The British Soldier’s Feeling of Thanks and Reverence of Florence Nightingale.

On a dark lovely night on Crimea’s dread shores. There ‘d been bloodshed and strife on the morning before; The dead and the dying lay bleeding around, Some crying for help-there was none to be found. Now God is his mercy. He pitied their cries, and the soldiers cheerful the morning to rise.

Refrain

So, forward my lads, may your hearts never fail. You are cheered by the presence of a sweet Nightingale. Her heart it means good for no bounty she’ll take, She’d lay down her life for the poor soldier’s sake; She prays for the dying, she given peace to the brave, She feels that a soldier has a soul to be saved. The wounded they love her as it has been seen, She’s the soldiers preserver, they call her their Queeen, Refrain.

May heaven give her strength and her heart never fail. One of Heaven’s best gifts is Miss Nightingale.

What a comfort to see her pass. She would speak to one, nod and smile to as many more; but she could not do it to all you know. We lay there by the hundreds, but we could kiss her shadow as it fell and lay our heads on the pillow again content.
Anonymous

Extracts from Mahatma Gandhi’s article on Florence Nightingale, which was published in Indian Opinion on September 9th, 1915.