Cape Breton's Magazine

Annie MacPhee and a Cud of Tea Annie MacPhee: I was only about 14 years old and I was to visit two old ladies, and one was exceptionally good to read tea cups • and the other one would try to learn from her • and they'd be sitting just like Frankie is there, one at each end of the table, drink their tea and then they'd turn around and start • all talking Gaelic and me with them • "What do you see in the cup?" • "What do you see in the cup?" I'd be peering over their shoulders. At last by god I discovered I could read the things that they were talk? ing about, and that's where I started from. I'd say, "Well, there's a man coming to the house and he's got something under his arm" • something like that • and then give the name • and I'm seeing things too, I can see that too. So I kept on from there, just fooling, carrying on. I don't know if it's good or bad. (Did you ever read anything you were sorry later you knew?) Annie; Oh, I don't tell anything bad. You know, if I see a death or anything like that, I don't tell that. Be? cause, I had my own teacup read and this woman told me • and I thought she was crazy • "You're going to stand at an open grave of a very good friend of yours. And just as the undertaker is putting his foot on the pedal to roll the casket into the grave, you're going to turn away and you're going to run and then you're going to bawl and cry by yourself." Well, I said this is crazy. But it happened. It happened. When my cousin's husband died, he just ate his supper and got up from the table like that • he was a very good friend of mine and married to my first cousin • drew his breath and he was gone there. And then I went with her and we were standing ''ma/itl'ka' 314 Charlotte Street SYDNEY Picnic Tables Well-water Ice Cubes Morrison's General Store WRECK COVE Windows, Doors, Awnings, Railings, Siding Modern Aluminum Products tWlton Street, Sydner 562-1104 / 562-1105 A Tradition of Welcome and Comfort Pine Pood by the Fire Telegraph House & Motel overlooking the Bras D'Or Lakes at Baddeck 295-9988 OPEN ALL YEAR 'ROUND Cape Breton's Magazine/9