Their Instructors' Tales
~ Maria Desjardins ~ Leta L.-Malone ~
~ Maurice Michaud ~ Mary Lou O'Hara ~

Evangéline at Grand Pré
 

Evangéline and Gabriel grew up together. They were best friends. From their earliest childhood, they worked together in the farm and love grew between them. In the fall of 1755, they decided to be married.

On September 5, 1755, all the Acadians celebreted the coming wedding of Evangéline and Gabriel. But, when the church bell began to ring, all the men were called into the church by the British guards and the soldiers who came from the British ships in the Bay. In there, they were informed that they were going to be sent away from Grand Pré. It was terrible news!

Five days later, The Acadians were deported from their homes. They were allowed to take only what they could carry. Some families were separated at the time of embarcation. Evangéline tried to stay cheerful. She said to Gabriel, " Be in good cheer, my Love! Our true love will keep us from harm, you will see!"

Evangéline and her father were separated from Gabriel and his father. Night came and Evangeline tried to comfort her father, while they waited to be loaded into a ship. Alas, the smoke began to rise up from Grand Pré. The soldiers burned down all the houses. When Benedict (Evangéline's father) saw his farm burning, he died. Evangéline was loaded into a ship, leaving her father and the ruins of Grand-Pré behind.

The British ships took the Acadian peaple to many different places. They were scattered like flakes of snow along the eastern coast of North America.

Evangéline devoted her life for Gabriel. In the course of the years, many peaple tried to convince her to stop searching for Gabriel. But she was convinced she would find her lover. For those years, Evangéline was seen in tents of missions, in battlefields, in small villages and in big cities. Over time, Evangéline became tired, old and disappointed. She was grifworn and gave up her search. She spent the last few years of her life as a Sister of Mercy, looking after the poor and sick.

But one Sunday morning while climbing the stairs, Evangéline felt an unusual calm. On a bed near the top of the stairs, she saw an old man, long and thin, with grey curls around his face. It was her dear Gabriel! She ran to him. Tears of joy were streaming down her cheeks.

Evangéline kissed Gabriel and told him once more "Be in good cheer, my Love! Our true love has kept us from harm, don't you see?"

At this moment, Gabriel died in Evangéline's arms. She kissed him again. Her search was over then; she could die in peace. Side by side, Evangéline and Gabriel would lie asleep forevermore.

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Dear Maria: My First Journal Entry
une 30 — Dear Maria: It's difficult for me to write a journal. I don't speak English very well. But I'm here to learn. So, I'll give it a shot! I'll do my best but I'd like you to correct all my mistakes. Now you gave me a teachable moment and I feel better! Ha! Ha! I give my word, I will try to write someting. Be patient with me please; I will find a subject. You must remember the group standards! It's not only for students, it's for the teacher too! Ha! Ha! It think if I continue like this I'll have a glitch. You should persevere, Maria I will find someting. Maybe if I pat myself on the back I will see the light? I have an idea; I could share the air time with you. You have the 3 minute rule! You know, use it or you will lose it! It's horrible, I work like a dog to find something. I can't take a break! Take it easy Maria.Trust life, I will get to the point! I have an idea; I could find someone who could give me a hand! Keep your shirt on Maria! I know I talk in circles; I'm in a pickle! Sooner or later I will get to the point. One day I will be on the right track. Hold your horses Maria! Finally I think I'm on a wild goos chase. If I don't want to get up on the wrong side of the bed, I will sleep on it! I'll keep in touch! — Dany

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Some Things Are for the Birds
n July 5, Lucie (the blonde), Francine, Guylaine and I (Dany) went on the Evangeline Trail. We arrived at Bear River at low tide. The river was completely dry. We saw three men who pushing their boat in the mud and Lucie asked (and she was serious), "Where are the fish?"

During the same weekend, on Sunday, we stopped at Wolfville. The Blonde wanted to see the Robie Tufts Nature Centre on Front Street. It offers an interpretative display of Wolfville's Chimney Swifts, the aerobatic birds that fly in spectacular formation as they return to their nest each evening before dark. We spent a lot of time there because we had to wait for darkness. We were dead tired but we decided to stay to please Lucie. Ha! Ha! Nobody was hungry but we ate in a sumptuous restaurant anyway. After that, I should have ran until dark. I am a sports addict. According to the schedule, the birds were supposed to go to sleep at 9 o'clock sharp! When the time arrived, The Blonde was hyper. Like a good photographer she prepared her camera for the hundredth picture of the day! So we waited and waited and waited but the birds did not come on time. When the birds arrived, Lucie's camera wouldn't work. I saw that my film was finished and the batterry of my motion camera was burned out! Wonderful wasn't? Someone told us there were approximately 50 birds that came to sleep in the chimney. To conclude, I asked The blonde if she enjoyed the show. . . I know she caught a glimpse of the birds but I like to tease her. She is so funny!