The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1968, Blaðsíða 34

32
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Spring 1968
fered a good deal and began to
complain of pain in all parts of her
body. Large beads of perspiration
sprang out on her face. Only her eyes
showed life. Occasionally there was a
flash of animation; usually they were
dull and lifeless. As I mentioned previ-
ously, it was long since she had become
too weak to sit up in bed.
I was not a little startled when I
returned from my walk one day and
heard a steady ringing from one of
the wards. “Somebody is dying now”,
I thought to myself, for the bell did
not ring like that unless it was a matter
of life and death. I looked at the num-
ber on the switchboard. It was from
my room.
What did I see when I entered?
Soley was sitting up in her bed, ring-
ing the bell insistently. Her face had a
grayish yellow hue and her eyes were
unnaturally bright.
I was so surprised that words failed
me. I did not understand what was
happening. I even thought that a
miracle had happened and that she
was getting better.
“It is good that you came”, Soley
said. “Do you see the sun? I want to
go out, now. I want my clothes. I’m
getting up. Spring is here. Don’t you
see the sun?” As she spoke, Soley
gestured into the distance. “I must put
on my clothes and get across the ocean,
to the Rocky Mountains. My clothes!”
Ller voice rose almost to a shout.
I put my arm around her shoulder,
to give her support. “Yes! Yes! You
shall have your clothes—all that you
want. You will certainly get across the
ocean to the Rocky Mountains.”
“Do you think so?” she said vehem-
ently. “Oh, I see the sun there, the
flowers—and everything. Oh! All these
long years, and now I am going to
the Rocky Mountains.”
The last words were indistinct, and
the voice trailed off. Her strength was
ebbing. She fell back, limp, and
breathed her last. I rang the bell, and
the nurse came in and performed the
last rites. She closed her eyes and
covered her face.
I stood by Soley’s bedside, and look-
ed at her. I wished that it had been
her fortune to cross the Atlantic, in
good health, and to reach the Rocky
Mountains—and home, for now I
understood at last that in reality she
had had no other home. I raised the
sheet for a last look at her face to bid
her a last farewell. She lay there, with
a smile on her lips. Her spirit was freed
of its earthly fetters. Could anything
now obstruct her journey across the
ocean, to the Rocky Mountains?
Mrs. S. J. Tergeson was elected pres-
ident at the annual meeting in Febru-
ary of the Gimli chapter of the Ice-
landic National League at Gim'i, Man.
J. B. Johnson was named vice-pres-
ident, Mrs. Laurence Stevens secretary,
Mrs. Ingi Einarsson assistant secretary.
Adolf Holm treasurer and financial
secretary, I. N. Bjarnason assistant
treasurer and Mrs. Helgi Stevens arch-
ivist. Committees for the year were
named. The meeting, held in the aud-
itorium of Gimli Lutheran Church,
was preceded by a program of enter-
tainment. J. B. Johnson presided.