Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-08-04
A PICTURE FROM THE HOS.
PITAL.
How Our Soldiers Live and Die

How Our Soldiers Live and Die.
In the last number of the Boston Com
monureaM we find the following sketch of
q scene in one of the army hospitals at
Washington, trom the pen of Louisa NJ.
AlcOtt, of Boston, who performs the duties
of q nurse:
DAVID AND JONATHAN.
One evening / found lately emptied
he'd occupied by q large, fair man, with a
ine face and the serenest eyes ever met.
One of the earlier Corners had often spoke
OF a friend who had remained behind that
those apparently worse wounded than him
self, might reach shelter first. 1t seemed
q David-and Jonathan sort of friendship -
The men fretted for his mate, ADD was
never tired of pralsing John, bis courage,
sobriety, self-denial, and unfailing kindli-
ness of heart, always winding 10 with:
Hes an out and out fine Teller, nam,
you see if he amt"
had some curiosity to behold this piece
of excellence, and when be came, watched
him for night or two before l made
friends with him for to tell the truth, |
was little afraid of the statelv-lookipg
man whose bed had to be heightened to &C.
cnmmOdste his COMMANDING stature, who
seldom spoke, uttered no complaint, asked
no sympathy, but TRANQUILITY observed what
went on about him; and as he Law high
upon his pillows, TO picture of dying
statesman or warrior was ever fuller of
real dignity than this Virginia black
emith.
NO re.
A most attractive face he had, framed
IN brown hair and beard, comedy featured
and full of vigor as yet unsubdued by pain,
thoughtful and Otter beautifully mild while
watching the affections of others. as if en-
tirely EOrgetful of his own. His mouth
was grave and firm, with plenty of will
and courage in its lines, but smile would
make it as sweet as any womsn's; and his
eyes were child's eyes, lJuk;pg one fairly
in the face, with clear straightforward
glance, which promised well for such as
placed ;heir faith in him. He seemed e.
cling to life as if it were rich in duties and
delights, and he had learned the secret of
content. The only time saw his compOs-
ure disturbed was when nv surgeon
brought another to examine John. who
scrutinized their faces with al anxious
look, asking Of the elder: do you think
! shall pull through, sir ?" IL hope 80, nv
man." And as the two passed on, Johns
eye still followed him with an intentness
which would have won a clearer answer
from them had they seen it. A momenta.
~ shadow q. tied over his face. then came
the usual serenity, as if in that brief eclipse
he had acknowledged the existence of some
hard possibility, and asking nothing, vet
hoping all things, left the issue in Gods
hand, with that submission which is true
piety.
The next night, as went my round
with Or. P, l happened to ask which
man in the room probably suffered most,
and to my great surprise he glanced at
John.
Every breath he draws is like stab
for the ball pierced the left lung, broke q
rib, and did no end Of damage here aud
there; so the poor lad can find neither for
gettulness nor ease, because be must lie On
his wounded back or suffocate. 1t will be
hard struggle, aud long one, for be pos
sesSes great vitality, but even his ten.
perate life can't save him. / wish it
could"
You don't mean be must die doc.
tor |"
BLESS you, there's not the slightest
hoIe for him. and you'd better tell him 90
before lOng-womSn have a way of doing
such things comfortably, so leave it to
you. He won't last more than q day or
two, at farthest."
could have sat down on the SCOT and
cried heartily. if had not the wisdom Of
bottling up ones tears for leisure moments.
Such an end seemed very hard for such q
man, when half a dozen worn out, worth>
less bodies round him. were gathering up
the remnants Of wasted lives, to liuger on
for years perhaps burdens to others, daily
repro aches to themselves. The army need.
cd men like John, earnest, brave aud faith
Iul, lighting for liberty and justice With
both heart and hand, true soldier of the
Lord. could not give him up 90 soon, or
think with any patience, of 80 excellent a
nature robbed of it's fnl6IIment, and blum.
dered into eternity by the rashness or stu
pldIty OF those at whose hands 90 many
lives may be required. 1t was 40 easy
thing for DR.. P to say, ''tell him he
must die" but cruelty hard thing to do
and BY no means as comfortable as he
politely suggested. / had not the heart to
do it then, and privately INDUCED the hone
that some change for the better might take
place. in spite Of gloomy prophecies, 90 rem.
dering my tssk unnecessary.
SHORT AND SIMPLE STORY.
After that night, an hour of each eve
ming that remained to him was devoted to
bis ease or pleasure. He could not talk
much, ioT breath was precious and he spoke
10 Whispers, but FROM occasional CONVERSE
tons, cleaned scraps of private history
which oDly added to the affection and re-
spect ielt 1or bin. Once be asked ne to
write . letter, and as ] settled pen and ps-
per, ! said with an irrepressibie glimmsr
of female curiosity, :'shall it be addressed
to wife or mother john"
Neither, ms'sm; I've 20 no wife, and