Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-03-15
SaGrttin0 3 stmc.
TIE DYING SOLDIER.


chaplain furnishing the following affect.
Ing account OF the last hours OF dying
soldier. no one con read i, wi,hout emo.
ton:
The wards wnra foli Of wouniei settlers
o that ] could bring to your mind, reeder.
lhs toll soJnaus Of such scrne il would
do you 10 harm. lsuugh thrill after thrill Of
horror might s6ako your frame. 1t is not
along the gaspIng wounds the heavy gTopns
that would enlist your sy gpatby, but he Sense
of dGso!s;eness iLr poor sick men mast feel.
as they think Of their homes, and the desr
ones they arc never more to UehCld in life.
There they lie, ranged side by side, some OF
them iod!tirTeut TO al that is takiog place
around them, others with eyes brightly rest.
less and watchful, now glopmed with arpIe.
heuslOn, now lightrned with hope. Here is
one. athletic, handsome, yoUthiOl, whose arms
lies shattered ct his side, the good right brm
that has so often been welded 10 SeCu deeds
1t wi! never Lerve bin more, for amputation
has BECOME The necessity, snu desjh may fol
l.w. Here is another whose face is 5audaped
dusn 10 the pale outline Of his lips, uud whose
doom is inevitable b!irdOess, il bis life is
spared. Here lies another whose ouivering
mouth and muscles tell the agouy he has the
tortluda to conceal bot ahch The surgeons
say will prove too mrch for him. What
~ondar that the nurses move about him with
bancled cheeks and moisIeued eyes? !. is
thelr hrst experience, and some Of them
lcemhle ns each body is brought for fear
recognizing son or a brother.
Quietly from bed to bed moves the char plain.
sIckvned 70 ths heHrt, hut Strengthened for
his dn.y by tie hand that never fails. 70
some he gives a few words OF sympathy resar.
sing their cases for smother day, for they are
ony slightly wounded To others lie speaks
gently Of their sRtnstion striving TO tell them
with words from which all hope has departed
Of their swiitcoming end. TO al! he speuks
OF Jesus bids them tho hour Of their ex
tremty 10 look up 20 God Who is wiling 10
accept them If they vii put their trust in
him.
Poor fellows, rndc ard rough though they
may have seemed, the quiveriug lips, shaking
Ike th,t ul u child sorrow, III. deep hsaved
sUh, that !'ttS the great chest with almos;
convuls've ,hroos, tell tbot there is a fountain
10 the heart, that the s".l words Of sympathy
usy et,r
The chaplajn came at las, TO n cot set
somewhat by Itself outside the wards Here,
reclining at foil length, was young man
whose face bore but Slight traces Of suffering
II was flashed with tue like that of health :;
his eyes we:e Gudimmed, and only ina position
OF bis hands. which were :hrowp over his bead
locked 10 almost spaSmoIc tightOess, told
that he was IN pain lie was unusually noble
in cCuutenance His brow WAS broad ana
fair, and the thiCh locks that clustered bacG
from bis temples cCTlel like the riglsls of d
boy. lie knew not Why, bot the chaplain
experienced an urGsuOl md Srddsu sympsthy
fer this young man, struck down 10 bis beauty ;
si!ls be telt there was 10 immediate danger 10
his case
"iow is be wounded - he asked Of the
surrg'ou, % the two approached the bed
soiily.
10 the right side, below the .ibs," was the
reply
y, he iu danger" 7"
y. no; that is, not at present The case
may take a bad tnrn, it js true but il locke
very we'll now, Charles. be added address
in9 the s"k mau Mmiliarly, "lhe chaplain is
going the rouud8; would you Ike TO sac
him 2"
20 certainly" exalaimed he young man.
smiling. y am very glad to see hips" snd
be held out bis hand His voice was strong
aud ringing, US with The highest besllb, aud
h;s clasp was vigorous.
sm sorry 10 naJ you WOUNDED, my Irlend,
said ths chaplain.
"OnIy The casualty Of war: We must some
of us expect it. you know"
DO you suffer much p
AT times, eT, very severely; feel SO
we'll. only .bs distress here" sDd be pressed d
bis hsGd on his side.
You will be Up sooo. hope"
Il trust so sir; the doctors say il is bad
wound but will yield With care. ] only wish
] bad py mother here. She has heurd of il
and doubtless started before this time. !.
will seen On rlmfnrisbis TO ace her; 700
asut kacs has long f"' her
Ae'n..tsr ycg ~. 80 lseas@ - 'vt.-.