按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the condition grew worse； there were signs of cerebral irritation
with a rapid； irregular pulse； his mind was quickly clouded。
Early on Sunday morning the temperature dropped； and the heart grew weak；
there was an intense sleepiness。 During the day the sleep increased to coma；
and all knew the end was near。
His friends had gathered。 The choicest of the profession was there；
but they were helpless。 He remained unconscious； and died at half past one
on Monday morning。 The cause of death was double pneumonia
with massive cerebral infection。 Colonel Elder's letter concludes：
〃We packed his effects in a large box； everything that we thought
should go to his people； and Gow took it with him to England to…day。〃
Walter Gow was his cousin； a son of that Gow who sailed with the Eckfords
from Glasgow in the ‘Clutha'。 At the time he was Deputy Minister in London
of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada。 He had been sent for
but arrived too late； all was so sudden。
The funeral was held on Tuesday afternoon； January 29th；
at the cemetery in Wimereux。 The burial was made with full military pomp。
From the Canadian Corps came Lieut。…General Sir Arthur Currie；
the General Officer Commanding； Major…General E。 W。 B。 Morrison；
and Brigadier…General W。 O。 H。 Dodds； of the Artillery。
Sir A。 T。 Sloggett； the Director…General of Medical Services；
and his Staff were waiting at the grave。 All Commanding Officers at the Base；
and all Deputy Directors were there。 There was also a deputation
from the Harvard Unit headed by Harvey Cushing。
Bonfire went first； led by two grooms； and decked in the regulation
white ribbon； not the least pathetic figure in the sad procession。
A hundred nursing Sisters in caps and veils stood in line；
and then proceeded in ambulances to the cemetery； where they lined up again。
Seventy…five of the personnel from the Hospital acted as escort；
and six Sergeants bore the coffin from the gates to the grave。
The firing party was in its place。 Then followed the chief mourners；
Colonel Elder and Sir Bertrand Dawson； and in their due order；
the rank and file of No。 3 with their officers； the rank and file
of No。 14 with their officers； all officers from the Base；
with Major…General Wilberforce and the Deputy Directors to complete。
It was a springtime day； and those who have passed all those winters
in France and in Flanders will know how lovely the springtime may be。
So we may leave him； 〃on this sunny slope； facing the sunset and the sea。〃
These are the words used by one of the nurses in a letter to a friend；
those women from whom no heart is hid。 She also adds： 〃The nurses lamented
that he became unconscious so quickly they could not tell him
how much they cared。 To the funeral all came as we did；
because we loved him so。〃
At first there was the hush of grief and the silence of sudden shock。
Then there was an outbreak of eulogy； of appraisement； and sorrow。
No attempt shall be made to reproduce it here； but one or two voices
may be recorded in so far as in disjointed words they speak for all。
Stephen Leacock； for those who write； tells of his high vitality
and splendid vigour his career of honour and marked distinction
his life filled with honourable endeavour and instinct with
the sense of duty a sane and equable temperament whatever he did；
filled with sure purpose and swift conviction。
Dr。 A。 D。 Blackader； acting Dean of the Medical Faculty of McGill University；
himself speaking from out of the shadow； thus appraises his worth：
〃As a teacher； trusted and beloved； as a colleague； sincere and cordial；
as a physician； faithful； cheerful； kind。 An unkind word he never uttered。〃
Oskar Klotz； himself a student； testifies that the relationship
was essentially one of master and pupil。 From the head of
his first department at McGill； Professor； now Colonel； Adami；
comes the weighty phrase； that he was sound in diagnosis；
as a teacher inspiring； that few could rise to his high level of service。
There is yet a deeper aspect of this character with which we are concerned；
but I shrink from making the exposition； fearing lest
with my heavy literary tread I might destroy more than I should discover。
When one stands by the holy place wherein dwells a dead friend's soul
the word would slip out at last it becomes him to take off the shoes
from off his feet。 But fortunately the dilemma does not arise。
The task has already been performed by one who by God has been endowed
with the religious sense； and by nature enriched with the gift of expression；
one who in his high calling has long been acquainted with the grief of others；
and is now himself a man of sorrow； having seen with understanding eyes；
These great days range like tides；
And leave our dead on every shore。
On February 14th； 1918； a Memorial Service was held
in the Royal Victoria College。 Principal Sir William Peterson presided。
John Macnaughton gave the address in his own lovely and inimitable words；
to commemorate one whom he lamented； 〃so young and strong；
in the prime of life； in the full ripeness of his fine powers；
his season of fruit and flower bearing。 He never lost the simple faith
of his childhood。 He was so sure about the main things； the vast things；
the indispensable things； of which all formulated faiths
are but a more or less stammering expression； that he was content
with the rough embodiment in which his ancestors had laboured
to bring those great realities to bear as beneficent and propulsive forces
upon their own and their children's minds and consciences。
His instinctive faith sufficed him。〃
To his own students John McCrae once quoted the legend from a picture；
to him 〃the most suggestive picture in the world〃： What I spent I had：
what I saved I lost： what I gave I have； and he added：
〃It will be in your power every day to store up for yourselves
treasures that will come back to you in the consciousness of duty well done；
of kind acts performed； things that having given away freely you yet possess。
It has often seemed to me that when in the Judgement those surprised faces
look up and say； Lord； when saw we Thee anhungered and fed Thee；
or thirsty and gave Thee drink； a stranger； and took Thee in；
naked and clothed Thee； and there meets them that warrant…royal
of all charity； Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these；
ye have done it unto Me； there will be amongst those awed ones
many a practitioner of medicine。〃
And finally I shall conclude this task to which I have set
a worn but willing hand； by using again the words which once I used before：
Beyond all consideration of his intellectual attainments
John McCrae was the well beloved of his friends。 He will be missed
in his place； and wherever his companions assemble there will be for them
a new poignancy in the Miltonic phrase；
But O the heavy change； now thou art gone；
Now thou art gone； and never must return！
London；
11th November； 1918。
End