They were all tired and hungry by the time they arrived at Radium Hot Springs, but the cozy looking log houses scattered about the area and the happy look on the faces of the people they saw running to and from the steaming pool lift their spirits. The previous year, the government had taken over the springs and upgraded the camping grounds, which were conveniently close to the pool. It was a welcome sight to the weary travellers, and they took no time choosing a site and setting up camp. They had arrived on the fourth Sunday of the month, which apparently was the day when the campers liked to get together and have a community dinner.
One of the couples camping beside Nell and Bert invited them to join in, but Nell said she didn’t have anything ready to bring. They insisted that there would be plenty of food for everyone, so Nell took the buns she had bought in Morley, and they all had a lovely meal. They didn’t have to heat water for baths that night, or for the next six nights—the hot pool and the showers kept them thoroughly clean. The thermal pool seemed to help Nell, or perhaps it was the relaxing atmosphere that the resort emitted, but she had never looked healthier. However, they had a long way to go, and Bert knew he would have to find work soon to help pay expenses, so they decided to leave a week later.
When they were all aboard and ready to go, the car seemed more confining than ever, and because none of them wanted to leave, there wasn’t the usual happy chatter. For the first hour they travelled in silence and then Bert asked, “How far is the next town, Nellie? I think what we all need is some ice cream. Who says Ice Cream?”
Everyone hollered back, “Ice cream, ice cream,” and laughed. The car didn’t feel so cramped after that, but it was noon before they came to a small settlement where they could buy both gas and ice cream. There was a nice picnic table in a little park beside the garage and store, so they decided to have lunch before they had their cones. Bert lit the Coleman stove so Nell could boil some wieners and ten minutes later they were enjoying hot dogs and tea. After they finished, they went into the store and bought their ice cream while Bert was getting gas and asking the attendant what the road was like to Invermere, the place they planned on camping for the night.
The man warned that it was rough in spots and there were some steep grades, but if Bert drove carefully, and didn’t speed, he shouldn’t have any trouble. Fortunately, Bert took the man’s advice, because an hour later, they had just come around a sharp corner when he had to slam on his brakes to prevent a l ife-threatening accident. A late model Ford coupe had slid sideways on the road and ended up with its back half on the road and its front half precariously hanging over the edge of a cliff. If Bert had been going any faster, he might not have been able to stop, and he would have hit the car sending it, and whoever was inside, to the bottom of the canyon.
Very slowly, he went ahead just enough to park his car with the tires turned toward the inside bank before getting out to investigate.
“Is there anyone in it?” Nell called out.
“I can’t see,” Bert called back. “You and Chris come and hang onto me while I lean out and have a look.” Nell handed Lloyd to Marion and then she and Chris went to help. Bruce wanted to go too, but Nell told him to stay and look after the little ones. Nell, terrified that Bert would lean over too far, ran back to the car to get Champ’s leash. Then she put it through the belt of Bert’s pants and around herself and Chris.
“I’m not going to fall, but it shall be nice to have you both with me if I do,” Bert joked. Hanging on to Chris’ hand, he leaned as far over the cliff as he dared so he could see into the cab. There were two people in the car; a young man and a young lady, both so paralyzed with fear that they were afraid to move, or even speak. All they could do was plead for Bert’s help with their eyes. Bert knew they were right. The slightest movement might send the car over the cliff. Because it was too dangerous to try to get them safely out right then, Bert did his best to assure them that he would be able to pull the car back on the road.
Suddenly, some gravel gave way under the car, Nell and Chris yanked Bert so quickly, he landed on his backside. Everyone held their breath as the car rocked back and forth. They could hear the young lady stifle a scream into a terrorized whimper. Then it settled down again and Nell gave a silent prayer of thanks. After telling them he would be as quick as he could, Bert hurried back to his car and told Bruce to run back up the road and around the corner to stop any oncoming cars. Nell protested saying she or Chris should do it, but Bert said he may need her to drive and Chris to help tie some rope to the bumpers.
Barely touching the balancing car, Bert looped a rope around the two bumpers. Then he told Nell to put the car in reverse and slowly let the clutch out. “Give her plenty of gas, Nell, so she doesn’t stall,” he ordered. He and Chris stood in front ready to push. He would have liked to wait until another car came to help, but he was afraid it may be too late. He also would have liked to have a thicker rope or a chain.
For a split second, Nell could picture both cars going over the cliff taking her and the children with them, so she told Bert she wouldn’t move until Marion and Kenneth got out of the car. Once they were out, she handed Lloyd to Marion to look after. As soon as they were safely down the road a little, she put the car in reverse and begging it not to let her down, she slowly let the clutch out and pulled down on the gas lever. Her car moved back enough to tighten the rope between the two cars, but then her tires just spun in the loose gravel and neither car moved. Bert called at her to keep the rope tight as he approached the other car. Very carefully, hanging on to the coupe with one hand, he leaned over and managed to open the driver’s door with the other.
“Hurry, climb out now!” he ordered. Reaching for Bert’s hand, the two got out as fast as their stiff limbs would allow and then they collapsed into each other’s arms and wept. Bert told Nell to put the emergency brake on and leave the car in reverse gear before shutting it off. He and Chris found some big rocks to put in front of the tires and then he went back to talk to the young couple. “Now we shall have to be quick and all push on my car while Nell tries backing up again. If we can’t move your car, I’m going to have to untie it and it might go over. I think the front axle is caught on something and that’s why we can’t pull it back.”
Just then, Bruce came running around the corner, “Dad, there’s a truck and he’s coming to help. I told him to come really slow.”
“Good boy, now you had better go back and stop anyone else.” Bruce nodded and left as the truck came around the corner and stopped. “Is there anyone in it?” the driver asked as he was getting out. Bert said no, but that they needed help pulling the car to safety. “No problem, I’ve got a chain that’ll reach. No room for me to turn around, but I can hook it onto my front bumper and onto his,” the fellow said. It didn’t take long before they had the car back on the road, but there was some major damage. Bert did enough repairs so he thought the couple could probably drive it to the next town without breaking down. He also assured them that he would be right behind them if they did have trouble.
The young man was shaking so badly that he didn’t think he could drive, so Bert offered to drive the coupe until they found a place where they could stop and make a cup of tea. Nell wasn’t happy about having to drive down a canyon road, but she had no choice. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before they came to an area where they could pull off and she breathed a sigh of relief. Then Bert said they had better keep going until they got to Invermere, because he was having trouble steering the car and wanted to get into a town where they could take it to a garage as soon as possible. He also suggested the young lady ride with Nell. Nell wasn’t fussy about the idea, but she knew he was worried about the steering on the coupe, so she said that would be fine. The young lady’s name was Pauline, and although she answered whenever Nell asked her a question, she never took her eyes off the road. She’d had a very traumatic experience, and Nell could tell she wasn’t over it.
Another reason Nell was concerned was that Pauline, an apparently tall and slim built young lady, had a waist that said otherwise. Nell suspected her young passenger might be expecting, but she didn’t dare ask in case she was just built that way. They had just gone a little way when they had to cross a very narrow bridge to the other side. Then there was another steep grade, and this time they were on the outside of the road—the side looking down into the canyon. Nell prayed they wouldn’t meet a car, because she didn’t think she could back up without going over the edge.
She was thankful that Pauline was sitting on the other side holding Lloyd and couldn’t see how close they were to the edge. Once they were on the flat again, she breathed a sigh of relief. Chris had managed to keep the children busy asking them their times tables, so they wouldn’t be nervous. He knew that seeing the car hanging over the cliff had upset them too. Bert was having a difficult time driving the damaged car, and they were all very relieved when they finally arrived at Invermere.
The Hudson Bay Company had just built a fort at Invermere in honour of the fur trader and explorer David Thompson, and they named it Fort Point. In 1920 the CPR had built a lodge and cabins there for their workers and when they moved away, the CPR began renting the buildings out to tourists, so there was a lovely place to camp for Bert and Nell, and the young couple was able to rent a cabin. Although there was a garage and a gas pump, there wasn’t a mechanic to fix the car. This turned out to be advantageous for Bert because the garage owner, Jim Baker, had been looking for a mechanic for quite a time, and he asked Bert if he would take the job, at least until he could find a permanent mechanic.
Jim also looked after the cabins, so Bert said he would stay for a few weeks if they could use one of the cabins. Knowing there would be a lot of tourists arriving and that usually meant car repairs, Jim was happy to oblige. Nell was delighted. She enjoyed camping in a tent but staying in a cabin would be a nice treat for a while. There were two small bedrooms and a cot they could use in the kitchen/living room in the cabin, so she looked forward to sleeping in a proper bed and having some privacy for a change. The floors were covered with linoleum, and it was great to be able to let Lloyd down to play.
Their cabin overlooked Dorothy Lake, a pretty lake not much bigger than a pond, and the big Lake Windermere, so although Nell didn’t bother to unpack all their camping equipment, she unpacked the fold-up chairs and table, and they ate most of their meals outdoors enjoying the view. Marion was thrilled when Nell told her that the little lake was named after her because it was as pretty as she was, but then she had to refute her words when she overheard Marion telling some tourist how the lake got its name.
When Nell explained to the tourists what she had done, Marion looked so shocked and disappointed that one of the tourists spoke up and said that as far as he was concerned, every time he thought of the lake, he would think of it as her lake. That’s all it took, and Marion ran off to tell Bruce that she had met a very nice gentleman who thought the lake was named after her.
When they first arrived at Invermere there were only a few tourists, but then the train came with more to stay in both the cabins and the lodge. Bert was already earning his wages by repairing the tie rods and other parts of the car belonging to the young couple they saved. He told Nell that when he and the young man, who said his name was Chadwick Reynolds the Third, were driving to Invermere, the young fellow confessed that he and his girlfriend were running away to get married.
He also said his parents didn’t want him to marry Pauline. “Pauline grew up on the other side of tracks, if you know what I mean,” he told Bert, who replied that he knew exactly what he meant and that was one of the reasons he left England. He also admitted that he hadn’t expected to find such bigotry in Canada. Chad didn’t seem to be short of money and even offered to pay Bert for saving their lives, but Bert told him to save his money. He had an idea that Chad Reynolds, the Second, would soon put a stop to the young man’s allowance when he found out he had run off. Then, when Nell told him what she suspected, he was even more convinced that young Chad was going to have to find a job if he intended to support a family.
Pauline and Chad were so grateful to Bert and Nell, that they were always asking what they could do to repay them. Finally, Nell thought of a way. She asked Pauline if she would mind looking after Lloyd some afternoons while she took the children to explore Dorothy Lake. The water in the lake was so shallow that they could see all the bottom, and the children had great fun watching the turtles swim. Once in a while Bruce would catch one and hold it for a second before letting it go back in the water. There were always lots of ducks landing on the pond and Champ had a wonderful time trying to catch one. Other times he and all three children would do as Nell asked and keep so still and quiet that the ducks often landed right in front of them.
When Bert finished Chad’s car, he had a little time off, so Nell talked him and Chris into coming down to the pond with them. When Bert saw how shallow the little lake was, he went back to the campsite to fetch some rope, nails and a hammer. Two hours later he had a solid little raft and two paddles made out of driftwood. Then he tied one end of a rope to it and the other end to a tree on the beach so the kids could only go out a little distance. “Now what are you going to name your ship?” he asked. They talked it over and Bruce said, “We shall call it The HMS Turtle.”
Bert said that was a brilliant name, and then he and Chris took off their shoes and socks, rolled up their pants, pushed the raft in the water, climbed on board and paddled around to make sure it was safe. “Yea!” the children shouted and clapped their hands. After the men went back to the cabin, Nell sat on the beach and watched the kids having the time of their lives paddling Kenneth around on their mighty ship while Champ barked as he ran and swam after them. There were many turtles in the lake, and some were the size of a dinner plate. Nell thought one that Bruce caught was so beautiful that she allowed him to take it to the cabin to show his dad and Uncle Chris. They were amazed by the complexity of the intricate designs on the turtle’s shell. It had bright yellow stripes on its head, tail, neck and legs and its shell had a bright red design around the outer edge and brown and tan markings in the centre.
“Can we keep him, Mom?” Bruce asked
“No, dear, we have to let him go. He lives in the lake, and he would miss his family if we took him away. You wouldn’t want him to be sad, would you?”
Before he could reply, Marion, who was trying to pretend that she wasn’t afraid of the turtle, spoke up, “Yes, Bruce, would you like to be taken away from us? If some boy tried to take me away, I’d bite them. You better put him back right now before he bites you.”
Nell assured her that the turtle wouldn’t bite, but she agreed that it should be returned to the water immediately. When Nell couldn’t go to the lake with the children, Chris would take them, but even when Bert wasn’t working, he didn’t offer to play with the children. Nell had learned that although Bert was very helpful with the children when they were babies, he lost interest in them once they could talk, and the only time he played with them was to give them rides on his back when he was swimming or teaching them how to drive. He did, however, make them great toys, and the only time he scolded them was when they behaved badly at meal times. Nell knew he loved them and would protect them if the need arose, so she accepted the role of matriarch and disciplinarian and both jobs she accomplished with a stern, but loving hand.
Chad and Pauline didn’t want to leave Invermere. They had grown so fond of the Whites that they decided to stay at the resort until they left. When they heard there was a minister coming on the next train, they decided to ask him to marry them and asked Bert and Nell to stand up for them. At first Nell didn’t think they should get involved, but when Pauline confessed that she was expecting, and Nell found out they were both of age, she changed her mind. Fortunately, the minister who came had a liberal point of view, and he understood how the marriage would not only be one of love, but necessity.
They planned the wedding for the following Sunday, which gave them four days to prepare. Nell insisted that the couple phone their parents and invite them. “At least if they refuse, you’ll both have a clear conscience.”
Pauline’s parents had separated when she was four, and she had been brought up by her mother, who had remarried and now had two young children. When Pauline phoned her, she said she would love to come to the wedding but didn’t know if her husband would look after the kids. Pauline was sure she wouldn’t come, because she had always had an excuse not to be there whenever Pauline needed her, so she said she didn’t care.
Chad’s mother answered when he phoned home, and she cried when he told her he was getting married. She said she wished he would come home and talk it over first, but Chad said that he was getting married in four days with or without them. Then his mother surprised him and said she would try to convince his father to be at the wedding.
Encouraged, Chad’s voice brightened, and he replied, “You can come here by train, and there are some nice rooms at the lodge, so you can stay overnight and go back right after the wedding.” After he hung up, his hopes died as he recalled how stubborn his father was, and he told Bert he was certain they wouldn’t come. “Dad isn’t the kind of man who changes his mind.”
The day before the wedding, the train arrived at one p. m., and with little hope, both Chad and Pauline waited on the platform watching as the passengers began to get off. Suddenly, Pauline jumped in the air and clapping her hands, she cried out, “Mom, Mom,” as she ran to greet her mother, who had a suitcase in one hand and a big parcel in the other. Not only did she come to the wedding, but she had brought a wedding dress for Pauline. Later she confessed, “I always wanted a long white wedding dress, but I been married twice and ain’t never had one, so I made up my mind that least ways my little girl won’t have to go without. I bought you the prettiest one I could find. I just had enough money to get it at the Goodwill store, honey, but I think you’ll like it.”
Afraid of what they would find, Pauline and Nell didn’t want to open the parcel, but they were pleasantly surprised. The dress was lovely. “I love it, Mom,” Pauline said, but then she looked embarrassed and confessed, “It might not fit me though. Chad and I are having a baby. I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Ain’t nothin’ to be sorry about, child, it’s just the way of things—it’s happened to me twice.” Nell began to understand why Chad’s parents were against his marriage, but there was something about Pauline’s mother that she liked, and she said that if the dress was too small, she could put a gusset in the waist.
Chad tried to let on he wasn’t disappointed when his parents weren’t on the train, but everyone could tell he was, so that evening Bert suggested they all go over to the lodge and have a pre-wedding party. When he went over early to arrange it, Jim talked him into trying out the piano. There were a few people about, and it didn’t take long before they were all standing around him singing. No one noticed the middle-aged couple come in and go to the desk.
“We want the best room you have,” the man, who was obviously not in a good mood, demanded.
Jim didn’t care for his tone, but he was accustomed to all kinds of tourists, and answered cordially, “All our rooms are the same, but we still have one left with a view of the lake.” Before the man could reply, the woman smiled and said that would be lovely. Then her husband asked if there was a garage in town. Jim told him that he owned one, but it was closed for the day. The fellow then offered to pay double if his car could be fixed by tomorrow.
“You’ll have to see my mechanic about that,” Jim replied. “That’s him over there on the piano.” The guest paid for the room, picked up his key, and went over to talk to Bert, who had just begun to play and sing the song, ‘The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.’ The man was just about to interrupt by tapping Bert on the shoulder, when either Bert’s rich tenor voice, or his own Scottish upbringing stopped him, and he couldn’t help but sing along. Everyone clapped when they finished.
“Jolly Good!” Bert declared. “Do you know Glasgow Town? That should get them going.” The man said he knew it, but he needed his car fixed before morning, and would pay Bert double his fee if he would fix it right away. Bert could tell by the man’s attire that he could afford it, and he certainly could use the money. “Well, we are having a party tonight, so I doubt I could do that, but let us go have a quick look and I shall see how bad it is.” Calling to Jim, Bert said he wouldn’t be long, and after the man gave the room keys to his wife, they went out to the parking lot, and Bert drove the car over to the garage.
It stalled once in the short distance, so Bert had a good idea what it was. Once they were in the garage, he put on his smock, and opened the hood. “I think you’ve just jarred some of the wires loose. I can fix those in a hurry. You are lucky that’s all that happened. These roads can be dangerous. We came upon a young couple the other day that were as close to death as I have ever seen anyone.” Bert went on to tell the man about Chad and his girlfriend, and that they were getting married tomorrow, and he and Nell were going to stand up for them.
“They are a nice young couple, but because his family are rich and hers aren’t, they, or I think it’s mostly his father, won’t agree with the union. We had lots of pompous idiots like that in England—those born into aristocracy, but I thought I left that kind of nonsense behind me. Now it seems the two have even more of a reason for getting married. I feel sorry for his parents, they shall never know what it’s like to be a grandparent. I know Chad loves his folks, but I am certain he shall make something of himself even without the old codger’s blessings, or money. I also think that although Pauline’s mother may not have been an ideal mother, she shall be a very good grandmother.” All the time Bert was talking he was tightening bolts and nuts. “There you are sir, she’s as good as new, and even at double the price, it shall only cost you a few dollars.”
By the time Bert got back to the lodge, Nell, Chad, Pauline and her mother were there waiting for him to play the piano for a singalong. Nell tried to talk Chris into coming, but he insisted on staying home with the children, even though she said she could take them. Chris didn’t enjoy being with strangers, and he usually preferred to stay home. Bert drank a cup of tea and had a biscuit before sitting down to play. “I was just about to play this Scottish song when I had to leave, so first I’d like to know—is there anyone here from Glasgow?” A loud voice came from the stairs leading up to the rooms, “Aye, Glasgow’s my hometown.” Bert began to play, and Mr. Reynolds sang as he and his wife came down the stairs and over to the piano...
“I belong to Glasgow,
Dear old Glasgow town,
But there’s something the matter with Glasgow,
For it’s going round and round!
I’m only a common old workin’ lad,
As anyone can see,
But when I get a couple o’ drinks on a Saturday,
Glasgow belong to me!”
When the song was finished, Chad had tears in his eyes as he proudly announced, “Everyone, this is my father, Chadwick Reynolds the Second, and my mother, Beatrice. Father, this is my good friend, Bert White and his wife, Nell.”
“Oh, I know Bert, son. He’s told me quite a bit about you,” then he laughed and added “and me!”
Bert pretended to look embarrassed and then he told a little (White) lie, “I didn’t know Chad was your son, Mr. Reynolds. I am sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry Bert. I think I needed to hear it.” Then Mr. Reynolds turned to Chad and admitted, “I just came to try to talk some sense into you, son, but it seems you and Pauline have been through enough. Now my boy, what time is this wedding tomorrow and how can we help?”
All the guests at the lodge and the cabins were invited to join in on the celebration and Mr. Reynolds ordered dinner for everyone. The cook at the lodge did a great job with what she had, and although it wasn’t a fancy meal, it was tasty. Nell had been given the use of the lodge’s kitchen, and she made three, two-tiered, chocolate cakes and Chad’s mother decorated them. All the Reynolds left after the wedding because Chad and Pauline were going on an ocean cruise, courtesy of Chad’s parents. It was a sad parting, but Nell promised to keep in touch when they were settled in Vancouver.