The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-01-07
The German Soldiers Death.

anywhere, until the Solled cloIhlh5
which most of them had worn ever
since the battle, could be removed
The sickening sight that met my eyes,
as. under the direction Of my friend
and sister, l handed food and drink,
or bathed and wiped, amid all that
blood and dirt, I cannot describe; but
to this day the sight Of a flannel SHIRT
Of the color most common there makes
me faint. There was but an ln6ut1-
Gent supply of refreshments,and other
ladies coming In to assist, was gong
out into the Kitchen, to help there, when
a nurse met me and said the surgeon
wanted me at number nine. | went
across the hall to the said number-a
little room, comparatively, where were
about twenty men worse off than any
l had seen. It seemed as if every one
of those anguished eyes followed me as
went to the doctor, who said,
''AlI the rest are busy: my ether Is
gone, so l need somebody. Can you
hold this fellows head for few min
utes He is little wandering, and
keeps talking to somebody he calls
Mary. He'll think you are she"
| saw by the arm, ploughed by a
ball from wrist to shoulder, that there
must be an amputation but surely, if
the doctor could do it, and the man
bear it, could see it.
''What is his name, doctor p
Don't know. Boys, do any Of
you? p
'.Shure, an its Kit, MISS spoke
up big Irishman, so done up in rags
you could only see his eyes.
II am come to see you, Kit" and |
put my cold; shaking hand on his boy
ish forehead.
"You are my Marie, are you not p
knew by his accent as well as his
face, that he was German so [ spoke
to him in that language, and he accept
ed me in that hour Of extremity foI
that far away dear one. He would
talk, telling me-brave, stout soul, that
he was:
''Now Marie, you said I'd run; ask
'em if | did. Ask if | didn't go right
through the field, up to the rebel guns,
till dropped"
'Did he boys2" | would say and
when their stves'' WOuld reach his ears.
he would open his eyes and call out,
cheerily, "Take it back, Marie, take il
back"
sKecp him from talking and NOV
ing so much" said the surgeon.
Then I began telling him what his
folks (as he called them were doing at
home; and, as in his deiIrium he had
let fall many things that guided me, ]
felt | did no wrong, either to himself OF
the others present, by cheating them o.
few minutes of misery. After Mary,
Kits chief thought seemed to be o.
some ground he wanted dug up anC
planted with rose bushes.
"You'll tell 'em when we go home
if | can't, we will have the roses if W.
can't have anything else; you like ZEN
SO. Why you brought me one, didn'
your
Strangely enough, as Ipassed through
the porch, took half opened buC
from house rose that stood there, anc
fastened it in my belt. Slowly his fin.
gers moved, as if he would like it, and
l loosened it from it's confinement, anC
put it to his pale lips, as pure as they
were young. He kissed it eagerly
mumuring something about bringing
it from home. Then | held it where
his eyes saw it as long as they saw
anything earthly. And that afternoon
| sent that white rose to the far of
Michigan home, where the real Mary
viii sit and weep for her hero through
many a golden day.
But why don't he feel the pain,
doctor2 p
'HBless you, he is too near gone; |
don't think there is sign of chance,
and never did but Brown would have
me attend him.
'Do you mean he must die %
''Of course" and the hurried man
went on.
Die, his head in my hand? Death
was strange to me, and for the first
time my heart throbbed fearfuIly and
my sight left me, as | caught slight
sound from the surgeons instrument
If anybody had minded me, | should
have tainted; but all were busy with
their own doing and suffering; so |
sobbed through, though my tears drop
ped once or twice on Kits face.
''Why, Marie, what are you crying
for2 Won't the roses grow2 Never
mind, I'll make them. Kiss me to let
me know you don't blame me-
put my lips to his, and if had
not been SO mortally afraid Of that sur
geon, | should have cried uncontrolla-
bly,; but just then he called out so
sharply that | moved Kits head, and
added,
Most through; you did tolerably
for new hand. .
"Look at Kit, miss" said one of our
men, nearme; for while the doctor was
speaking my eyes wandered TO his face.
The doctor looked too, and muttered, |
Told Brown he would not live
through it; he is dying"
And he stopped his work and went
to another patient without delay. I
could not leave; could only hold the
heavy head and whisper loving words
as his own people would have done.