Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1869-03-06

y
me as my own rothcrs. only il Sremed to
bo more sharply Gu, into my memory.
don't know why resented this offence s6
bitterly. ] have let bigger things of the
tort pass, aud soon forgotten them /; bat tbs
stuck by me. AIN not n reyengelul fellow
! naturally, but | never gave up the hope of
seeing that man again, aud son chow pay
ing him back for Ills brutal insolencr. There
wasn't camp ar review | WAS in for the
next two years but looked for him, right
and LETT ! never went over n field, alter q
battle, hut that searched for him among
the dying God forgive me At last, my
opportunity came
Il had been wounded and was in one ci
the Washington hospitals almost we'll, vet
still not quite tit for duty in The saddle. /
hate. above all things, to he idle go beg
ged for light employment as hospital
nurse, aud they gave it to me, ana said !
did my duty well.
~ never felt for our poor, brave fellows
as did there. had been very fortunate,
and until that summer had never been in
hospital. Now saw such suffering and
such heroism ms | had never seen on the bnt.
Tie field Companionship helped to Keep
up the spirits OF those we could not save, tu
tho last. Then it seemed hard TINT each
brave boy must make his march down the
dark valley alone. But they all went of
gsIlantly. would rather have gsllopcd
forward TN o furl0rn charge, any day, liar
have followed any one of them over To the
Soldiers Rest though it is pretty place
to camp down in. in fact my heart grew
so soft here, so Christianized as it were,
that forgot to look for my old enemy ; tor
30, you see, | still regarded the surly stray
Il 1 ! IL D
spring.
After the battles of the Wilderness, p
great multitude ofthc wounded were poured
in upon us all our wards were filed to
uve.llowing It was hot, close weather !;
most of the patients were fevered by thcil
wounds md exposure to the sun. and up
nnd down the long ghastly lines of white
beds the great cry WAS for water. | took
large pitcher of ice. water and tumhler,
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
pitcher in most inviting way, aud many
hravy eyes opened at the sound, and many
~ hot hand was stretched out, when, all at
once. on one of the two farthest beds of the
ward, | saw a man start up, with his face
flaming witt, fever and his eyes cleaning
as I've almost screamed out : Water give
me water, tor Gods sake y
Then, madam. could see no other face
in all the ward, for II WAS nc
II made Il few steps toward him, and saw
he knew me ss well rs | knew him, for he
fell back on his pillow, and Just turned his
lace toward the wall Then the devil tight
cned lis grip On me, till it seemed he had
me fast aud sure. aud he seemed to whisper
into my ear Rattle the ice in the pitcher,
and aggravatr him Go UP and duwn, Civ
ing water to ell the others, and not drop
To him y
"Then something e!sc whispered, iittle
nearer though not in snCh sharp, kissing
way cnncicnce, suppose it was good
Methodists might cslt 1t the Holy Sprint !;
other religious people might say 1t was the
spirit of my mother; and perhaps we wonld
all mean about the same thinS-Hny yhOw, it
seemed to sny Nav, my hoy, IS your
chance to return good for evil. Go to him.
give him tn drink first Of all y And that
S0mething walked ME right up to his bed
side, made n!e slide my hanG under his
shoulder and raise him up, and put the
tumbler tu his lips How he: drank never
can lorget-in long. deep Ilraughts, almost
ii tumhlertul vt u swallow, looking at me so
wistluily all the time When he WAS salts.
20 the wall, without word. But somehow
knew that fellows heart WAS touched, as
no chaplains sermon or tract had ever touch
ed It.
II asked the surgeon toilet me have the
sole care ni this patient, ard hc consented.
though he said he man bad n had gunshnt
wound in the knee. and would have tn sub
init to an amputation, # he Cnud stand it ;
and if not. would probably make me great
deal oi trouble while he lasted.
We'll. | took charge of him-l had tC
do it, somehow but he kept up the same
silence with mt for several days; then. one
morning, just a, Was leaving his bedside,
he caught hold nf my coat and pulled me
back | bent down to ask him What he
wanted, and he said, in hoarse whisper:
You remember ,hat cantecn business in
the Shcnanduah Failcyl' Yes; but it don I
matter now, old Fellow : answered.
But it does matter, he said. i don't
know what made me so surly that day. on,
" IN upstart of u lieutenant from our town
had Just been swearing at me for Struggling;
and | wasn't to blame, for | was sick. |
came down with the fever the next day
As for that said tn YOU, | was ashamed oi
it before YOU got out of sight and, to tell
the truth Eve been looking for you these
two wears, just to tell you SO. But when
met Inu mere, where was crying, almost
d,ing. for water, it seemed sn like The car
wing out OF your curse, WAS r!ulost airaIH
ni YOU.
Il tell you what; madam, it gave mr
strange feelings to think of him looking for
nae, to make up, and looking for him, TO
Ice reveEged. all this time and it Was such
little sin, after all. I'm not ashamed to
confess tha, the tears came into my eyes MS
| said Now, Eastman Chat was his name
he WAS Maine man, don't fret about that
little matter any more; IT'S all right, and
you've heen better fellow than all along n
But he had taken il to heart, and was
TOO weak To throw it of. Il was 'so mean.
he said $50 unsolGieriy like and bearish !
and was so good to forgive it, hs Insist
ed.
Il stood hy him while his leg was au
putated, and when after time, the surgeon
said even that couldn't save him, that he
was sinking, | found that the man was lik,
brother to me, lie took the hard pews
that he must die, just as the war was almost
ended, like the brave fellow he was. lie
dictated last letter 10 his sister, the only
relative he had gave me some directions
about sending some ksepsakcs to her, and
! then asked for the chaplain. This was .