St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1862-01-02
CHRIST'S SOLDIER.

CIRIST'S SOLDIER.
We doubt il any one can read with DRY
eyes the f.ll"wing t"urhing narrative.
which appeared in the w"frhma" and Re-
,flecfor as time story. When We remcsn-
Der th.t perhaps huudrcds Of Christians
MI over the country are suffering aud dy-
ing IN similar manner, it 6lls esr heart
With anguish. aud loads u. I" pray frrvrns-
II frr spccsly close Ut ~ terrible a war.
THE wards we're full IF wounded
seiaicrs. y. that | couli bring h"me
to your mind. reader. the full ssdurs.
..f such . scene: /, would ID you no
harm. though thrill after ,L,ai of horror
might shake your frame. 1t Is not the
gaping wounds alone that would .nli.t
yvur sympathy. but the sense VI Lcsolasc-
ness the poe.r sick men must f.-l, 40
they think Vi their honses. and the dear
ones they are destined never to behold
ia life. There they lie. ranged sidle by
side. some Of them indifferent To all tina,
j. taking place around ,hcm. others with
eyes brightly restless and watchful. now
gloomed with apprehension. now light
ened With hope. Here is one. athletic.
handsome. youthful. whose ara lies shat
tered At his side. the so'd right arm
that has - often been welded in use
ful deeds. Il will never serve him more.
for ampuss,i'n has become the ncecssi-
" and death may follow. Here Is an
other whose face il bandaged down to
the pale outline of his lips. aud whose
deola Is inevitable blsntlnrss. ii bis life
il spared. Here lies another whose
quisrrimg mouth and muscles tell the
agony hc has the fostitudc to snnc'a'. out
which the surgeon says will be too much
f.r him. What wonder that the nur.e.
move about With Llanched cheeks aud
m,oist~nci eyes! IL IL their hrst expc-
riruee. aud some Of them ,rcmblc a.
each body is brought in. for fear Of re-
cognixing . son or brother.
Quietly from bed to bed moves tn.
chaplain, sickcncd to the heart. but
strengthened f"r his duty BY the Hand
that never fails. 7" some b. gives
few words Of sympathy. rc,erving thrir
eases for another day. Ter they are only
slightly wounded to other. he speak.
gently Of their situation. striving to tell
them with words fre'a which all hope
has departed. Of their swift coming end.
To al be speaks If Jesus; bids them
ia thc hour Vt their extremity to l.ok
up to God. VII" is willing to accept
them Il they will but put their Who'll.
trust in Him. Poor fellows. rude and
rough though they may have seemed.
the quiveri"g lip. shaking like that Of
= child in it, hravirs, child sorrow, the
deep sob. that lifts the great
che.t with almost souvulsive throcs. tells
that there Is fountain in the heart
that the soft words Vi sympathy may
stir.
Tho chaplain came At last 10 cot Sc,
by itself ous,ile the wards. Here reclining
at full lsrgth. was a y",ns man. whose
face bore bat slight trace. If suffering
IL was flushed With hue like that Of
Aealth, the eyes were un.limn,.d, aud
only the position Of the hands. which
were thrown over his head aud locked
ia almost spasmodic tighsncss, told tha,
he vas in pain. lie was unusually no.
bic in e,untcnsucc. Ills brow wa
bread aud fair. and the thick locks tl,a,
clustered back from the temples cnrlcd
like the ringlr's of = 10y. lie knew
not why. but the chaplain experienced
AL asu.usl aud sudden sympathy for
this young man. struck down in hi.
beauty; still he felt that there was no
immediate danger in his case.
How is he wounded : he asked Of thu
surgeon. IS the two approached the bed
siLe very softly.
In the right side, below the ribs was
the reply.
Is he in danger:
-: no; tha, is. not At present. The
case may take bad turn, 10 lie sure; but
it looks very:xell now. Charles he adj
dsd. aldre..ing the sick man, Familiarity,
the chaplain" is going the rounds; would
you like to ser him =
u. certainly: exclaimed the young
man, smiling. \ am very glad to sec
hin, : aud he held out his hand. Ills
vvice was .treng aud ringing. as with t.c
highest health, his clasp was vigorous.
i am sorry to find you Wounded said
the chaplain.
-. only the caususlty Of war; We must
expect it. you know
DO you suffer much?'
AT times. sir. very severely: I feel go
we'll. only the distress here aud no pres
led his hand to his side.
You will be up SION hope
4 trust 70. sir the doctors say it is .
b.l wound. but viii yield with care.
Gully wish l had my mother here. She
has heard Of it. and doubtless started be-
fore this. 1t will he No comfortable to Zee
her; you don't know how | long for
her."
Oh mothers. you arc the 6rst thought
Of when the hardy soldier feels the pang
"f pain. Il !. your name he calls. your
form he secs in the mist. Of delirium,. your
voice he hears in every gentle word that
10 spoken. lie knows whose touch will be
the tenderest. through the sympathy Of
suffering. he knows who has borne the
most for him and on the tented field the
holy name Of mother receives fresh bap-