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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-01-07, Page 41 4.1 s .fmnitar 71; MR' • emopi je i To the Editor,. We '`would lie to say a s ©cere thank you to person and asgamizatimwelt %willingly supParted our fan appeal, bought Christmas cards, - and'colomring boons. Our 'wish for the 1980i is that your donations wall be used to distrer a cure . for hepatitis, a health ha and to *any hemophiliacs. The re- eipts are being mailed out =rom the London office, so if -z a don't receive one, please ontaict us. May you all have a healthy. nd prosperous 1981. Yc Frank and Lateen Alton, Co-ordinators of the South Western Ontario Hemophilia Program. JOtELTN SNEER - Prbfisher SHARON J_ niErz - Elinor • A%T Y • N. JOHNSiONE - Adaerlising and .General Manager PAT iUv1NGs1 ON - Office Manager MERLE EUJOT - Typesetter JOAN .HEM - Cotpasition Business and Editorial Office Telephon a 528-2822 Mailing Address P.O.. Box 400.• Lncknow.1;10c-2H0 Second Clz*'Mail Registration Number -0847 good life Canadais still a pretty good place to live despite the problems we face in 1981. Inflation, a sluggish economy, high interest rates and the constitutional debate will go with • us into the new year. Consumers find more and. More of their pay cheques gig to pay for necessities as food prices tise everyone feels' the effects of 1$ per . cent interest rates, a. stagnant economy forcing layoffs and t dolbr. But nlike82 �.man count in the 1 ,, " world, C'ainadians enjoy a great degree of freedom, a variety of foods for our table and a bounteous supply and a peaceful state despite the regional bickering. Around the world, thousands die every day for lack of food on their table, in countries such as irelane' and Israel,, stepping outside into the street carries the threat of being shot down by terrorists. In Italy thousands are ,still digging out from one of the worst earthquakes ever-, they are homeless, hunger and grief-stricken. Iran is at war with Iraq. The Soviets still• occupy Afghanistan. The Polish people line up for longer than eight hous'at a three for a string of sausage to bring home some Meat, for the table. The right to free independent trade unions is a right only recently achieved. Polish farriers are lobbying, for their own union so that the man '.who owns his land can have the right to the advanced technology of modern farming nowonly available to the government state.: farms. The very real threat of a Soviet intervention with guns aid tanks hangs over the new found freedoms like a dreaded monster, Fewr people snake in a year what Canadians consider to be their disposable income. Pew in the world have the freedoms, fights, the full tummies, the peaceful coexistence with neighbours and neighbouring countries that Canadians enjoy. It wafting to think about as we head into another new year. Something to consider long and hard. We,. Canadians have it so good. Bypass Can pbe1 In Vis general, the Hi had been. either .tenant � ` farmers or fishermen, and their employhent options in a port hie Halifax were extremely limited. One of the nts, a man called Colin Grant, had been a so he was one of the exceptions. He found' immediate ork at a livery stable and smithy. adjacent to a' popular seafaring tavern called the "Southern Cross". This establishment catered to both the higher and. lower classesof clientele. A rough saloon provided for the thirts of transient seamen and lower ratings of the Royal Navy, whilst an exclusive lounge and, dining .room was the popular meeting place of p+ous merchants and naval officers: The tavern also had sola for rent in its upper storey, so perhaps it might have been more properly classified as a hotel. It was to the owner of they "southern Cross that the old fiddler, Adam MacKay " aired' for empt. Adam, carrying his precious oat in a worn well scuffed case, entered the smoke . laden atmos of the bar room. Sawdust covered the boarded at that time of the morning, only a few unsavoury lookingq characters occupied the rough, liquid smeared tables. They sat on stout benches drinking from earthenware mugs, smoking dirty clay pipes, or spitting, not too accurately, towards conveniently placed brass recep- tacles. - The owner, ,a fiery haired man appropriately named Red Morgan, had to be summoned, from the more respectable part of the tavern. He was dressed in a light, brown suit with beaver trimmed lapels. There was a frilly cravat about his . neck and a large diamond flashed from his finger. He gave the old fiddler an impatient contemp- tuous' glance. "You want to see me? Let me warn you I don't, give credit, if that's what you're after!" r r' "I'm looking for .work, Sir,," Adam said quietly. "I could wait at the tables." He tapped the fiddle case with a thin hand. "And I play a lively tune on the fiddle! ft would be good for business." Red Morgan's eyes narrowed as he thought and weighed up' the possibilities, but he didn't . reply immediately. Adam told him about his recent arrival at Halifax and how he and °some of his fellow countrymen were I king for work to tide therm over. d ''`Alrit[M. CIl let void work from four in the afternoon untiltwo in the morning, but I U only pay for waiting at the tables The music will have to given free. Six days a week and the pay is friar dollars. These are hard , times and I can get all the help I need. Only -the fiddle _has got you the !" Red Morgan was an 4nttepreneur and quick to seize on anything which i . his business. " "Do you have any in your party who can. do cleaning: and making up. beds - I: could employ a woman right away: He laughed, showing a gold tooth and his eyes reflected the lechery of his thoughts. "Women now, they are .to keep. I'm always looking for women. It eesn't take long for a woman to , find out she can makemore by lying on .a' bed than by changing the sheets!" - It was quiet early in the day, and since Adam did not have to start work at the tavern until four in the afternoon, he returned to the church basement to tell the women 'andchildren of his good fortune. Neil MacCrimmon was not so fortunate: He wandered. ar and the docks looking for labouring Work: Until now, he had little but the Highland knew more about sheep�� and cattle than the• life amongst cargos and ships. It was late in the afternoon when he was at fast successful in . finding a job loading lumber onto a large ship bound for Amsterdam. He had not eaten all day and was tired from his search and the summer'heat Nevertheless, he laboured up the gangplank . carrying` lumber upon his shoulder and . then down into the hold where it was stacked and secured, When at lash it was too dark to continue, he was ordered to quit until the dawn of the next day. He tottered rather than walked through the streets :back. to the church. Halifax at night took on a different scene. The yellow lights of lanterns shone -through the windows of buildings. Pine earriages picked their way th=ough the pedestrians, carIying men iin fine dothes to mysterious destinations. There were sounds of raucious laughter from the open doors of the taverns and drunken sailors reeling down the sidewalks and back to their ships. It was dark inside the basement of the church;• except + single . it found a for the light of a sin Ie candle on the fable. • Ne p wearily into his hammock. Too exhausted and climbed... . with to eat, he fell quickly to sleep. with he crust still clutched in his haand.