Father Brindle, D.S.O. 255 



i-eturn from Khartoum. He walked down the whole length of 

 that big room like a wooden image, shaking hands with first one 

 and then another, a cold fixed glitter in his eyes, and never a 

 smile. Many thought him ungracious, some even declared he 

 was rude and ungrateful and were sorry they had bothered to 

 come and greet him. He did not even turn and say something 

 gracious, as I hoped he might, when the end of the room was 

 reached ; but I knew he was feeling intensely. 



When he was holding himself hard, either in pleasure or 

 pain, he used to turn colour. I have known one other man do 

 exactly the same. Both used to set their mouths tight and turn 

 a pale green-grey, and my heart has ached for these men. 



Part of another letter from a Government official is in- 

 teresting : 



" I have still got as one of my most treasured mementos of 

 the Soudan campaign a copy of your prayer at Gordon's 

 memorial service which you wrote out for me. 



" Do you remember when you walked from Gatacre's camp 

 to the Atbara to a dying man in hospital ? I wonder if those 

 now under you will ever know what you have done for the 

 British soldier." 



A stranger wrote to the Bishop as late as April, 1915, 

 referring to the prayer : 



" I never read the words but there is a gulp in my 

 throat. . . ." 



How well we can understand the pleasure these letters 

 brought to the old priest, how he would read and re-read every 

 word, living again in mind, those stirring times. 



One or two other letters referring to the old soldiering days 

 are worth notice. One is from the " boots " at the Crown Hotel : 



" Dear Sir, 



" Reading in the paper about your juberlee, I has 

 one of the men who went through the Soudan campaign with 

 you and used to attend your Sunday evening services. I 

 thought you would like to hear from any of ours, for you always 

 had a kind word for any of us and if you remember you gave us 

 a little book as a present and I cherish that book for you was 

 good to us all, it did not matter whether we were Church of 



