Beryl and Barney - Courtship and Marriage

How did you first meet your husband?

Well, I shouldn’t tell you this.  He was going around with my best girlfriend, and she went away to work in Halifax.

Who was she?

May.  She was May Manthorne, a girl from here.  She and I were together an awful lot.  So anyhow, when she went away, I hadn’t heard from her.  So, I was coming down the road with some more of the girls one evening, and I met him coming.  And I said to them, “Just a minute, I’m going to stop and ask Barney if he’s heard from May.”

So, I stopped and talked to him, and we talked and talked…and my girls was gone!  So, he walked me home, and after that…that was it!  I don’t think she liked it all too well, but however…she got a nice man.  I guess he made more money that my husband did, so…

....

Her father married Barney and I.  He was a minister...

Whose father?

Elizabeth's--the one who comes from Ontario.  He was in Goldboro and Isaac's Harbour at the time, and he also preached here when we didn't have a minister.  So, anyway, when we decided we were gonna get married, we asked him would he marry us.  And "Oh, yes," he said, "Surely."  And we had the date set and everything, and it come a snowstorm.  The night before, and that day.  

So the men...Claire's brother, Rollie O'Hara...they called him the road foreman, he had to see about getting the men out to shovel the road.  So he went, and he got them, and it started to rain.  Well, they couldn't stay out in the rain.  So he come over and he said, "Beryl, we couldn't finish up on the road, and I don't know if the minister can get down or not."  

So, there was only one telephone in the place, and that was at his mother's house, so I had to go over to the telephone and call the minister and tell him that I didn't think he'd get down.  "Oh," he said, "We'll try it.  One thing you can't postpone is your wedding date."  He was so good, you know.  And I said, "Well, we didn't expect that!"  "Yes," he said, "I'll try it."  And he got...you remember that old building up in Drum Head, looks like it's falling down, like a big garage?  Well, he got that far in his car, and my father, and Lorne--was Lorne living when you were at Claire’s? …Anyway, it was Claire's husband, my uncle Lorne--my father and him, they put on oilskins, and they went up and met the minister.  

And of course, he got wet coming down, and my father took him into our place in Drum Head, and he put on--he was only about this tall, just a short man, and my brother was somewhat taller--but he put on his clothes, and turned the sleeves up, and they gave him a raincoat, and the three of them walked down here.  

And the fellow, the student of my husband, he lived in Drum Head, and he walked down with me.  I had to, I put my uncle [unclear] coat on, we walked down, and I got here.  Barney was lying on the couch--he had a white shirt on--and I said, "Boy, you better get to your feet, the minister's on his way!"  So were were married in there.

Right in here?

Yes.  We wanted to be married in the church, you see, but the plans were upset.  But however, we had our reception afterward.

What time of year was that?

In January.  Now, why would anybody get married in January?  That's what you call being madly in love!  Well, I did...I loved him something terrible; I admit it!

How did your parents feel about the match?

Oh, they thought a lot of him.  Yeah, oh yes, they thought that Barney was allright...well, he was.  He was a good man.  We never got rich, but we had some good times.  Used to take a few little trips, one thing or another, after the girls grew up.