Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-09-16
Prom the American Union.
Fever.--A Fragment.
BY. =. 5 II.

BY. .. H.
doctor. just step in here n moment.
Will You = believe l need little Of your
care"
What, Grahame, are you laid up p
Why, twas only this morning | saw you
in the ranks. What in the duce is Ia
pay? said the CHEEKY voice of the kind
surgeon, as he entered the tent Of the youug
s, ldier
Nothing alarming. only I've got most
eonfounded headache; and | thought I'd
keep quiet for an hour or So"
The surgeon eyed his patient closely ere
he spoke. lie knew the symptoms we'll
the flushed forehead and the parcaed lips.
"Grabsme." be said. gaily, "you just
step ruuud to the hospital with me, and /
will make you comfortable in less than no
time. Come | will not listen 10 sefu.
el'sssce yca are crazy Ton not sick
shall Be better after al hours sieeo. It's
decced bot here, though"
Not sick now, but you may be If you
don't "bey ORDERS" replied the surgeon,
g-avely
We'll, II 60 just to p'ease you-how
my head does ache-by Jove! / believe |
can't see the way, doctor. just give me
your arm"
The twilight shadows deepens into night,
| and the great moon arose Ii peeued into
the little windows IF the hoe rital. and
shOne across the narrow beds. Now il
| lighted up the faces of the dying; now il
revereitly touched the forehsads ct the
| dead. 1t shuue in full glory n Young Ora
hame as he writhed in the agunies of the
! terrible fever. Now be raved of his home
| in the valley; again he heard the river
| ripping by, and saw the loved ones there +:
/ now he sang wild snatches Of song, or cal,
/ led for some comrade who had passed be-
| fore him unto rest" As the surgeon
passed on his nightly rounds, he fancied il
was his mothers step
Take away the blankets, mother-oren
the windows-give me air. / shall stifle
here ! ice Ice mother, don't you hear
me? Oh, this painl Don't leave me
alone. Nellie, sister Nellie, don't cry. |
told you | would come back again-dan'l
you remember? Pm not afraid of the fe-
yer. g od-bye, now take care of mother
ORe more kiss. Remember-IIl come
home again if Gods willing, when this
dreadful war is over. Won't it be eloriou,
to come back with the victor's army, Mel.
lie? Oh, how my head aches will il
nerer stop? Why don't you come to me
mother am dying with this rain.--
Hush l hear the drums beating-give me
my rifie-d)n't hold me back-victory OIL
death yes, death"
The kind surgeon wiped away tear a,
he turned to leave. He had adrDinisrere|
the nightly portion, and bathed the fever.
ed brow. Twas a little thing. but be could
do no more for there were doze1s await
ing him-yes, dozens Of aching heads tt
cool-hls time was precious.
Seven times the twilight shadows deep
ened into night; seven times the grea'
moon arose and lighted the dreary hosrital
Again the surgeon passed on his night,
rounds. lie paused as ne reached as b.
reached young Grahame's cot, and bis eve
hlled with tears. There was fearful still
ness all around. No more visions of tn,
home in the valley no more sounds of the
loved voices; no more dreams of victory
The drums will beat the call, but he vii
not hear them. Reverently tho surgeon
raised the white sheet and gazed on thu
peaceful lace beneath. The bright moon
beams peeped curinusly under the snow,
1
the dead. The holy stare with Il mnurnfu
twinkle in their bright eyes, peered won.
deringly in through the nlrrow window
and at the same time kept watch over tn
home in the valley. The manly limbs onI
} week ago filed with vig0r of life. ar
Strengthened in death. The noble hear
: has ceased its beatings; the pitiless fsve
has done its work.
There Will be vacant I lace in the rank
. when the drums call them together; Their
will be few tears shed when they miss tn
; familiar face. There will he a funeral an
the farewell statue to the dead ; a triflin
: mention OF his death in the daily news an
that will be all.
What matters it to the world? Orly
private dead-nOt much lnss-not an II
Ger Aud the ceaseless tide will flow O
as before.
Reader, can't you imagine that ION
mother when the dreaded tidngs reach he
: Can't you see the rauer drop from he
? witEered hands as she reads his name ?
No mistake; Ills his name; no use to de
ceive herself, for It's all there If Ll,ck an
| white. fearful reality The rirrlinp ri,
er Will have lost its charm-tbe sunship
Its beauty. A darkness falling over all
D dreadful void In her heart that can neyt
{ be filled.
e Oh, you who have friends and brotbe,
In the great army, pray with your whnl
souls that the ali seeing eve Of the Faith,
: shall keep watch over them and presery
Them from every evil; that he will hid
them In the cleft of the Rock of Axes