find any of her clothing. And he found a garter. Frank Barnjum of the And he'd take the North River Lumber Company garter up and he'd kiss it. He felt so bad? ly about what had happened! That was one of the stories. That, to us, was just like "Another World" today, you know. ("Another World" on tele? vision, you mean?) Yeah. (And she'd start the story off by saying in Gaelic, "I re? member when I worked on the Murray.") Yeah. Worked in Murray. "'Cuimhne agamsa 'nuair bha mi 'g obair ann am Murray." That was just enough to set us off. Then our ears would open and we'd listen. (And this story would be told in Gaelic or English?) Oh, in Gaelic. (The whole sto? ry.) Oh yes, always in Gaelic. (And these are young children she's telling this to?) Yeah, yeah. We weren't that old. (In the evening.) In the evening. (It's wonderful, because we have this sense of the children gathering around and learning the old tales. But this would be the kind of story that Christy would tell you.) Oh yes, an actual story of things that had happened while she worked at Murray. And she had a lot of experiences. And she saved quite a bit of money while she was there. Because she wasn't married. She helped them out-- helped at my father's, and at her broth? er's place.. Because they were both poor, I guess. But she was good to help. But even at that, when she came home--my mother took sick--I think she had $3200 put in the bank. Which at that time was a lot of money. Because she helped when my father bought the car. I know she helped--gave some of her money then, to buy the car. (Can you remember another story that she CoinSort Inn by JOURNEY'S END MOTELS QUALITY ACCOMMODATIONS ATAFFORDABLE PRICES SYDNEY 368 Kings Rd 562-0200 Fax 564-6410 THROUGHOUT CANADA TOLL FREE RESERVATIONS 1-800-668-4200 (?)(?) Atayfloweri yitall Over 75 Stores & Services Call and Ask about Our SENIORS' WALKING CLUB 539-0862 800 Grand Lake Road, Sydney, N.S. BIP 6S9

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