Nurse Cavell

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume X, Issue 3, 1 July 1917, Page 158

Nurse Cavell

Among the many interesting things touched upon in the nursing journals from differents parts of the world, one of the most interesting and pathetic is the beautiful accoimt of the last interview with Miss Cavell of a young Irish Chaplain. His account is most touching, and we regret that space does not permit of reprinting, but every nurse should read it in the British Journal of Nursing, and also Nurse Cavell' s farewell letter to her staff of nurses at the Training School in Brussells. Mr. Gahan was " sent for to see an English woman who was dying." He was so unnerved by the thought that she was to be shot next morning that he could scarcely stand and his speech was only a

stammer, but the quiet grey-haired woman who came to meet him was as calm and cheerful as if the next day were to be a day of routine usefulness in her hospital. The hand she offered him was steady and cool, and there was not a tremor in her voice. . . After a time she began to tell him of her trial and sentence. i£ I have no regrets," she said. *' I did what I could for my country, and I am ready to pay the price. I should certainly do the same thing again if I could. lam sure that in God's sight I am not an offender, for I did what seemed to me clearly my duty, and that is the only thing that matters, my friend — to do one's duty."