Page 58 - A Letter, 1922: Alexander Graham Bell Dies at Baddeck

ISSUE : Issue 40

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1985/8/1

the beautiful stretch of water and hills and sky and it was grey and misty as Fa? ther loved it best. Mr. McKinnon read a few words Mother had written explaining that she wanted Longfellow's Psalm of Life read because "it typified as could no mere personal words the spirit in which Mr. Bell had lived his life"--and then Mr. Mc? Kinnon read it and after that we all said the Lord's Prayer--the coffin was lowered into the grave--"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. May the peace of God that passeth all understanding be with you and remain with you always. Amen." Graham and Bobby Baldwin raised the flags to the staff head and we went away. At Mother's request David said, "Mrs. Bell wants me to thank you all for coming. She knows you loved him."' Barbara took Gloria with her. Mother felt it just possible she might remember and it was all so simple and natural that she could not have been frightened. Nancy Bell was awakened in the night by the tele? phones to Sydney and had stayed awake the rest of the night, so I really had to have her with me. The accounts in the Sydney and Halifax pa? pers have been beautiful. I am sure whoev? er wrote them must have known Daddysan. I will save them for you in case Mr. La Gorce doesn't have them. He has been love? ly. Uncle Charlie wonders if any other great man ever had so simple a funeral. They only arrived the morning of the funer? al and it was so nice to have them feel so entirely in sympathy with all that was be- ing done. We have told the press that Moth- er and the family are wearing no mourning because death and gloom seem to have no connection with him • and he lives on in the work he has'done. I am sorry I didn't think to cable you this before, tho in S. A. where form means so much you may want to anyway. Mother felt if the papers pub? lished it there would be no awkwardness of explaining to every one one meets. Auntie felt so too. We all wore white on the moun? tain and no hats. I wish you could have been there on the mountain Elsie darling and Bert and all your children and every one who loved Dad? dysan. It was Mother's planning and Moth? er's idea that made it like a last inspir? ing message from Daddysan. There was noth? ing that did not ring absolutely true, there was no pretense of any kind, no show. Our thanks to Gail Holdner, Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Park, for help in preparing this arti? cle. The first two photographs are from the Bell Museum collection. We first saw a portion of this letter in Lilias M. Toward's new book, Mabel Bell; Alexander's Silent Partner. The book makes use of family let? ters. Home Notes, and so forth, and gives us a portrait of Mabel as well as, through her eyes, insight in? to the strengths and frailties of Dr. Bell. We've taken the photo of Mabel and Alexander and the tetrahe- dral structure from Dorothy Harley Eber's Genius at Work; Images of Alexander Graham Bell. VCR Rentals VHS Tapes Movie Rentals YOUR B&B; Video Panasonic Same Day Photo Finishing DEALER Island Gateway Plaza, Port Hawkesbury 625-3150 Morrison' Stores Ltd Home Hardware General Merchants Celebrating over 100 Years of Service SLPeters Richmond County, Nova Scotia BOE 3B0 Overlooking the Margaree Valley at the Junction of Route 19 and the Cabot Trail A full-accommodation Lodge featuring spacious rooms, dining room and lounge, swimming pool. Nearby, are golf fairways., beaches, fresh and salt water-fishing, camping, hiking. The best of Nova Scotian musicians en? tertain in our'lounge every weekend. Check with us to see who's playing, and drop in for an enjoyable evening. P. 0. Box 550, MARGAREE FORKS. Nova Scotia BOE 2A0 Phone (902) 248-2193, William F. Maclsaac. mgr. RELAX IN THE BEAUTIFUL MARGAREE VALLEY (58)

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