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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-04-08, Page 66"--bicknew Sena*, W r11 11 1981 The. LUCKNOW SENTINEL "The SoppyTown" EslabUibed't873' . JOCELYN MOOR - .Publisher SHARON J. DIES - Editor ANTHONY N. JOHNSTONE = Advertising and Genial Manager :PAT .LI1 INGSTON • :Office Manager MERLE •ELLIOTr - Typesetter JOAN HELM`- Composition Business and Editorial Office Telephone S28-2822 Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Lucknow:, NOG 2110 Second Class Mail Registration Number -0847 Subscription rate, 513.50 per year In advance Sealer Clthea rate, 511.50 per year in advance: U.S.A. and Foreign, S23.00 per year in advance Sr, Cit. U.S.A. and Foreign, S21.00 per year in "thine; The horror of last Monday's assassination attempt on President' Ronald Reagan is that there was no ` horror. Therewas shock, but no surprise. We were surprised as well as shocked when John F. Kennedy was killed in -Dallas. But since then they've done it to 'his brother, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Beatle John Lennon andattempted it with. Gerald Ford when he was president. It's a part of the American way of life. There has to be something wrong in a country where 21 black children can go missing and be found dead and. the president can', be shot downin the street. There has to be something wrong. with the country's legal' system 'when a man who• was arrested for carrying three hand .guns can go out a couple days later and purchase two. more guns and then use one of them to try to kill, the president. - The time for gun control measures is long overdue in the United States. But many people have tear ed to accept , that,- they will, have to, carry a gun to protect themselves yin American society, where the crime rate, especially robbery, -has taken a dramatic leap upward' in. the past year. After all it's an American's inalienable right tocarry a gun. 1' The only way it will change now is ifresident Reagan has .,:changed his . attitude. When asked = during his presidential campaign whetherhe would consider . stricter gun, controls if elected,he said he didn't think. guns' were any real problem in America. Why, he had never seen a "Saturday night. special". Well, he saw one last Monday, it almost killed him. By Don Campbell hey smell pretty. Two year old Sara -anise Cameron thinks these fresh sprhig. daffodils .smell .pretty. April is Cancer month 'and the flowers were being sold by members of the Canadian • J trees At Quebec, Captain Jamieson decided to solicit • his • services as a carrier of cargo and passengers bound for Toronto. He brought the "Kingston,Lass" alongside the quay and then went ashore in search of business. The•irnmigrants took the opportunity to wash their few • belongings and hang them out to dry on lines stretch d betweentilt masts. There was idle time to gather by die ship's side and watch the stevedores at work. They shouted to each other; in a strange language. French, Duncan MacLeod told 'them. Rising upwards from the docks was a wooded slope and at the very top was the town. A few buildings could be seen and a magnificentchurch spire. MacLeod told that this place was once the very heart of Canada, -the jewel in the French crown. In one stroke of fate, its destiny had changed directions. An English general called Wolfe had stormed those heights and on the plains above had won the battle of Quebec.. Ironically, it was this same Wolfe who, as a Brevet Major, had helped to slaughter the 'Highlanders at their last battle on the bloody heath of Culloden. Neil and Flora also watched the activity on the dockside. Flora's attention was drawn to a ragged barefoot man who looked up at the ship with hungry, pathetic eyes. "Will ye no Tookat that poor man," Flora whispered to Neil. "Half starved he is! Away ye gae, and feteh him a morselof bread and a wee bit o' cheese. Ask what ails him. He fair makes my heart bleed at the sight o' him," Neil MacCrimmon did as Flora asked. He went down Cancer Society last Thursday. The Society raised approximately S90 for Cancer research and many of the flowers were sold in advance. (Photo by Sharon Dietz] the gangplank •with some' food and a tin mug of cold tea. The man gave Neil a sad sniffle of gratitude and sitting upon a bollard, began to devour the food. Neil stood by the 'man and waited for him to finish eating. Looking up at the ship he saw Flora smiling• down at him with satisfaction. . "Who are ye?" Neil asked the man when he had finished eating. "Murdoch," the stranger said softly with a distinct Highland accent. "Hamish Murdoch." Neil was completely surprised, ',`You're from the auld hame. Is life so cruel in this Canada that a . Highlander must dress himself in rags and go wi'out shoes?" The man hung his head in shame. "I had clothes once, but I sold them to buy food for mywife 'sand two wee bairns. They were taken to the cholera camp and I bided wlyem until they were taken from me." , "But ye canna live like this man. Is there no place where ye can find work?" . - . The stranger shook his head then buried his face in his hands. He spoke through his fingers, utterly dejected and ashamed. "There are too'many people looking for work and who would give work to a beggar like- me. If I could, I would away into the country but bite I c uldna go far wi'out shoes or a bite to keep me alive. Kinia fash ye sel roister, wi'out my wife and bairns, there is nothing left for me!" Neil thought deeply for a moment. If things were so bad in Quebec, would they be any worse in Toronto?" "I'll no see a highlandersuffer wi'out cause. Come to Toronto than and try ye Fuck wi' us." He 'p'ointed up at the ship. "We are all together and seek the same fortune. I'll find the price o' ye passage and food and I'll wager that between us, gwe'll dress ye respectable again!" About this time Captain Jamieson returned to the dock and Neil related the poor man's circumstances. He told the captain that he would pay for the man's passage to Toronto. Captain Jamieson turned away from Neil MacCrimmon• and shouted. ' "Ahoy there! Find Doctor' Cameron and ask him to cotne to pie on the dock."' When Doctor Cameron came down the gangplank to where the three men were standing, he had no idea what the captain wanted. "I've got another passenger here, doctor. Funny isn't it. Vve been looking all over the town for passengers, and now I find one within spitting distance of my ship. Take a good look at him doctor, and tell me if he is suffering from anything more than a shrivelled belly!" . The doctor made a .quick examination, then turned to the captain.' - "He is free from cholera, and I suppose that was your main concern. His bone structure and the size of him tell me he has been eating barely enough to keep him alive. I do notrecommend that he take a long voyage." Doctor Cameron smiled, "Blit I think he will live until we see Toronto!" Neil reached into the belt around his waist and took out a gold coin. The captain -waved away the proffered money disdainfully: "Keep your gold MacCrimmon. If what, I have seen of this new land is typical, I think you will be needing it before 1 do!" B'