5m,

56. A Miraculous Recovery

Alphy and Margurita worked hard, and there was little time to relax, but they usually found time to spend together as a family.

Sometimes Alphy would play the organ, and teach the children a few basic tunes, such as Marie d Madeline. Around Christmas

time he would play beautiful Christmas carols like Silent Night and [1 Est Né.

Margurita would often read the ‘family page’ in the Family Herald (newspaper), and then she would relay the story to the children before bedtime. The story usually had a moral to it, like ‘treat others as you want them to treat you’. Sometimes Margurita would make popcorn in a pan on the potbelly stove in the living room. The children would gather around her, next to the stove, and listen to the story while waiting for the popcorn.

Alphy would also take time to teach basic drawing concepts to the children. One of his favorite drawings was the head of a horse, which he drew with great skill.

There were specific games which the children played during each season. Baseball was always a favorite in springtime, and the neighbouring children would often gather at the Doucette’s for a

game of baseball.

Sometimes Father Richard would also join in the game. With his long, lanky legs, he could outrun the best of them. For the most part, the younger children wouldn’t compete in baseball, but would make their own fun.

The younger children enjoyed playing hopscotch, skipping rope, hide-and-seek, and red light. Sometimes the girls would spend hours

109