Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-11-20
IND ", voi.o. n

covered his brow with my handker-
chief, thinking rs | did so that his
dead face wore as sweet n smile as
did my baby niece when | kissed her
TO sleep the night before As | was
leaving the room, one man wanted
me to come and talk to him as / did
10 Kit, and the doctor motioned me
to him. but felt as though another
task i'm that room would sufiocatc
me; SO | 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 be
yond eating. In that way | obtain
ed my own much-needcd breakfast,
and found young darkcy, whom |
sent home with an assurance of my
safety. Steadily we all kept at work,
and the morning wore away.
In one Of the beds among the worst
cases, was tall, muscular man. who
in the delirium of the last stages of
typhus fever, was swearing such
oaths IS | never even dreamed Of
His comrade told me he was slightly
wounded in the head, and that the
fever was coming on before they
went into the fight, but he did not
seem very bad until, as they were
coming from Nashville, the guerril-
las fred into the train and killed n
man lying next him. Since then he
said he had been crazy as loon
He swore all the time, the strongest
opiates only quieting him for n few
minutes They likewise said he was
never heard to use an oath when on
} duty. and one man told me, lie was
, Il raal pious kind, and prayed like
an inncrcent baby. Before night he
would die, and it seemed awful that
} soul should 90 to its Maker with
such words for its last utterances.-
Comparative order being establish
; ed, every one OF us had some special
, duty assigned us; and as | noticed
: She young and slight woman who at
tended this man. knew her to be 4
? volunteer like myself, and the wild
owed bride Of young colonel who
was killed at this same battle oi
Stone River. Every day since heI
= husband 5 death, she had come into
this hospital, and the men rcvercnc-
| ed her as an angel. But all her
soothing had no effect on this man.
4 and if at every fresh volley of oaths
2 hard old soldiers shIddered, it was
no wonder she looked ready to faint
r As | passed where she stood, carry
ing a tray, she whispered. What
: shall | do? can you not think ot
: something?
/ Perhaps if you knew any prayer
:, familiar to him ii might still him
\ 'Indade miss and it WOULD said
: an armless man in the wall bed, 'fol
= he was mighty religious and alters
read his prayers.
| 1t seemed hopeful at least, bu'
who knew any prayers sufficiently
familiar TO attract his attention
/, The sisters of course did; but they
| could not stop SO long, even if they
c would, and they would not / knew
:, as they would call it sacrilege tC
usrrp priests office. Still tho
l shocking oaths. and the boy who told
us he was mighty religious helped
/ rs out. And isn't there the holy
book in the pocket of the coat they
g took from him:'
| hunted mp the blood stained
mud-plastered blouse, and sure
enough found n praycr-boo in it,
, breast pocket. 1t was 50 soaked that
D in some places the words were almost
2 illegible. but it opened OF itself to the
1 Iitany for the dying
e Begin here and | handed it to
e Mrs. Mckay. Her voice. strangely
+ sweet and penetrating, filed the long
II room as she went or: BY Thy cross
and passion. by Thy death and buri
!, al. 10y Thy glorious resurrection dc
At first tie disturbed soul for whom
L she was praying, only spoke little
e lower, but soon the familiar word,
e possessed him, his big hands feehlN
made the cross on his brow, ther
crossed on his breast he lay still
u Not man Of all the sixty but recog
nized by look or position the solemn
II service, and rs Mrs Mckays voice
l gained iirnness and distinctness
q many of them made he responses
| think no gorgeous church servic,
:. could be half so impressing as that
q with the young woman's voice 70
!. priest and the weak, wounded mel
for people.
Clearer, more earnest grew tn
;. reader. as If she would win HEAVIER
for the passing soul, and as long n
she read the patient WAS still, but TIN
o moment she stopped be began. Jh
men begged her to 60 on. and sh
did, until her charge appeared asleep
i then stiffness fell on all the ward, an,
we all crept about Not long. how
ever, was the sleep; lie moved rest
q lessly, and she took up her book
+ Read quick, dear urged an oil
woman who had been crossing her
c self and responding with zeal: 'rea,
! quick the prayer for the departing
d be is going
,, Every thing stopped as she began
q Depart O redeemed soul dc. an,
: though of widely differing beliefs
I we were all OF one Lord. one faith
i one baDtism. as that soul left its MOI