The Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-02-11, Page 6Lite
DLA'SR ebi
JOCELYN SHINER, Publisher
,SHARON 'J. DiETZ - Editor •
ANTHONY N. JOHNSTONE Advertising and
GeneraManager
PAT,'LIVINGSTON Office Manager
MERLE ELLIOTT - Typesetter
JOAN HELM - Composition
Business and Editorial Office Telephone 528-2822
Mailing Address P.O. Bo* 400, Lucknow, NOG 2H0
Second Class Mail Registration Number -0847
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A race car driver zooming °around a track at 200 'miles
an hour risks his life to break speed. records and win
races. Another man builds a lightweight vessel and. sails
'off on a. one-man voyage across the ocean; while yet
;another tries the crossing 'Eby' balloon.
Most of us are amazed at such perilous feats, blithely
•unaware that we flirt with death just. as much as these
dare -devils. We think. ;of life as a gamble and find it
convenient .to ignore the odds. Health experts` give: us
goodadviceabout living 'and eating, habits and we
disregar it.. •
Take heart, disease, for example. It can affect anyone
who delights inthese risks: a pack or two -pack-a-day
cigarette habit; ' no. concern "about 'high blood pressure
checkups;` a diet, laden withsaturated fats and
- cholesterol; a disregard for overweight and an aversion
to exercise. ,
The Canadian Heart Foundation calls these therisk
factors . of heart attack and stroke, 'which together cause
most of the .deaths due to heart disease in Canada each
•year. A great number of these deaths 'are premature..
Heart disease .is the leadin g . killer of , men and women
aged 45 - 64,usuallyiat the peak of their earning power
and productivity. The economic ' cost to Canada is
staggering and there is. 'no way of calculating the
personal tragedy to wives and children deprived of
husbands and .fathers at an early age.
The Heart Foundation •helievea that, by modifying
these risk `factors, it is possible to reduce the chances,of
heart attack and stroke. Unfortunately, there are certain`
risk factors which can't be altered - heredity, sex and
age. Some families have an inherited tendency toward
heart attack or stroke. Men suffer heart attacks earlier in
.. life\l'.than women,and the likelihood of heart attack
:increases .with age.
The major `cause of heart attack and stroke .is
hardening of the `' arteries -' arteriosclerosis.. This Is a
progressive disease in which fatty deposits accumulate
on the walls of the - arteries, much like the build -Up • of
aime in a water pipe over the years. Eventually, the
artery channels become so narrow that blood can no
longer reach the heart or brain centres. The result his a
heart attack or stroke. •
Everyone, from young children to great grandparents,
has arteriosclerosis to a degree It can begin, early in life,
but its .development varies in individuals and it can be
slowed by controlling the coronary risk factors.
It's never too late to reassess your lifestyle and cut
down your risk. See your doctor for a blood pressure test
if it's high, it can be controlled with' drugs or diet
therapy. Work on lowering ..your cholesterol level. A
balanced diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats help
with' overweight problems as well. Stop smoking. By
cutting out cigarettes, the damage to smokers' hearts
and lungs usually can be repaired if the harm isn't too
extensive. Ask your doctor to help you plan a daily
exercise programme and 'stickwith it, •
•Your Ontario Heart Foundation has more information.
on risk reduction and heart -healthy living habits for the
whole family. It's free 'and it's yours for the asking. You
can support the work of your Canadian Heart Foundation
by giving generously to the Heart Fund during February
Heart 'Month.
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Wilfred 'Hackett of Ashfield Tbwnsl 1p is feeding birds:`
again this winter and: says tie has as many as 30 or 40 Blue
Jays around: his feeders.-; some mornings. Our: Sentinel
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photographer tried to capture the birds on, film, but they •
get too -before the' fl 'away.
• don't allow anyone 'toy . .y b
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To Thee Editor;
As ;1981 has been designated Inter-..
national Year, of the , Disabled,' we
would like to remind everyone of a
service . operated by the Bruce County
Public .Library called Mailbox Library:
•
l'his service was established to
serve shut-ins and handicapped
people who Cannotget to their local
public library. If you are a Bruce
County resident, boot :s of your choice
c be mailed : directly to yob on a
regular ,B'asis, free: of charge:
Fo •, more information . please write
olio .wing 'address.'
Mailbox Library,
Bruce County, Public Library,
' Box 16000, 662 Gustavus St.,
Port Elgin, Ontario.
NOH 2:CO
To the Editor:*
Herewith one more of several dozen
subscriptions I have mailed to The
Sentinel over the . years.
trees
By,Don Campbell
For the outrageous sum of two dollars per week, Neil
Mac,Crimmon took a room at the "Southern Cross"
tavern so that he could be Close to Flora Fraser. It was'.
more than. he 9ould afford from his meagre earnings -as a
dock labourer.
Neil, however, was along way from being destitute.
He still had the gold coins his father had bequeathed him .
in the Isle. Of Skye. These he had sewn into a calf skin belt
which he wore next to his skin even when he slept. It was
a smallfortune in those days. More than enough to build
a strong foundation for his marriage to the woman who
filled his thoughts:
Neil and Flora had discussed the possibility of leaving' .
With' the rest,. of the .Skye people who were bound for
Toronto: However, for the time being, and at least until
they were married, they decided to stay in Halifax.
Perhaps it 'was better to remain where they were.
Assured of.a living, no matter how lowly, why embark
upon yet another voyage of uncertainty to a far off
wilderness? •
The rest of immigrants 'the
had nothing to lose. Even
the old fiddler, Adam MacKay left his work at the
"Southern Cross" to take his chances with the rest of
MacLeod's flock on board the "Kingston Lass".
On the evening prior to the departure of the schooner,
Neil took his bagpipes to the ship, to play a last farewell
tp his countrymen. Flora did not accompany him;. Her
• `working hours were long and wearisome and she .needed
to rest: .
As he approached the gangplank, he was spied by a
group of immigrants who were idling away the time on
the upper deck. ;
° "It's MacCrimmon the piper!" one ofthem' shouted
excitedly. Then calling out to Neil he said: "God bless ye
laddie. Ha'e ye come to blaw us awa wi' a pibroch?"
Walking the deck with the Reverend Duncan MacLeod
was a gentleman whom Neil instantly recognized. The
young; piper was surprised.to see him.'He moved towards
the two men and took off his bonnet as a mark of 'respect,
'Doctor Cameron, Sir! How goodtae see ye. `Tis kind
e' ye tae come and, say goodbye."
The doctor smiled mischievously. "Goodbye is it
MacCrimmon? Well, well, 'twould seem that our piper is'
I enjoy D'on Campbell's articles on
Redtrees, and having spent 35 years
as a biologist with the Federal Govern-
ment, find much of interest i "One
Foot in the Furrow" . .
I can still find a few familiar names
in the Local news and frequently in the
Obituaries.
You are publishing a' very good local
newspaper: Keep it coming
Sincerely.
C. Graham MacNay.
Ottawa° Ont. '
the one who is saying goodbye! lam away, with the rest,
to seek my fortune.. They say °the streets of Toronto are
paved with gold the : forest teems with deer. " •He
pretehded to be serious and added:"What they lack are
doctors; especially ' Highlanders by the name . of
Cameron!"
Neil tunedthe drones of his pipes, then pacing back
and forth, began to play the music'of the "auld Name".
Even as he piped,he felt a strange sad feeling envelope
his being. These people, his very own, had come to this
place together and now they were departing together. A11
except he and Fora Fraser. Had they made the right
decision to stay in Halifax?
It was well past 'midnight before. Neil decided
reluctantly to return to the "Southern Cross", He said a
last farewell to his countrymen and at the • top of the
gangplank, paused to speak to Captain Jamieson.
"Ye'Il away the morn, Captain? I wish ye a fair wind.
and God 'speed!"
. The captain patted him affectionately on the shoulder.
We'll miss you MacCrimmon. Yes, we are ready to cast
off. Come the first light of dawn, I'll be hoisting canvas."
He was silent for a few moments and then said earnestly:
"There's time for you to change your mind and sail with
'us. Dawn is still a few hours away!"
Neil MacCrimmon made his way along the quay. it was
silent by the. waterfront except for the sou=nd of water
licking at the pier and 'the shadowy . outlines of ships
creaking at their moorings. Suddenly, the single note of •a
- bell drifted across the night air, answered by another and
yet another from the ships in the dock. It was . one
half-hour past midnight. •
The town of Halifax was not so quiet. From the open
doors of alehouses came the music of fiddles, the ioud
voices of inebraited men and raucous laughter from
women of easy virtue. Carraiges clattered and squeaked
through the cobbled streets, their drivers calling out to
,pedestrians to make way. Pickets of the Royal Navy on
patrol, shouted orders to drunken sailors staggering back
to.theil ships. In spite of the late hour, ragged barefoot
children still hoped to find somebody with a heart big
enough to drop a penny into their hands: This, Neil told
himself, '+vas not the place for he and .Flora to find a
permanent home! • '
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