THE NURSE'S STORY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11507, 1 October 1915, Page 4

THE NURSE'S STORY.

EXPERIENCES IN FIELD HOSPITALS PLEASING PORTRAIT OF JOFFRE. A distinguished officer, General M , had. been wounded. Gossip said it was the work of a spy. However it may have boen, this gallant soldier had received a very painful and serious injury and there was great anxiety among the staff., But all this was as nothing when the word went round that General Joffre himself was coining to pay his wounded general a visit. There was much speculation among tiie nurses as to whether we would be able to catch a glimpse of him. I decided that in all probability there would be very little chance of my having even a peep, although I had been detailed as one of the nurses on the case. Great was my surprise when an orderly came to fetch me, saying tli at the doctor wanted to speak to me in General M 's room, and added in a breathless whisper, " General Joffre himself is there." When I went in they were discussing some phaso of the oase, and the doctor said, "Here is the nurse; she will be able to tell us." The patient insisted! on having; General Joffre shown his wound. It was a childish wish, but then fever often plays strange tricks with us. _ To humour him, tho doctor began discussing some of the bandages. As lie was doing go I had a minute in which to look' at the celebrated ge.ne<ral. I saw a man of moderate height, broad of shoulders and wide of girth. His gray moustache and overhanging brows gave his face something of sternness, but somehow 1 felt that his severe calmness was rather a pose—a masque—he had adopted. I remembered that some one had said of him that he was the " master of his fate and the captain of his soul." He looked it. " Ah, general," said the wounded man, looking up at him, " if 1 had been as strict with myself as you have, as niorbrate in smoking and drinking, and kex>t those -rocd early hours that you keep, I should be much rnoro likely to pull through quickly." " My dear boy," the general replied, " you are nil right, and it is just a question of a few weeks' care and patience. Patience," he repeated with sincere tenderness in his voice, for the wounded man had been with him during many campaigns in Africa and Madagascar. It was getting late when_ he left the room, and he had many kilometres to go, but he insisted on walking through the hospital and saying a word to each of the men there, alluding to them as " mes braves petits soldats." In one of the bods was a Scotsman. The general spoke to him and said: " You are one of the men th? Germans call { lToljenweiber 1 " (laddies from ] hell). Qu'Ht as a flash the Soot answered: "'That's a erront compliment, st. It shows that they think we fight like devils," at which the general g;on Vhuniored.ly. Adele Bleuean, in " r ! ho Nurse's Story."