The Bell
Lilli Nakskov's second Mount Royal employer was an important Canadian Pacific Railway executive. The lady of the house ruled with an iron hand. Servants were expected to behave perfectly, even when the children didn't. And those children could be cruel or malicious.
Lilli was responsible for setting the table for dinner each evening. A little bell was always placed on the table so the lady could ring for the servant. One evening, Lilli forgot the bell. The lady called her into the room and angrily shouted The bell! The bell!
Lilli did not know the word "bell". It was clear that something was missing but what could it be? Bewildered, she looked around desperately. One of the sons––a teenager Lilli always remembered gratefully––realized her plight. He led her to the sideboard, picked up the bell and said quietly, Lilli, this is the bell.
Lilli never forgot the bell after that.
Renovations
The CPR executive's house was extensively renovated while Lilli was there. The family moved into a palatial suite in the CPR's Palliser Hotel to escape the discomfort. Each morning Lilli went to the hotel to work for the family but she was expected to sleep at the house.
Often she would return later in the evening, when it was dark. To get to her room, she'd make her way along planks and boards laid across floor joists or wobbly supports over the open rooms below. Lilli never knew whether she'd make it without falling off! Or whether an intruder was hiding in the darkness.
Lilli did not stay there long.
Adapted from the 2005 Heritage Book,with permission from the Federation of Danish Associations in Canada
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