The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-10-22

by cheating them Of few minutes of mis-.
cry. After Mary, Kits chief thought seem.
ed to be Of some ground he wanted dug ?
and planted with rose bushes.
"You'Il tell 'em when we 60 home, If I
can't we will have the roses If we can't
have anything else, you ike 'em so. Why,
you brought me one, didn't yons"
Strangely enough, as I passed through
the porch, 1 took q hale opened bud from a
house rose that stood there, and fasten.
ed it in my belt. Slowly bis fingers moved
Is ifhe would like it. and loosed it from it's
confinement, and put it to the pale lips, rs
pure as they were youhg. He kissed It Gag
erly, murmuring something about bringing
il from home. Then held it where bis
eyes saw it as long as they saw anything
earthly. And that afternoon sent that
white rose to the far off Michigan home,
where the real Mary viii sit and weep for
her hero through many golden day.
"But why don't he feel the pain, doc,
tor -
"Bless you, he is too near gone; don't
think there is sign ofa chance. and never
did, but Brown would have me attend
him." ft n.
"Do you mean he must die ?" .t
"Of course" and the hurried man went
on. - o Z
Die, his head in my handsp Death was
strange to me, and for the first time my
heart throbbsd fearfully and my sight left
me as I caught slight sound from the sur.
geon's instrument. Ifanybody had mind
ed me, should have tainted, but all were
busy with their own doing or suffering, so I
sobbed through, though my tears dropped
once or twice on Kits face. i,
"Why, Marie, what are you crying fort
Won't the roses grow; never mind, I'll
make them. Kiss me, to let me know you
don't blame me-" aft
Iput my lips to his, and if had not
been SO mortally afraid of that surgeon, l
should have cried uncontrollably but just
then he called out sharply that m Dyed
Kits head. and added, "Most through you
did tolerably for new. hand" .n"'saif5h :.
Look at Kit, Miss" said one of tho men
near me, for while the doctor was speaking
my eyes had wandered to his face. The
doctor looked too, and muttered, "Told
Brown he would not live through 1t he is
dying" And he stopped his work and
went to another patient without delay. II
I could not leave; could only hold the
heavy head and whisper loving words, as
his own people would have done. Hg
"You know" and be looked iongingly 1t
me with his dim eyes, you know, it's com.
ing on night, Marie we'll get tho children
in and have prayers, then you win sing me
q hymn" He was listening earnestly, when
there was change came to his face. and he |
heard angels singing in the Fathers king
dom. I removed far from him all traces of
battle and pain, laid the hair back from his
face, put the rose ia his only Hand, and COW
cred his brow with my handkerchief, think
ing as did so that his dead face wore rs |
sweet a smile rs did my baby niece when |
kissed her to sleep the. night before. AZ |
was leaving the room, one man wanted me
TO come and talk to him as did to Kit, and |
the doctor motioned me to him, but felt as
though another task in that room would suf- |
focate me; SO I went into the passages, and
helped those who were giving coffee and
broth to the men who could eat, and brandy |
to those who were beyond eating. In that |
way | obtained my cwn much needed break |
fast, and young darky, whom sent home
with an assurance Of my safety. Steadily
we all kept at work, and the morning wore |
away. - ~ 0siH
, In ono Of the beds among the worst cases,
was tail, muscular man, who in the delir- 1
ium Of the last stages Of typhus fever was
swearing such caths as never even dream
ed Of His comrade told inc be was slight |
ly wounded in the head, and that the fever
= 80 80, e'us a'4 On oe'ole tney went INTO the
~. no s.'i u'u no. ,et seem very oad UNTIL
= ~ w .'.1 s'm'ns aAes, from Nasnvhie, the
p.s nsu 'a.o 'ne 'fa'n ana killed
E '"s nsA' nun. S'nce n'ss .nen n ne said ne
M asy 10y as loon. :,,,!1O' dc s"oro eN all the
sno seonges' sll.s op'ases only quoting
n, =, Z. ! 49,. !. a. h.....,'. (. ] go