The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-08-03
4 Canine Hospital Orderly.

one, basin and sponge to wet the wounds
of another, cologne for third, and milk
punch for fourth, felt Dick (our hos
pital dog, my faithful friend and ally, a
four-footed Vidocq, in his mode of seeming
out grievances seize my dress in his teeth,
pull it hard, and look eagerly up into my
face. "What is it, Dick? am too busy
to attend to you just now" Another hard
pull, and beseecbing look in his eyes.
"Presently, my fine fellow, presently. Get
tysburg men must come first"
He wags his tail furiously, and still pulls
at my dress. Does he mean that he wants
me for one of them? Perhaps so. ."Come,
Dick, I'll 60 with you" lie starts off de-
lighted leads me TO the ward where those
worst wounded have been placed, travels
the whole length Of it to the upper corner
where lies man apparently badly wound
cd, crying like a child. | had seen him
brought in on stretcher, but in the con-
fusion had not noticed where he had been
taken. Dick halted as We arrived at the
bed, looking at me as much as to say,
"There, isn't that case requiring atten.
ton :" and then, as though quite satisfied
to resign him into my hands, trotted quiz
city off.
lie did not notice my approach; there.
fore stood watching him for little while.
His arm and hand, from which the band
age had partially slipped, were terribly
swollen; the wound was IN the wrist, Tor
rather, as I afterwards found, the ball had
entered the palm of his hand and had come
out at the rist,) and appeared to be, as it
subsequently proved, very severe one.
My boast that I could make pretty good
conjecture what State a man came from by
looking at him. did not avail me here.
was utterly at fault His fair Saxon face,
so far as could Judge Of it as he lay Sob
bling on his pillow, had something feminine
almost childlike-in the innocenceEce
and gentleness Of its expression; and my
first thought was one which has constantly
required on closer acquaintance "How
utterly unfit for a soldierr' He wanted
the quick, nervous energy of the New Eng
rarely fails to betray his origin; he had
none Of the rough off-hand dash Of our
Western brothers, and could never have
had it, even in health nor yet the stolidi-
ty of our Pennsylvania Germans. No! it
was clear that must wait till he chose to
cnlighten me as to his home. After few
minutes study, was convince that bis
tears were not from the pain Of his wound !;
there was no contraction of the brow, no
tension of the muscles, no quivering of the
frame; he seemed simply very weary, very
langud, like tired child and resolved to
act accordingly. II
II have been so busy with our defenders
this afternoon" said I, "that have had
TO time to come and thank you"
He started, raised his tear-stained face
and said with wondering air, "To thank
me? For what? ?"
"For what?" said I, ''haven't you been
keeping the rebels away from US? Don't
you know that if hadn't been for you and
many like you, we might at this moment
have been flying from our homes, and Gen.
Lee and his men occupying our city? You
don't seem to know how grateful we are to
you've feel as though we could never do
enough for our brave Gettysburg men to
return what they have done for u.s."
This seemed quite novel idea, and the
tears were stopped to muse upon it.
1--WE tried to do our duty, ma'am-1
know that"
II know it too, and I think could make
pretty good guess what corps you belong
to-. Suppose try. Wasn't it the second
corps! You lock to me like one of Gen.
Hancock's men; you know they were
praised in the papers for their bravery.
AMI right ?"
The TIED face frightened instantly. The
random shot had hit the mark.
~Yes, the second corps. Did you know
by my cap ~
"Your cap? You don't wear your cap
il gd Bsa yoha HAT 6aHs must have
been made where there was pretty hard
fighting, and knew the second corps had
done their share of that"
But this was dangerous ground, as l felt
the moment the allusion TO his wound was
made; the sympathy was too direct, and
his eyes filled at once. Seeing my mistake, /
plunged off rapidly into another direction.
ibid you notice my assistant orderly,
who came in with me just now? He had
been over to see you before, for he came
and told me you wanted me-"
II wanted you! No, ma'am, that's a
mistake; no ones been near me since they
bathed me and gave me clean clothes-I
know there hasn't, for watched them run
ming all about; but none came to me, and
4 wanted SO much to have my arm dressed"
And the ready tears once more began to
6ow. -
2 "There is no mistake. told you that
my assistant orderly came to me in the
! ladies' room, and told me that you needed
me. Think again-who has been here
since you were brought in %
'.Not single soul, ma'am-indeed, not
q thing but dog, standing and looking in
my face, and wagging his tail, as if he was
pittying me-"
"But the dog! Exactly; he is my as.
sistant orderly he came to me and pulled
my dress and wouldn't rest till | came to
see after you. l am surprised that you
speak SO slightingly of poor Dick"
Here was at once safe and fertile theme
/ entered large upon Dicks merits; his
! greater fondness- occasionally, for their
dinners his having made way with three
lunches just prepared for men who were
!, starving-(the result, probably, of having
heard the old story that the surgeons eat
what is intended for the men, Our find.
ing him one day on our table with his head
in pitcher of lemonade, and how tried
to explain to him that such was not the
best way Of proving his regards for his
friends, the soldiers, but l feared without
much effect-.in short, made long story
out of nothing, till the wardmaster arrived
with his supper, saying that the doctors
orders were chat the new cases should all
,takc something to eat before he examined
,tkeir wounds. My friend had quite forgot.
ten his g n troubles in listening TO Dicks
his supper very quietly, as found he was
really too much exhausted to raise his arm
to his mouth. | had the pleasure Of seeing