New-York tribune., 1919-05-14
Farewell Letter, Written on
Eve of Execution, Made
Public Here, Reveals
Martyred Woman's Heart
ssDuty Brings Happiness
Refers Touchingly to Eight
Years She Spent in
Training Belgian Women

Just before Edith Cavell, the mar
tyred English nurse, was executed by
the Germans she wrote a letter to her
nurses at the Ecole Beige d'Infirm-
ieres, in Brussels. The letter has Just
been received in this country. In it
MISS Cavell mentions the eight years
in which she was director of the school
In words surcharged with pathos she
utters her farewell. 1t is eloquent in
its testimony to the nobility of the
he heroic coS,s women who fell victim to Hun
A copy of this document has been
hung in the living room of the. new
Nurses Home, 38 West Forty-eighth
Street, by the New York County Chap
ter of the American Red Cross, togeth-
er with a photograph Of Nurse Cavell,
whose body was removed this week
from it's grave in Belgium to England.
She was executed ON October 2, 1915.
The letter is dated October IL, 1915.
Urges Duty and Courage
The letter is as follows:
"Prison of st. GILES, Brussels.
"My Dear Nurses: l am writing to
you in this sad hour to bid you fare
we'll. You will remember that Septem-
ber II brought to an end the eight
years of my direction of the school.
was SO happy to be called to help in
the organization of the work that our
COMMITTEES had just founded. On Octo-
Der l, 1907, there were but a few
pupils. Now you are already quite
numerous-ffty or sixty, think.
&" have told you on different occa-
sions the story of those early days and
the difficulties that we encountered,
even to the choice Of words for your
hours of duty and of duty In Bel
GUM all was new in the profession.
Little by little one service after an
other was tablished-graduate nurses
for private. nursing, pupil nurses, the
the institute of DR.. Depage, the Sani-
tarium of Buysinghen, the cline of DR..
Maye, and how many are called upon
as you may be, perhaps later-to nurse
the brave wounded in the war. II this
past year our work has decreased it is
due to the sad days through which we
are passing In happier days our
work will renew its growth and it's
power for good.
II speak to you of the past because
1T is wise occasionally to stop and look
pehlnd over the road that we have
travelled and to note our errors and
our progress. In your beautiful build
ing you Will have more patients and all
that is needed for their comfort and
tor yours. To my regret | was not al
ways able to speak to you individually
you know | had much to occupy nv
time--but / hope you will not forget
our evening talks.
Il told you that devotion to dutv
would bring you true happiness, and
that the thought you huu done vonr
duty, earnestly and chcerfullv, before
God and your own conscience, would
be your greatest support in the try
ing moments Of life and in the faco
of death.
"Two or three of you will remember
the little talks we had. Do not forget
them. Having already travelled SO Far
through life, l perhaps could see more
clearly than you and show you the
straight path.
= One word more. Peware of unchar-
liable speech. In these eight years I
have seen so much unhappiness which
could have been avoided or lessened
II a few words had not been whispered
here and there, perhaps without evil
intention, but which ruined the rspu-
tatlon, the happiness, the life even of
some one. My ntrses should all re-
meet on that, ana snoulu cuitIvate
among themselves loyalty and esprit
de corps.
Never Willingly Unjust
If anyone of you has a grievance
against me | pray you to forgive me.
may sometimes have been too severe.
put was never willingly unjust, and
l have loved you ALTAR more than
you realize.
my good wishes for the happiness of
all my young girls, both those who have
graduated and those who are still in
the school, and l thank you for the
courteous consideration YOU have AL
ways shown me.
"Your devoted directress,
r, EDITH CAVELL."
Inc Or. Depage mentioned in Miss
Cavell's letter is now in this country
to promote plan for a memorial hos
pltal in honor of Miss Cavell and his
wife, who went down with the Iusi-
tania.
"Noble Women" Says Physician
DR.. Depage is a colonel by military.
rank and is head of the Belgian Rod
Cross. He knew Miss Cavell we'll. as
the result of the eight years the Eng
i1sh nurse spent as directress of his
hospital. 1t was to the nurses of this
hospital that the farewell letter was
written. "s''
She was most noble woman" said
Dr. Depage yesterday. 81 hope Amer
lca will come again to the help Of Bel
gium IN assisting in establishing
suitable memorial to her splendid
spirit and noble PATRIOTISM"
A..4