The First Canadians in France / The Chronicle of a Military Hospital in the War Zone

l the way down from big Bill Barker, the heavyweight

asse. But we weren't chosen-we just arrived, piece by piece;

ar drew us to the plains of Valcartier, and one by one it dropped us side by sid

her sentiments-patriotism. But only one force held us together: our Colonel! Without him, as an entity, we ceased to exist. His broad-minded gen

ning the sweet but disturbing note of the bugle sounding the reveille brought me back from dreams of home. I

before the fireplace and meditatively raked the ashes from its recess. He was a slow lad;

bed to get a be

ought you so far from h

the mornin' nur pullin' teeth in the afternoon." For Wilso

t you, Wilson, that sometimes, at short ran

and. The pool of memory was stirred. A hazy thought was struggling to t

the war broke out I wuz pickin' apples on dad's farm. I didn

of the word, must remain forever shrouded in mystery; but it wa

sergeant-major's troubles were like unto those of Job. Military discipline commenced in earnest

thirty ocean liners, with its freight of thirty-three thousand soldi

increasing care. I can still look over the starboard rail and see the black smoke of the Gloria prowling along in the south

e was destined to make, steamed through our lines one day. The brave fellows, who were so soon to meet a watery

the waves to the other two lines of ships steaming peacefully along side by side. Something weighty was on his mind. Occasionally

him, "can you get a messag

line-a little difficult, I shou

done, can't it?

t's very i

want to send a message

ws upon the rail and looked down in grinni

he sort of man we need at the f

d send it over

-I'll take

gy's compliments and best wishes, and will she join

while the ridiculous message passed across from

rsing Sister Marlow's compliments to Captain Reggy. Regrets must decline kind

whirled round and round us hour by hour as we entered the English Channel. Soon the welcome

hip. They rowed with the quick neat stroke of trained athletes, and as the boat came alongside ours they shipped their oars and raised their boyish voi

, upsetting this one or knocking down that, showed that these lads were quite capable of upholding all the old fighting traditions of the British Navy

t Reggy shook his head sorrowfully

"To-day I guard the ship, but to-morrow-oh, to-morrow!" Reggy held out bot

hing to the time of "The Maple Leaf Forever," and every foot of pavement or sidewalk was pa

to the music of their band-a clean-cut, well-set-up, manly lot, who marched with the firm independent step of the free born. Suddenly our colonel discovered a fami

oghorn'! W

t of view, by reason of being about the waist of a pretty girl, who accommodat

is nickname. "Lots of cheer. Can't salute. One arm busy! Other is

tan and ultra-democrat

His temperature in both towns registered ninety-eight degrees in the shadiest and most secluded spots. And t

w hours that our small coin was likely to become extinct and our buttons merely things that used to be. Every tim

high-and children might not follow there. The pretty barmaid smiled. The second

ave, sir?" she i

ew himself up to his full six feet, two, and saluted. A mel

e, a loaf of

nging in the

e one cannot say. The girl held up

lack coffee the ge

spirit was aroused. "Av

istress my

dregs from

sweet, to q

which the 'i

of beer,

r toward me and hazarde

e they ha

two straight rows of pearly teeth s

n. We have plenty of ice with which to tem

ly up, bereft of repartee; t

pid Englishwomen we ha

on was goin

iscovered ourselves in a veritable w

staccato chorus. Our supply of pennies had

of poor soldiers going to the war. We can't always be

, others curiously uncertain, a few sympathetic. The silence l

wd give a poor soldier a penny to help

d to her companions and said: "Here, hold the baby for me and I'll give the poor fellow a penny." She dive

major," he said sternly, "do you mean to s

eplied, wit

ermit it,"

shed to gauge how much patriotism beat in those little hearts, what sacrifice they were prepared to make fo

d I am going to take them," I rep

ed stiffly and stepped back. The little girl grav

hers?"

few looked sheepish and hung their heads. I sli

"Here's another penny for you," and he

from the other children, who realised t

tainly on me!" Moe

ook at those two coins, and I know that somewhere, in a frail little body, bea