John Proctor's Ghost

Not the Ghost of John Proctor...



Mr. Proctor had his own personal ghost.



My home town of Brighton, Ontario had but one real Ghost and as I said, it was not John Proctor.



Proctor was a wealthy businessman who lived during the 1800s and during that time he built a large mansion that overlooked our fair village. His home was to the north of town less than a rifle shot away from the village grave yard.



On top of the Proctor home was a widow's walk where it is said Proctor kept close watch on his many ships entering and leaving Brighton harbour which in turn led to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence.



As a prosperous businessman, Proctor had many workers toiling on his behalf one of which was a poor soul by the name of Nix. Nix was married and no doubt had a bevy of little Nixes. What he did not have was money. In fact he was in debt to old man Proctor for advances made on his puny pay.



All would have gone along okay except for the fact Nix up and died. No doubt from being worked to death by Proctor.



His distraught wife came to John Proctor requesting the body of her husband for burial. To her absolute dismay, Proctor refused her request. Nix, he said, owed him $20.00 and his body would not be released to the family until said debt was paid in full. No doubt he put in an additional request for interest on the loan.



The widow having no means whatsoever, went home sans husband.



Proctor then placed Nix's body in the dank cellar of this mansion and there, over the years, it rotted - so to speak.



Now some strange happenings occurred. People living in the vicinity of the Proctor Mansion began to see at night a bright ball of fire emanate from the vicinity of the basement and fly through the air to the Town's grave yard which was located a short distance to the east. No doubt Proctor had an unrestricted view of these occurrences from his perch on high in the mansion's widow's walk.



But these occurrences unfortunately did not persuade Proctor from doing the right thing and turning over the body of Nix over to his wife and family.



I say unfortunately, since a short time later it cost Proctor, himself, his life. He was working on the barn roof next to the mansion and inexplicably fell (was pushed?) to his death.



No accident, said the locals - olde Nix had just taken his just revenge.



That's the story of Proctor's Ghost.



But let's move ahead a little.



It is now the 1950s in fair olde Brighton and yours truly and several other contemporaries are attending Johnny's 10th birthday party in February - in the evening. It was dark and on leaving the party we all decided to walk one of our number - Eric - home. Eric lived near the olde Proctor mansion and to save time we decided to cut across a few fields that cut just south of the mansion and behind the homes on Yonge Street where Eric lived.



On route, we ran into a chap by the name of Kenneth. Kenneth lived just below the mansion and indeed his home was closest in the village to the Proctor mansion. We naturally began talking about the Ghost Story.



Had Kenneth ever seen the Ball of Fire trying to enter the Grave Yard? - we asked. Of course he had - "numerous times". Our imagines went wild.



Just as we were approaching a wooden bridge - that crossed a small creek - that then led to Yonge Street, a man jumped out from under it and headed directly for the Proctor Mansion. Well you can imagine. We had scared ourselves quite enough before this happening - now with it - we screamed bloody murder and raced to the safety of Eric's home.



An unforgettable moment they say.



Now let's flash further ahead.



I am grown and once again living in Brighton and decide one day to take my 3 children to the Proctor House which has now become a museum.



Of course I tell them first about the Ghost - to get them in the right frame of mind.



A pleasant middle age woman greets us at the door and then accompanies us around the house pointing out various things of interest. Of interest to her that is. My children and I are only thinking about one thing - the Ghost in the Basement.



After she concludes the tour she asks if we have any questions. Only one I blurt out - "would it be possible for us to go down in the basement"?



"Whatever for" she replied. "There is nothing down there except the gardener's tools".



Nonetheless, I prevail upon her to let us see the basement telling her, in my pitch, about the John Proctor Ghost. She looked at me as if I had two heads - obviously the woman is a transplant from Toronto.



Anyway - we creep down the olde wooden stairs - and the lady was right - no Ghost, only a bunch of rakes and shovels.



How disappointing.


"Galagher"

p.s. During public school, I delivered the Globe and Mail and one of my customers was Stella Proctor - the last of the Proctors. During the summer months, Ms. Proctor lived in the olde Mansion with a woman companion who served as her aide. Years later, my wife was the head nurse at a Nursing Home in Trenton, and one of her patients was a 105 year old by the name of Amelia. This lady told my wife about the wondrous Balls that the Proctor family held at their mansion, high on Brighton hill, in the late 1800s. I often wonder if, during those glorious Balls, any of the guests took it upon themselves to check out the basement?

The Senate or The Monarchy?

Which should go?




No question - the Senate. It is a waste of money and is just a retirement home for Flaks / Hacks / Ner-do-wells. And oh yes, it is undemocratic. I get a little carried away ...




So what about an Elected Senate?




It would only succeed in adding another layer to an already slow and bureaucratic legislative process. Better to spend the money on House Committees to make them effective and to provide the ordinary MP with some real power.




I have heard it said that we need a Senate because the USA has a Senate to protect their States (read Provinces). But America does not have our British North America which protects the Provinces through a division of power with the Federal Government.




And as for Sober Second Thought - I have yet to see it happen. Perhaps it's due to the 'Sober' requirement?




The sooner the Senate goes - the better. Indeed, I would like to see Stephen Harper include its abolishment as part of his next Election Platform.





So what about the Monarchy? Should it go too?




No.




Can you imagine a President Jean Chretien? I shudder.




With the Monarchy, we here in Canada have something very special - dating back to the year 924 A.D..




Once it is gone - it is gone forever and Canadians will be the poorer for it. That said, I am not optimistic about its future given that many Canadians are either apathetic to the Monarchy or outright antagonistic.

They do not stop to consider what its replacement would be.

Simply stated, it would consist of more politicians which in turn would mean more partisan politics.

The value of the Monarchy is that it is above Politics and as such is unbiased. This can be of great value in times of trouble.

Think back to the Prorogation crisis of last year. Although I disagreed with the Governor General's decision, I respected it for the reasons noted above.

Also think back to the Second World War when Britian was all but defeated. Who did the populace look to before Winston Churchill came officially on the scene. It was the King, whom they rallied around and it was the King whom they were prepared to die for if necessary.

But it wasn't King George the VI - the man; but rather King George the VI the instituiton that rallied the populace.

We have been blessed for many years in having one of the great Monarchs on the Throne - Queen Elizabeth II. I do not suspect that Charles will be so well received but I do have great hope for his son William. But as I have attempted to show above, it really does not matter who occupies the Throne per se, it is the long tradition and history of this institution that makes it special and of value to us all.

Again, I am fearful for the future of the Monarchy here in Canada, but much more fearful of its replacement.

As I see it..

"Galagher"