HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-10-17, Page 7• *I
ImicknOw SentlneL Wedneildsb October 17t 1979 --Palle 7
When Mary MacLeod arrived ,in Sudbury. • she
looked for lodgings. She was told that, the policestation.
Station. could provide the names and addresses of
respectable people providing room and beard. With
the aroe frame of Carl Neilson striding beside her and
carrying. the Carpet .bag, she made her way to the
police building:A pleasant Middle aged lawman gave
her the addressesshe required ,and pointed to one
• . which he specially recommended.- a Widow wome
living ,at No. 10 Pine Street by the name of Mr.
Johnson.
The lady in question was a Plain clean looking
woman, whose house reflected the,habits of its owner
- cleanliness and simplicity.
' "My name is. Mary MacLeod and a man at the
police station said you might provide me with board
and lodging." .
"And I'm Fanny Johnson," the landlady replied
taking Mary's hand in her own, "but just call me
Fanny, everybody else does!"
Fanny Johnson turned her attention to. Carl Neilson
who stood respectfully cap 'intend, smiling nervously.
"Is -this gentleman yourhusband?" •
Mary laughed. "No, thie ie Carl Neilson, He's from
Sweden - we ,just travelled up on the train together,
but I think he would like a place to stay too."
• Mary wae givena room on the second floor and Carl
an attic.type apartment at the top of the house. Fanny,
made no bones about the conduct he expected.
"This is a very respectable house," she said
quietly 'We "We keep to our Own rooms ,/y meetings
with residents or visitors take place in;the parlour, and
that room must be cleared by 10 p m 1 hope these
arrangements are satisfactory • '
• The next morning; Carl Neilson left the hOUse early
in: search of work and later, Mary herself went out on
the same mission., Fanny told her about a dress -
Maker's establishment who might find her employ-
ment .--It.Wat, a small shop in the centre of .the town.
Here May demonstrated her skills with the needle and
was given a job fashioning ladles gowns at a wage. of a
dollar per day. •. , • •• • . •
It Was Several days before Carl found work and then
not exactly what he had been used to. Beggars can't
b choosers, -and tbe big Swede found 'a job at the
mrnes 11 was good'? 'Paying work and Carl was 'able to
save a tittle money He Worled.long.Hours and for as
many days as he could. Mary sometimes got a glimpse
of his blackened fade com'ing, always smiling, through
the doorway would be tired almost to the point of
exhaustion, and she hadlittle chance' to: talk to him
during: the week. He .would' bathe, eat his evening
meal and go straight ' to bed • •
Sometimes on Sund4r.si, after Mary had been th
church, they spent a few hours, together in. the,
Parlour, more often than not; in the company of other
.boarders: It was a peculiar existence to Mary and she
often shed tears when her mind was carried back to
her home in Redtrees On Sundays In particular, she
thought almOst constantly about her ••father, the
.9everendDouglas MacLeod, picturina him speaking
, •
from the • Perhaps he 'brought, the feeling of
comfort andhope to the families who • had sons,
brothers and husbands in the fields of France,. Whilst
he himself suffered the heartache of loneliness.
-One $unday in -March, the inevitable qUesilon was
raised whilst Mary, Carl and Mrs. Johnson were
sitting together in the ParloUr. It was a question Which
made' the blood rush to Mary's face in utter •
embarrassment.
BY D.A. CAMPBELL
• "Do you find the room too warrn, Mary? I do hope
yotfre taking.care of yourself: Have you managed to
•: find a dootor? The first child usually • needs more
attention than the others." •
• For a moment Mary was going to rebiY, but what
could she say? She picked up a bundle of knitting. she
• had been working on whilst shechatted, and excusing
herself; left for the seclusion of her roOm. Here, she ..
burst into tears. Of course Fanny Johnson knew. Mary
could no longer conceal the fact that she was
expecting a baby. The time was getting nearer with
• every passing day - she would have to face up to
reality and make decisions for the future. Planning
however, would not be easy. She must work to live,
and the baby would be a great burden, no matter how
muCh 'she wanted to have the child of Angus. In the
parlour, there was a long embarrassing silence but
Fanny inevitably turned her attention to Carl,
"Mary has to realize the position she is in - an
unmarried mother will find things most difficult. I.am
sorry I upset her: I didn't mean to really."
Carl had witnessed the proceedings with sympathy
and embarrassment. He was ashy fellow and not used
to being drawn into a conversation of this nature. He
• held his blond head high and confronted the landlady
• squarely.
. "No worry tor you - she have baby. I get doctor - I
got money,. I work, work good. pay for Mary, for
baby, for everything;''
1 nit Was a shot out of the blue to Mrs. Johnson.
Was there something between these two which" had
been kept from her? She just had to find out.
"Are you •trying to tell me that •you, you are -
• responsible?."
For 'the first time Carl showed anger and his usual.
smiling face changed,• ••
",!No.' I. hot father. I don't care who is father. She
• good woman. I don't ask her who is fathe" He •
wrung his handstogether - big strong callused hands.
She be Alright - you see - I pay for everything."
If Mary had beard .that conversation she would
have been amazed ,at the devotion the big Swede had
for her. Fanny Johnson never approached Mary again'
• about the 'future of her child. There was a guardian
angel standing beside Mary in her hour of need, even
though she dicinq know it at the time. • •
Several days later, Mary was surprised' when Carl
returned to the boarding house early. He .was all. clean
and smiling -and carrying a small bunch of daffodils •
• which he presented to Mary in his shy, hesitant way.
"1 like,you take these,"; was all he could say.
Mary had grown fond of the blood, well built
Swede. Despite his strength he was gentle, kind, and
'considerate. Shethankedhim, and was about to take
the flower's to her room when he laid a 'hand on her
arm,and looked into her face.
"I like you take . .". He hesitated in his shyness.
Mary 'looked at him with a puzzled face, not sure
what he was trying to say.
"Flowers not last !Ong - 1 like you take me - I want
you should marry me." • •
He looked earnestly into her eyes for the answer
and saw the hurt. In her heart the belonged to
somebody else. He hastened to reassure her: • •
"1 knoW you, love somebody else butyou need
me now ...1 wait. Maybe one day, you want me tool"
•
Letters to the editoi•
October 10, 197. .]
To the Editor'
Once more subscription
renewal time has arrived and
1 must "shell out" to keep
your much appreciated week-
1ycorning.
• Each year at this time, for
the interest of Harvey Mac-
• Dougall arid the members of
his Nei, Herizon's "Save the
Bluebird" club, 1 have re-
ported briefly on my own
project.
Although late winter snow
storms in Eastern United
States apparently canted
considerable mortality to mi-
gration flikhts, fair numbers
Strived in the Ottawa giver
valley and about 250 'eggs
were laid in the boxes on my
own bluebird trail, Which is
bout average for the past
five or six years. Many of the
hundredplus interested indi-
viduals to whom I have
mailed literature in Eastern
Ontario are now beginning
to get bluebirds in their
nesting boxes, much to their
• delight.
• Last May the Ottawa New
Horizon's cornmittee enter.
tallied a number, of those
acture in various New Hori'
on Projects at the
Chateau Laurier, the major
entertainment being suppli-
ed by the Senior Citizens
Symphony Orchestra from
Toronto. The purpose of the
event, other than entertain-
ment, was to present certifi-
cates of achieveritent to a
number of those who have
been active in organizing
various New Horizon activit-'
•
.ty groups-. in recent years.
The certificates were signed
by the then Prime Minister,
Pierre Trudeau, and present-
ed by ex -mayor of Ottawa,
Lor'rie Greenberg. 1 was for-
tunate enough to be a recip-
ient of one Of the certificates.
Keep the Sentinel cotning.
I enjoy Is, especially "Acres .
of Mrnory". •
• •Sincerely,
C. Graham MacNay.
267 Kirchoffer Ave.,
Ottawa, Ont. K2A 1Y1
+ + +
Being bored and • being
contented are often two
view points of the same
thing.
•
•
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