The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-08-24
A0ther will bring all tho Good rAires"
hr CLARA SEYMOUR.

4
Al Al In the summer of1S64 Twas in Wa
le ington, d. G.
.r hou all know that was during our 4
- war There were soldiers at the r,il,v
q stations, soldiers in the cars. soldiers
r. the corners Of streets rs sentinels-sitti
2 On thelr horses so still, with a dro,
: sword IN the left hand-that one mio
, thlhk them statues if one did not see I
, norses Kick little aud whisk their r,
/, to brusl-of the flies.
lnen there We're companies of sodie
marching through the broad ,vcnu,
looking so bravo and strong, and detc
mined to conquer every rebel. Tn,
? again there were squads of soldiers. pal
hungry and weary, whom we could $,
resting on the grass under the beautifi
Shade-trees on the avenues. There we,
crippled soldiers, in the grounds ofth
capltol-some on crutches, some with on
arm some with one foot some with arr
III Sing, some with their head bonn
up Oh! how much suffering they ha
Many of these wounded ones were Jus
solc to come out of the hospitals, an,
were allowed to enjoy the shade and sun
snlne OF the grounds about the Whit,
Rouse, the Smithsonian Institute. and IN,
beautiful grounds ofour National Capitol
IN all the public buildings there were sol.
dlers' too; the blue coat, brass buttons
ana plue cap were seen on the right hand
and on the left hand. There were soldier.
everywhere
All, yes soldiers in public buildings
and public parks; but, more than that
,here were long lines of low one story
buildings here and there about the city
where lay the sick, suffering soldiers in
the hospitals "
There was such Il hospital in Armory
square. 1t consisted of several narrow
1ne story buildings, called Wards these
wards were lettered-Ward A, b, c, &c.
My stay in Washington wa. limited
ina the rules Of the hospital were gener-
lily observed not to admit visitors earlier
nan eleven, forenoon, | think. However.
ana not know their rules, and | told tho
older in charge that | must leave for
New England that afternoon, and was
realty disappointed not to be admitted
"ifaye you any relatives here :" asked
he soldier.
"l hope not" replied "but the son
one of my neighbors was here when |
ri home a few weeks aegean not see
i'm ?"
" NAT name, company, and regiment"
'ked the man, as he rapidly turned the
aves Of large book.
told each as rapidly as he asked
Here Is the name, except the middle
ltial, A. instead of c., and YOU NAV
mistaken, you see," said he eood-na-
redly. Corporal, take this lady and
'r friends to Ward f, and tell Henry
IN Pa lady friend has come to see ,
,idings. At the door we stopped, for
ting in the doorway was lad Of SIN
en-, with nothing on but shirt and draw
=. Those cool, lean, white drawers
ow many pairs had we made in our Sol
ers' Aid Society and we had been told
gain and again ''the common soldier does
ot get any of the things you make"
nut there they were and the poor boy
It in the door of the hospital enjoying
lat warm sunshine, on that July morn
lg, when one poor foot was so wounded
nat it was not possible for him to wear
ny other lower garments. Then the car
ct slippers, The well foot Of the lad
as cncased in one of the thousands which
'ere made by Northern and Western wo-
nen.
The corporal returned from the inside
f the ward, and beckoned us to follow
i'm. We stepped inside, and first met a
ne looking man in wheel-chair, rolling
imself slowly along, and now and then
eadng book which he held in his
and.
Almost the first cot was the one where
he corporal stopped, and where | expected
o shake hands with Henry p, and enjoy
lis pleasant surprise at seeing me. But
lad never seen that face before, and how
he look of earnest expectancy faded from
he blue eyes, aud disappointment came
nto them, when stranger stood before
lim
spoke to the stranger as well as |
could, of the time when he would leave
MS bed in Washington, to 20 home, and,
leaving some little books with him, bade
him good morning. A gentleman who
often visited the hospitals was with MS,
and said. "Now we can walk through
this ward"
The room was long one, with narrow
beds on each side, with wide space be-
tween, covered with soft mating, that the
footsteps of nurses and visitors might
make no noise.
We passed along quietly and slowly the
right hand row Of cots, speaking pleasant
ly to each one who was awake, encourag-
ing them with any pleasant item ofnews,
saying as little as possible Of sickness and
wounds. Now and then one was asleep,
then We silently paused to fan him and
keep away the flies,
At the extremity Of the room we turned
toward the door, intending to speak tc
each one on the other side as we returned
but Mr. s. looked at his watch, and salt
we had "but few minutes more if w
took the next car back to the city"
| resolved to pass through withou
speaking to any, hoping bow and smil
and the gift Of few books would do a
well.
passed one or tive cots in this way
and came TO one where a lad of abou
sixteen years was bolstered up in his be-
with pillows, and | intended to bow
smile, and pass on. How could | ?
There he sat so pale and patient, faintl
smiling in return to me, yet his grea
brown eyes so earnestly asking me TO jus
speak to him
went back and sat down beside hi
cot, with hearty "Good morning, IN
soldier boy" How the brown eye
sparkled as he grasped my hand and n
. ,.I,al - .,.xr