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

e of the advance party which was detailed

gne one cold November afternoon, a few days after the concert. After a slow train journey of th

ladorous city fade into insignificance before the concentrated "incense" of the back streets of Etaples. We didn't linger unnecessarily in the

ost we saw in two winters during our stay in that part of France. It was a cr

he doors were closed, and all the windows were dark. Not a human being passed us on the road, and the noise o

the weird solitude of the forest

ead," said Burnham, after we had

h this long dark avenue of pines. The houses too look as if the

rnham remarked, "in their first mad dash for Paris, and that so

it I can imagine they we

walls of an isolated mansion stood out in the distance against the black-green of the forest and the fading purple

fore us a large limestone building, three stories in height and almost surrounded with broad, glass-enclosed balconies. The tra

e steps and rang the bell. Its peal reverberated strangely through the empty halls. After a few moments, however, a light appeared and a solitary man entered

but with a peculiar Franco-German accent diffic

wledged

e Canadian Hospi

us," I replied. "We are the ad

idn't debate the propriety of accepting the h

ile. I vill haf Alvred ligh'd you the gra

what arrangements you have for supper for the men. When they

kitchen ranges were close by. They had their cooks and rations with them, and as soon as we had chose

hem and stretched our tired feet toward the fender upon the rich red Turkish rug. The table was spread close by, and we noticed the fine linen, the sparkling cut glass, cres

lemen have mit zehr dinn

eat and laughed aloud. "Holy smoke!"

e you?" I enqui

, zir," he responded with

test. "Bring us a bottle of 'Ay

." And he bowed an

k forest on a winter night, enter a deserted hostel, are received by a German spy and fêted like t

a part of the soldier-game. Some other day we'll find

xembourg, which, sandwiched in between France and her Teutonic enemy, has still maintained a weak and unavailing neutr

at table. We were just finishing an excellent five-course dinner with a tiny glass of coin-treau,

n walked the colonel, the senior major and the quar

ew hospital?" the colonel de

med. "It is weird, romantic

not be unacceptable after their long drive. T

s good. What do you say, Major Baldwin?" This question was addressed to

drove the major into poe

ed, fill the c

regrets and f

et's have 'Gunga Din'-you do it so well! How does i

tingly. "You mustn't abuse Kipli

idn't enquire. We talked until late, formulating our plans for the morrow and for many days to come. We

erilising room. The fifth will do for a dressing room for the surgeons, and in the sixth Reggy will have full sway-that will be

ishings," I enquired, "are

replied. "It seems a pity, but we are here not only to cure patients, but to protect the Govern

to the opposite

e peeped into the dainty boudoir which I had chosen

to-night,"

f," he declared. "It looks

the other fellow has? Its value se

which the Major had not seen, more richly decorated and more attractive than mine. This little room was cosy and prettily furnished in bird's-

ith costly Persian rugs, and the furniture was of hand-carved olive wood or mahogany. Private balconies overlooked the g

may, for in three days' time no one but patients will live in this building. The men will sleep in the Go

r of bathrooms-thirty-four in all. The halls and glass enclosed balconies were steam heated thr

the untenanted halls. We sat and chatted for an hour before the fire. I was getting very sleepy-we had dined well-and as I looked at Burnham his form seemed to dwindle to smalle

, I mistook you for a full-grown man, I can now see that in reality y

ained that I'm a handsome dog whose beauty has remained unappreciated. It's a strange coincidence, but I am labouring under the

saw that I must at once frown upon that "waddling" ide

knit your ravelled sleeve of care'-I really th

stic statuary, were all rapidly removed and packed away for safety. The card and dining rooms and lounges were stripped of their carpets, and before night its former guests would scarce have recognised the place. Sanitation is the first

oiled through the gates, laden with our equipment. Hundreds of boxes, crates of iron beds, bales of mattresses and blankets, folding bedside tables, bags of tents and poles

bringing up loads of food from the train

lished systematically and well. He was a good soldier, true to his duty, stern and unflinching, and he never asked others to work without being willing to do more than h

cross the driveway and dumped the last box to the ground. Tim sat breathless for a moment upon it,

can't lif annuder poun' until I gets a slab o' roas' beef under me

id ye see th' ranges? Some cookery, I kin tel

n roast it," Tim declared. "I'm dat weak from star

men fell upon their supper

when ye're hungry," drawled

e perkin' up an' takin' a little notice agin.

et the onion?"

e out of a Spanish specimen, "an' I wuz jus' t'inkin' wat a diff're

I don't s'pose I could tell

an onion it's different-wen ye eat it, it's like castin' ye

seemed to harass his religious sense. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was too

awling into any available corner, threw themselves down upon bundles or empty beds, and soon were fast asl

ly seen those splendid girls on their first day in the new hospital, they would still be lost in wonder. They washed woodwork and windows, helped to put

her work that day, let her remember that by that very labour, in our eyes, she was glorified. We shall al

regarding our hospital. I was met at the office door by the D.A.D.M.S., who

quely. "Is your hospit

er day or two of prepar

u been out there

days,

s you mean to tell me you're

ggishness. It was undeserved, and I resented it

tock of the fixtures and house-clean the building before commencing the setting up of our hospital equipmen

patients to-night," he cr

man of the old school, interfered. He

He turned to me and continued: "You will receive a trainload of patients three days from no

e was standing on end-it was not only what he said, but the manner of the saying; yet the A.D.M.S., with one gentle, kindly stroke of common sense, had soothe

sir. I sha

dit to your staff and to Canada. Good night, and go

y in the hall was suddenly startled by the sharp ring of the telephone be

spital," he answered; and a d

ounded will arrive at the statio