As I Remember Them

care the land was given over the years. He always had good horses, which were kept in good shape, and he al- ways kept a good driving horse. He kept several cows and grew a lot of luscious hay. He had plenty of wood— land and always had lots of firewood. There was a big orchard between the house and the road where many apples grew. He always had very strong horses and they pulled the biggest loads of wood I ever saw hauled on a sleigh. I recall one time Dan was not feeling well, and Hector and I went to help him haul in some long timothy. He was saying, “You could not stick the horse.“ Hector and I made the load broader than long and Dan finally had to call to us to take the load home. The poor horse hardly made it to the barn. Although we worked on a very hot day, that night I got on my bicycle and drove to Murray Harbour and back, about 24 miles. Oh, for those days of vim and vigour!

Although Dan did so much work on the farm, he was always willing to help a neighbour. I remember Jimmie Dixon picking him up. The three of us drove up to High Bank to John W. MacLean’s, who was the only Justice of the Peace in the county, to sign some school papers. That meant that when Dan got home, he would have to stay long hours to milk the cows by lantern light. There were no electric lights in Little Sands at that time.

When my father was alone as an old man, Dan often would call in and visit him. I still think he felt sorry for him living alone.

Dan went one year when he was quite young on a Harvest Excursion. The fee at that time was only $12.00 to the Prairies. I think that was his only experience of the outside world.

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