The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-02-13


and up and down the long CHASTITY lines OF |
tSo s6tf osSs IsgSe shs ES 0 Esi saa
tumbler, and started on the round of my
ward, as eager to give as the poor fellows
were TO receive. The ice ratified and rung
in the piteherip a most inviting way, and
many heavy eyes opened at the sound, and
many a hot hand was stretched out when
all at once, on one Of the two farthest beds
Of the ward, / saw man start up, with
his face flaming with fever and his eyes
cleaning, as he almost screamed out
: Water give me water, for Gods sake 7
"sThen, madam, | oould see no other
face in all the ward, for it was be
"Imade few steps toward him, and
saw he knew me as well as | knew him,
for he fell back on his pillow, and lust
turned his face toward the wall Then
the devil tightened his grip ON me, till 1t
seemed he had me fast and sure, and he
seemed to whisper into my ear Rattle
the ice in the pitcher and aggravate him
so up and down, giving water to all the
others, and not drop to himr
"Then something else whispered, q little
nearer, though not in such a sharp, hiss
ing way conscience, suppose It was
good Methodists might call it the Holy
Spirit other religious people might say
1t was the spirit of my mother and per
haps would all mean about the same thing
anyhow, 1t seemed to say Now, my
boy, Is your chance to return good for
evil. Gato him, give him 70 drink iirstof
an z And hatSoih6tltSa5 walked me right
up to his bedside, made me slide my hand
under bis. shoulder and raise him up, and
put the tumbler to his lips. How he
drank | never can forgetT-in long, deep
draughts, almost a tumblerful at q Bwal-
low, looking at me So wistfully all the
time. When he was satisfied, hefell back,
and again turned his face to the wall,
without a word. But somehow | knew
that fellows heart was touched, as no
chaplain'ssermon or tract had ever touch
ed it. E.5.g.I
"I asked the surgeon to let me have the
sole care Of this patient, and be consent.
ed, though he said the,man had a bad gun
shot wound in the knee, and would have
to submit TO an iamputation, If he could
stand it; and If not, would probably
make me great deal OF trouble while he
lasted. Fl F#A&& 80 -
"Well, / took charge Of him--I had to
do it, somehoW--b but he kept up the same
silence with me for several days; then,
one morning, just as | was leaving his
bedside, he caught hold Of my coat and
pulled me back l bent down to ask him
what he wanted, and he said, in a hoarse
whisper You remember that oanteen
business in the Shenandoah ValleyP'
Yes; but itdon't matter now, old fellow,
/ answered.
But Il does matter, he said. Il don't
know what made me SO surly that day,
only that an upstaTtyoun lieutenant from
our town had Just been swearing atme for
struggling and | wasn't TO blame, for
was sick l came down with the fever the
next day. AS for what l said to you,
was ashamed Of it before you got out Of
sight and, to tell the truth, I've been
looking for you these two years, Just to
tell you So But when / met you here,
where | was crying, almost dying, for
water, It seemed SO like the carrying out
of your curse, was almost afraid of you.
"I tell you what, madam, It gave me
strange feelings to think Of him looking
for me, to make up, and looking for him,
to be revenged, all this time; and it was
such a little sin, after all. Pm not
ashamed to confess that the tears came
into my eyes as / said Now, Eastman
(that was his name; he was q Maine mani
don'tfretAbbutthatl matter any more
It's all right, and yeu' We been better fel
low than all along}s ~
But he had taken il TO heart, and Wat
too weak to throw 1t off, It was sc
mean, he said, so unsoldier-likeand bear
ish ! and Twas so good to forgive it, III
insisted. srr
aIstood BY him while his leg was am
putated; and when, after a time, the sur
geon said even that couldn't cave him
that he was sinking, I found that the mar
was like brother TO me. He took thl
hard news that he must die 5lIst as tai
4 war was almost ended, like the brave fei
low he was He dictated a last letter I,
his sister, the only relative he had CAV
me some directions about sending som
keepsakes to her, and then asked for tn
chaplain. This was a good sensible, elder
ly man, and he talked In about the righ
style, think and aAdeCps alt feel quit
4 comfortable IN the belief that in th
Il Fathers house there must bea nlansioi
for, the poor snldieE whe had 30 oftel
eanped out ia snow Rnd rein; and tina
( for him who&haa gwen his AFT for hi
country, some great good must be ii store
i cat last, the poorsiellow said to th
chaplain Isn't there something in th
Bible about giving cup Of cold water
All madam, / cart ltelly you how tina
hurt me. 0 Eastman said /, don
aen'tF But he only smiled as the char