by Helen Anderson Brien pg 265 More Big Hill Country 2009
I will always remember Mr. and Mrs. Andy Chapman in the cold winter days with their hand pushed mail cart, meeting the trains, getting the full mailbags and trundling the cart back to the Post Office.
Dave Murray’s blacksmith shop and Clem Colgan’s garage were great places for the local men to collect and have a visit. During the curling season, the rink was another good place to meet friends and cheer for your favorite team. The library, which was in Hart’s Drugstore, was one of my favorite places. While browsing around for a book you could buy a delicious ice cream cone for five cents. The theatre was in the Elks’ Hall and the movie was usually a surprise; it seldom showed the picture that was advertised, there were always breakdowns, but when you heard a cheer from the audience, especially the younger folk, the show would flash on and it was well worth waiting for.
The creamery, the old brickyard, flour mill and Bunney’s dairy were all interesting places to visit.
The country castle (Retreat) was a beautiful place, and the saskatoons that grew on the hills, I can just taste them now! I would dearly love to climb those hills and pick berries again.
The Elks’ Hall was, of course the centre of all the good times we had at dances. Flora Garson and Janet McGuire were the chief hand stampers.
Dewey Blaney was another grand person; he was the first colored (sic) person I had ever seen. He was a friend to everyone and I’m sure he heard many confessions and settled more disputes than the local authorities.
Another dear old gentleman was Nick Cosis. What an interesting man he was. He had lived a very exciting life in Greece. Among all these interesting characters was Stanley Cope. He used to tie his horses up at the hitching post behind Andison’s store. He once told me “Horses are here to stay and the day of the motor car is nearly over, besides horses are more sensible.”
My memories of Father Fitzpatrick and Father Lessard are also cherished.
