Life of ‘Jock Dunham’ a long time in coming> Jean Rugan’s manuscript was lost for 68 years

“JOCK DUNHAM’S LIFE” by Jean Rugan, co-published by Gladys Rugan and Judith Gormely, June 1996, 283 pages, hardcover, $20.

Imagine this: The year is 1927. At the tender age of 17 you’ve just finished writing a manuscript of more than 250 pages. You pack it away in a manila folder, file it in a box, and head off to the university to work on a degree in social work. You never quite find the time to go back to edit your novel.

Over the years, your manuscript finds its way from your hometown of Houlton, through the Eastern states, to Florida. There it sits, untouched, in your sister’s house for 68 years.

This is exactly what happened to author Jean Rugan. Now, at age 85, her dream of becoming a published writer has become reality thanks to relatives and friends who rediscovered her work, became inspired by it, and saw it through the publishing process.

After Rugan suffered a debilitating stroke in 1993, Judy Gormely, her private nurse, wanted to find some inspirational reading to help the woman through a slump. During their conversations, Gormely discovered Rugan was a writer, and together they tracked down the lost manuscript called “Jock Dunham’s Life.”

The story is of Jock Dunham, a Scotsman living in an Aroostook County town in the late 1800s. Jock deeply loves the earth, his animals, his farm and, most of all, his children. His wife is a woman named Jess, whose sharp tongue lashes out at everyone in town. Her personality is mirrored in her daughter, Maggie, who, with no apparent provocation, rages at everyone except her mother.

Although Jock has little love for Maggie, he adores three of his other children — Alec, Jamie and Alice. Although Alec’s character isn’t developed very extensively through either actions or words, we’ll have to trust Rugan with this one. She does such a good job of working out the very different characters of the other major players.

Alice — or Allie as she’s known by those close to her — is full of life and has no room in her being for hatred. Her mother despises her for loving Joel, the son of Helen Tait, who is the “other woman” in Jock’s life.

A third son, David, is the loafer of the family, and the source and direction of everyone’s — except Allie’s — wrath. But David is not unintelligent or unobservant. While taking in one of the many fiery family arguments, he says: “What a motley crowd we Dunhams are. Our veins are so proud our blood has frozen. I wonder if that’s what they call hardening of the arteries.”

His comments are prophetic. These characters’ hard lives and heavy emotional burdens weigh heavily upon their hearts.

There are births, deaths and weddings galore in this historical novel, each with a twist. Although the relationships between characters are not complex, they are all believable. Central to the story is the friendly love between Helen and Jock, and the ruthless gossip from the disapproving audience that watches and concocts monumental lies as their relationship flourishes.

A final wedding may unite Helen and Jock. Or will death win instead? This simple but meaningful tale will leave us unable to decide whether we should wear a contented smile or if we should let the tears stream.

There are a few minor problems with this book, but none are very serious. A few annoying typos crop up in this first edition and slow the reader down. One other problem is that a couple of characters pop up in the middle of the book without a proper introduction.

One such character is Jock’s daughter, Grace, who is suddenly living in his house. Another is a man called Goliath, who presumably worked in the woods with Jock, and is fated to tag along behind him each day on the farm.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that these two characters mysteriously appear from nowhere. They seem to have much more in common, namely their good-naturedness, and eventually they marry. At first, their presence leaves the reader bewildered, but to no avail, Rugan works them into the plot smoothly, and with significance.

This story is not polished, but Rugan didn’t intend it to be. Most of “Jock” flows smoothly, with well-written prose and compelling dialogue. Rugan shows her talent time and again with some truly excellent metaphors.

At times — especially in the first few chapters — Rugan tries a little too hard to tell us what to think of the characters. We’re jolted and jerked along as we read, point-blank, the character’s thoughts — their insights into themselves — rather than watch their actions play out the parts of their characters.

In the end analysis, these bumps and bruises make the story all the more fabulous, all the more real.

One hundred copies of the first edition of “Jock” have been placed in libraries throughout the state. Others are for sale at Mr. Paperback in Brewer. A second edition is expected to be printed in the coming months. A few copies of the first edition are still available at Mr. Paperback in Brewer. For information on the second edition, contact Judy Gormely, 490 Eastern Ave., Brewer 04412, or call 989-4103.