A TOUCHING INCIDENT

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12536, 30 December 1933, Page 2

A TOUCHING INCIDENT

A touching little incident took place at the infirmary when Mr W. Wallace, chairman of the Hospital Board, Mesdames Kidd and Dreaver, and Mr W. K. Howitt were going through the men's wards in the Cost ley Block, to wish the inmates there the compliments ot the season (says the Auckland Star'. A fine old colonist, oyer 90 years of age. with long, flowing white beard and classical lace, w*ho was lying in. bed, was delighted to see the members of the board, whom he said lie had welcomed the previous year. He felt that his time at the infirmary would not be long now, and he stiil had a good voice, and. as he knew that his visitors were mostly of Scots origin, lie would like to* sing them as a Christinas greeting one of the fine old songs of Scotia. I>r. C. E. Maguire, the medical superintendent, suggested that lie should sing “Ye Banks and Braes,'' and Miss Rudd, the lady superintendent, agreed that this was one of b - best songs. He began to sing in clear tones the words of tlie beautiful song, while tlie other patients in tlie ward and those standing around his bed listened with intent >t illness. He sang iu a way seldom now heard. Away back in memory to tlie days of liis youth, he continued to the end, and then, with a firm gr p of the band, wished bis visitors the compliments of the season, saying that lie was glad that liis singing, bad appealed to them, fpr be <*ouKl see the pleasure in their faces.