There is on the North-West side of Breeches Lake a logging road that leads to Gosford Road, the latter initiated by the Lieutenant Governor of Lower Canada, Archibald Acheson, Count of Gosford, who authorized in 1838 a new road from St. Gilles to Sherbrooke through Inverness, Maple Grove and the townships of Ham and Dudswell. The “Gosford Road” was eventually completed in 1843. At the crossing of both roads there is a township called Sanborn where a family of English settlers decided to make a homestead around 1819. The newly married couple had arrived from Scotland and the Lower Canada government offered them 50 acres of farmland not far from Gosford Road.
The couple had two daughters, Marianne and Isabel, both born one year apart, in 1822 and 1823. Marianne, the eldest, was also the most energetic and spirited. She loved to take care of the two cows, the sheep, the two pigs, the chickens and most of all, her horse Braco given to her by her father for her 16th birthday. When the Gosford trail was being built, she enjoyed riding her horse Braco and watch the young workers and soldiers to do the work.
One day a soldier working on the road took a liking to the girl and with his hat in his hand introduced himself.
- “Good morning Miss., my name is Pierre Charland, and I would be very much pleased to answer your questions about this work, if you have any.”
- “Good morning sir, my name is Marianne Hamilton and I live not far from here. I know from my father that this road will take us to the city of Sherbrooke and allow us to better sell our dairy products and crops to the nearby villages.”
When Marianne left for home, her thoughts were with the handsome young soldier that she had met. Marianne continued visiting the Gosford working establishment and met Pierre every day for a few minutes.
They fell in love. On Sunday, when the soldiers had a break from the constant work at the Gosford Road, Pierre and Marianne would spend some time visiting Breeches Lake, which was at short distance. The lake offered nice beaches and they could fish a couple of trout and cook them on the spot.
One day Pierre told Marianne: “I have to return to the regiment as we are finishing the road near the town of Richmond. I will come back with my full pay and we shall get married”. Marianne gave Pierre a necklace made of a small piece of amber with a fly trapped inside. “This is for you to remember me. I am that fly trapped until you return”. They kissed, said good bye and Pierre rode away on his horse, while Maryanne would return to her parent’s farm at Sanborn. That night she cried as the separation from her loving friend was too overwhelming. Her mother would console her: “Do not worry. Pierre will be here soon and you two will celebrate a nice wedding”.
Three months passed and Pierre would not return. On Sundays she would go to Breeches Lake and fish while dreaming about the return of her beloved friend.
One day, while she was fishing at Breeches Lake, she heard a faint cry and she found that a short little man was trapped in a hunter’s net for rabbits, at the shadow of a cedar tree. She felt pity for the small man and without great difficulty liberated him. In fact, he was a Gnome and said: “Hello, my name is Olgar and I am one of the defendants of this lake which belonged to my ancestors for generations. The hunters would have killed me as they know that we, the Olgars, defend the animal life around the lake. After work I come here to play my magic flute.” Marianne responded: “I have never seen anyone like you, but do not fear. I will defend you to the best of my powers.”
“Well, in recompense”, said Olgar, “when you are in need, just come here to this very place and shout: Olgar, Olgar, hear my plea!” and I will be at your side to help you”.
“If that is the case, I have a request for you: All I want is the return of my dear friend Pierre Charland. He is a soldier working on the Gosford Road going to Sherbrooke. If you could only find him and tell him, Marianne, the girl who loves you says, Come home, as I am trapped like the fly in the amber necklace”.
“That is a very simple request” said Olgar. He took the flute, closed his eyes and played a short melody. When he opened his eyes, he addressed Marianne in the following terms:
“Your friend has finished the work and he is ready to come to see you within two days, at midday in this very spot.”
He came as promised and both went to Sanborn to give the news to Marianne’s parents. They were very happy about the couple whose wedding was to be celebrated one week later. The newlywed couple lived at Sanborn in the log cabin that Pierre expanded to accommodate the new family. A few months later both Marianne’s father and mother passed away from a severe illness, her sister had married and was living in Quebec City and Marianne was left alone with Pierre in the log cabin at Sanborn. They worked the land and were happy, until one day Marianne told him the story of Olgar. Pierre was very surprised at hearing the powers of the Gnome.
“Marianne, if what you are telling me is true, I want you to meet Olgar and ask him to build a castle here instead of the log cabin that we have”. “But Pierre, we do not need a castle to be happy,” said Marianne. “This log cabin is warm in the winter and we can maintain it quite well all year round. What more do we need?”
“No, I want to have a big castle with servants and 5,000 silver dollars to pay for the expenses. Go and ask Olgar”
Marianne went to the usual spot at Breeches Lake and called: “Olgar, Olgar, hear my plea!”. Instantly Olgar appeared sitting at the shadow of the cedar tree and asked: “Hello Marianne, I am at your service. What do you desire?”
“My dear husband Pierre is not happy with our poor style of living. He wants a castle with servants and 5,000 dollars to pay for the expenses.”
Olgar closed his eyes, played a short and bucolic melody with his magic flute and said, “You can go and see for yourself”.
When Marianne returned, she could not believe her eyes, as her small log cabin had been converted into a huge castle. Pierre was thrilled and they lived happily for a while. In the meantime, Marianne gave birth to a boy, adding to the happiness of the family. However, after one year passed, Pierre run out of money and said to Marianne: “Dear wife, please go to Breeches Lake and call on your Gnome as I would like to own a farm with 200 Ha. of land, and laborers who will take care of it and make a living for us”.
Marianne went back to Breeches Lake: “Olgar, Olgar hear my plea!” she called and Olgar appeared immediately sitting at the shadow of the cedar tree, playing his magic flute. “Dear Marianne, what do you desire?”
“My dear husband Pierre wants to own a farm with 200 Ha. of land and laborers who will take care of it and make a living for us.”
Olgar closed his eyes, played a short tune on his magic flute and said, “Go home and you will see for yourself”.
She went home and she was astonished to see a huge farm with large areas of farmland ready to be planted and later in the autumn to be harvested.
“Are you now satisfied, dear Pierre?” she asked. Pierre was not satisfied. His greed had grown out of proportions and told her: “For now this is suitable but you dress like a farm maid and I want you to dress with gold and silver dresses every day. Also, I want to invite all the rich people of Quebec City and Lotbiniere to my estate and see how they pay their respects to me for my wealth and position.”
Marianne was very unhappy with the evolution. All she wanted was a small farm that she could manage and live happily with her husband and son. But this was not possible. Pierre started being attracted to the elegant women who would frequent the castle of Sanborn during his extravagant receptions.
Pierre addressed his wife with a new request. “I want to be the richest man in Quebec and live in a castle right here, a castle more beautiful and bigger than any other castle or palace that may exist in Quebec, fully equipped with all the facilities and personnel to maintain the style of life of the richest man in the dominion. In that way I will be the envy of all the aristocrats and politicians. Please go to your Gnome and request that this be done.”
Marianne went crying to Breeches Lake to ask for what she considered an outrageous sign of pride and self importance.
“Olgar, Olgar hear my plea!”, she called and Olgar appeared immediately sitting at the shadow of the cedar tree playing his magic flute. “Dear Marianne, what do you desire?”
“My husband Pierre now wants to be the richest man in Quebec. He wants to live in the most beautiful castle right at Sanborn, where our home is, fully equipped with facilities and personnel”.
Olgar asked: “Marianne, do you agree with your husband’s request?” “No, I don’t.” she said. “I think these riches will destroy our marriage. I just want to live a simple life with my husband and our son, a few cows, goats, my horse Braco and some acres of land to cultivate.”
Olgar closed his eyes, plaid a short tune with his magic flute and said, “Go to your home and see for yourself. You will be very happy”.
Marianne returned to Sanborn, full of anxiety and worry. Reaching the village, there was no castle, no servants, no carriages. There was only the old log cabin that Pierre had built with his own hands. Pierre was waiting for her at the entrance with their son. He embraced Marianne and said,” Marianne, please forgive my foolishness. I want to live with you and our son in the beautiful cabin that we built together. While you were away, I felt asleep and had a dream about what happiness means. Honest work here at Sanborn, near Breeches Lake with you and our son, is happiness.”
Marianne never again went to Breeches Lake to ask anything from Olgar, but she left a new flute at the shadow of the cedar tree with a note, “Dear Olgar. Thank you for bringing happiness to my life.”
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