Nell turns 21 in Morin Heights - March 1920

Nell tells the story of how she came to celebrate her 21st birthday in Morin Heights away from family and friends.

Clouding of the Lungs

I didn't have any problems. The only thing I had was too much work and too much fun. When I was 21, I had to go away because I had the clouding of my lungs.

I was working at that time down on St. James St. It was at Johns-Manville. It was before they got where they are today. I was working and also going out at night on parties, dates and things. The building that we were in - it was an old, old building. If you wanted to go to the toilet it was down in the basement and it was all water down there. It was really an old, dirty building.

I think maybe I caught cold and didn't take care of it, because I mean, I was too busy having a good time.

So I went to the doctor and he told me that I'd have to give up smoking. I said I never smoked and he said, "You can tell your mother that but you can't tell me."

I said, "I don't care but I don't smoke." 

He said, "I'll have to get you to get away then. You've got to get away and get rid of that infection in your lungs." 

Recuperating in Morin Heights

So I went up to Morin Heights and I was up there for a month when I was 21. I had my 21st birthday by myself up there.

That's Uncle Abe. That's when I was 21 when I was up in Morin Heights recuperating and he was in the house that I stayed in. But there were two of us recuperating there. And the minister was there that was sweet on me.

"Uncle Abe" and Nell, March 1920		The other girl who was not well.

"Uncle Abe", the curate who was "sweet on" Nell and unknown man. Which of the men is the curate? Was the other man a family member?

The Curate as a Friend

While I was there I met the curate who came out to preach on the Sunday. So he and I went around together.  But he wouldn't let me go into the houses because it was when they had a flu epidemic. That's one reason the doctor sent me away too. He didn't want me in town when the flu epidemic was on. It wasn't pneumonia. 

But he came to see me after when I got home but I was never cut out to be a minister's wife and I knew it. It's nice to have company when you're away from home like that and it's nice to have somebody interested in you, even though you're not that much interested in making a deal of it.

Can YOU fill in the blanks in Nell's story?

Do you have a story related to Nell's experience in Morin Heights in 1920?

Who is the curate she was friends with?

Who are the people who ran the house where she stayed?

Can you tell us more about how the flu epidemic affected Morin Heights?

What do you know about the Anglican Church in Morin Heights?