The Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-09-26, Page 39The're were two trains leaving from Pantown on the
morning of Dec. 30, 1914. One at 7 a.m. bound for
Toronto, and a second at. 7:20 heading north to
Sudbur�i and points 'inbetween.,.Mary ignored the
comfort of the stove in the waiting room. There was a
small crowd in' there, any of whom might recognize
the Minister's daughter, instead, she chose to seclude
herself on the south side of the buildings in the shelter
from the cold wind. She had to buy a ticket for her
journey north, but so far had not chosen a person to
ask to purchase the ticket on her behalf. The "Angel
of Mercy" appeared in the form of a tall, well built,
blond haired man carrying a sort of rucksack on his
back. He wore a cloth cap and he smiled at Mary - a
shy and uncertain smile. Mary was not used to
striking up a conversation with strange men, but
necessity has no conscience. She took sorn.e bills from
her handbag and approached the stranger who
removed the cap from his head. With some difficulty,
partly because she was nervous, but also because the
Man knew little English, she asked him to procure for
her a ticket to Sudbury.
"Sure, I get ticket, Me, i go Sudbury - I look for Yob
- work."
They boarded the train together, before it was light
and shared the same compartment. Mary didn't feel
afraid of being alone with the young .man. A person so
obviously embarrassed by her presence, was not likely
to harm her. It was in fact Mary who had to draW".him
into conversation, and he seemed, in spite of his
powerful frame, to be a kind., gentle soul.
"I Svedish, fon Sveden - chop trees - big trees i
lumber man. My. name Carl - Carl. Neilson."
- Mary laughed good naturedly at his attempts to
introduce himself and realized it was the first time she
had laughed- in many days.
The train puiled.out of Pantown, locomotive wheels
spinning at. the start and buffers banging together
causing4the carriages to, jerk. irh, the half -Fight .Mary
saw the silhouettes- of familiar buildingsdisappear
behind, the train.
She felt a little lighter in spirits now. The big
Swede was a pleasant travelling companion:' With
woman's intuition. Mary knew the young Man was
attracted to her. She felt safe and secure in his
presence. Nobody was likely to molest her whilst she
travelled with him. One glance at her powerful
new-found companion, was enough to distract
anybody..
When the morning sun greeted the rolling land, the
Reverend Douglas MacLeod wakened to an empty.
house. There was a,coid feeling' .in, the air. The odour
of perking coffee, his usual morning greeting, was
absent and he called out for his daughter, -Sensing
' something was drastically wrong with the normal
daily routine.
He dressed quickly and went downstairs. The table
was set for breakfast and there was water in the kettle
on the stove - a stove which now onlycontained a.few
red embers and grey ash. The house: was cold.
Douglas removed the stove lid and tossed some thin
pieces of kindlingwood on the dying fire. They burst
into flame and he placed some larger pieces on top
andpulled the draught damper open. Propped against
. , a silver toast. rack on the table was a, letter in the bold
hand writingof his daugher. With trembling fingers
he unfolded the paper and rend, his facial expression
-changing to one of utter bewilderment. The minister,
Oison's GiaveI.J'it
DUNGANNON, ONt. 529-7942
B1 GRAVEL
B2GR1vEL
C. GRAVEL
FILL
SAND, STONE DUST, CRUSHED GRAVEL 140
CEMENT GRAVEL, 150 -155
5/8, 3/4 STONE, 200 205
600 T. 400 T. • 200 T.
65 70 75
60 ^'5 70
60 65
•60
LOAD
80
75
70
65
11115
ABOVE PRICES INCLUDE DELIVERY UP TO 3 KM.
Backhoe, septic tanks, area- beds,
dozer, scraper, leveler, available
for a good job done.
For further prices call Freeman Olson
in a few brief moments was reduced from an over
confident leader to a miserable dejected being. He
was not capable of giving himself advice. Life cannot
always be evaluated from the words spoken from a
pulpit. Douglas MacLeod needed the strength of
another man in his hour of need, but who? Strangely
—.he could think of -only one person he would choose to
be by his side at this moment - his old tormentor,
James MacCrimmon.
It was a cold and dejected preacher who presented
himself at the house on the Hungry Hundred and
knocked on the door, He was admitted by the not too
friendly face of James, just up from the barn from his
chores.
"Oh! So it's the Reverend Douglas MacLeod is it?
You sure as 'ell won't be wantin' me. I'll get the
pife!"
The minister laid his hand almost affectionately on
James's arm.
"James," he said breathlessly. "We haven't been
very good to each other and I know you don't have
much .time for me, but I need your help." There was
no hesitation in James's reply.
"And you know damn well _I'll 'elp yer, don't yer -
what do yer want me ter. do?"
Douglas MacLeod related the contents of Mary's
letter.
"The railway station at Pantown - we'll start there
so we will." He shouted to his wife somewhere in the
house.
"No time for breakfast now - I'm goin' to Pantown
with MacLeod:- so I am!"
The journey to the ,railway station at Pantown was
fruitless. Nobody had seen an unaccompanied girl get
on the train for Toronto or any other -place.
Where had Mary gone?'
.1
Lpcknow Sentinel, Wednesday, October 3, 1979r -Page 7
Earn As High As
11 3/4%
5 Year Annual Interest
-Guaranteed ..
Investment Certificates
Top interest Rates
Through Such Trust Co. as
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Standard - District - Greymac
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Also paying as high as 11% -%
on 1 year investments
All. Companies members of the
Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation
Rates quoted as of October 1,1979
invest Through
Rock McDonagh,
Box 250, Lucknow, 528.34
A time to count your blessings
and be truly thankful
Lucknow, Ontario