Page 75 - With Jessie Morrison of Cape North - A Cape Breton to Alberta Pioneer

ISSUE : Issue 66

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1994/6/1

cous . if> And goin to church m the buggy on Sundays. And Dewey wai the name of the horse. Wandering across Grandfa? ther's river which flowed i near Grandfa? ther's home. And there was a footbridge across, and I'd rush across this footbridge to Aunt Sarah. And througii the woods. But it seemed like a great ad? venture. Aunt Sarah would see me coming but she would pretend that she hadn't seen me, and then I would rush over and say, "Here I am!" or some such. And Aunt Sarah would turn around and mock surprise and grasp me to her bosom and say, "A ghaoil mo chridhe"-- "Darling of my heart" in Gaelic, just wonderful memories. Aunt Kristy and Uncle Uilleam (William) MacKinnon were on the next farm to Grandfa? ther's. Sunday services in the lovely lit? tle white Presbyterian church at the cross? roads. Cape North, Mother and Aunt Rachel in the choir. I sat in the pew with Grand? father MacKinnon who would give me a few peppermints and then ignore me. And he, in? cidentally, was the precentor for the Gael? ic service and filled his office for over forty years. He was a strong-minded man. He strongly disapproved of the installation of the choir and the choir loft, which was added to the platform and the pulpit area and protruded--it had to be extended out? wardly, you see. And he, in derision, would call this (in Gaelic) the pimple. And as for the organ, I believe that he abstained from the English service for some time be? cause the organ came to be used in the ser? vice. But he continued as precentor for the Gaelic services. Oval: Mary Ann MacKinnon (Mrs. N. D. Morrison, Jessie's mother) at 25. Above, I. to r.: "Great-Aunt Sarah, Jessie (our Grandmother MacKinnon), Great-Aunt Lexie MacKinnon; Cape North; the three MacLeod sisters." Bottom left: three sisters • Grace, Dolly, Mary • & Mary's daughter Jes? sie. Below: seated, Jessie's grandmother Jessie MacKinnon, with her daughter and son, Jessie's Aunt Rachel and her Uncle Dan. /IJ'%, 1 remember so clearly of looking out the window toward Dingwall and Middle Harbour. perhaps, and even at that early age real? ising the beauty of tne scenery that I was looking upon. And, even now, whenever I hear the beautiful paraphrase of the 121 Psalm sung to the tune of "Sandon," this scene always comes before my eyes--of looking out the window of the little church in Cape North and seeing the ocean and the bays in the distance. Always brings back that memory.... Beautiful memories. These lovely summers in Cape North. And then the church on Sunday. Ma'floweXi Over 75 Stores & Services GREAT... SERVICE • GREAT... SELECTION • GREAT...PRICE "All Under One Roof!" 800 Grand Lake Road, Sydney, N.S. BI P 6S9 Experience The Delta Difference Sydn''s First Class Accommodation At Affordable Rates 'Waterfront location, in the heart of Downtown Sydney, adjacent to the City HalJ, 3 blocks from Centre 200 Conference and Recreation Centre. A 152 Harbourview Guest Rooms. A Indoor Pool & Fitness Centre. A Exciting 55' Water Slide. A Continental & Maritime Cuisine, A Children's Menus & Prices, Kids 6 & under EAT FREE. DellaSydney Delta Hotels&Resorts; 300 Esplanade, Sydney, N.S. BIP 1A7 (902) 562-7500 Toll Free Reservations Canada 1-800-268-1133 U.S.A. 1-800-877 1

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