The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-02-11
OBJ. SMITH & CO., PROPRIETORS.

| by their wounds and exposure to the sun,
and up and down the long ghastly mes of
White beds the great cry was for water I
| took large pitcher of ice-water and
tumbler, and started on the round of my
ward, as eager to give as the poor fellows
| were 10 receive. The ice ratified and rung
In the pitcher in most inviting way, and
| many heavy 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 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
Then, madam, l could see no other
face IN all the ward, for it was he
81 made few steps toward him, and
saw he knew me as well as [ knew him,
for he fell back on his pillow, and just
| turned his face toward the wall. Then
| the devil frightened his grip on me, till it
seemed he had me. fast and sure, and he
seemed to whisper into my ear: Rattle
the ice il the pitcher and aggravate him !!
Go up and down, giving water to all the
Others, and not drop to himp
"Then sonaethi1g else whispered. little
nearer, though not in such sharp, hiss
| ing way-conscience, I suppose it was
!
| Spirit other religious people might say
| it was the spirit of my mother; and per-
haps would all mean about the same thing
anyhow, it seemed to say: Now, my
boy, is your chance to return good for
evil. Go to him, give him to drink first of
air And that something walked me right
up to his bedside, made me slide my hand
under his shoulder and raise him up, and
put the tumbler to his lips. How he
Il T
draughts, almost q tumblerful at g swal-
low, looking st me 50 wistfully al the
time. When he was satisfied, he fell back,
and again turned his face to the wall,
without word. But somehow I knew
that fellows heart was touched, as no
chaplain's sermon or tract had ever touch
ed it.
81 asked the surgeon to let me have the
sole care of this patient, and he consent
ed, though he said the man had bad gun
shot wound in the knee, and would have
to submit TO an amputation, if he could
stand it, and if not, would probably
make me a great deal of trouble while he
lasted.
"Wen, took charge of him-I had to
do it, somehow-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 canteen
business in the Shenandoah Valley?'
Yes; but it don't matter now, old fellow
I answered.
&c But it does matter he said. Il don't
know what made me so surly that day,
only that an upstart young lieutenant from
our town had just been swearing at me for
CT r.rlJ T c,,'t To hi 20 7
was sick. l came down With the fever the
next day. AS for what | said to you, I
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 I 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
q 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 I'm not
ashamed to confess that the tears came
into my eyes IS l said Now, Eastman
(that was his name; he was Maine many,
don't fret about that little matter any more !;
it's all right, and you've been better fel-
low than | all along
But he had taken it to heart, and was
too weak to throw it Off 1t was 80
mean he said, so unsoldier-like and bear
ish;' and | was 40 good to forgive it. he
insisted.
:" stood by him while his leg was am
putated; and when, after time, the sur
geon said even that couldn't save him,
that he was sinking, I found that the man
was like brother to me- He took the
hard news that he must die, just IS the
war was almost ended, like the brave fell
low he was. He dictated a last letter to
his sister, the only relative ne had gave
me some directions about, sending some
keepsakes to her, and then asked for the
chaplain. This was a good, sensible, elder
ly man, and he talked in about the right
style, think, and made Us all feel quite
comfortable in the belief that N the
Fathers house there must be q mansion
for the poor soldier, who had so often
campcd out in snow and rain and that
for him who had given his all for his
country, some great good must be in store
p =" At last, the poor fellow said to the
chaplain: Isn't there something in the
Bible about giving cup of cold water p
All! madam, ca 1T tell you how that
hurt me. 80 Eastmanr said /. don't,
don'tr But he only smiled as the chap
lain repeated the verse. Then he turned
to me and said: You didn't think what
gave me that glass of ice-water the other
day, did you, old fellow? Can 1 pass for
one of the little ones, though, with my
six-feet-two?' Then he went on talking
about being little, and the kingdom of
heaven, till we almost feared his mind
was wandering; but perhaps it was only
finding its way home, Il do feel strange
~ childish tonight he said. I feel like
saying the prayer-verse my mother taught
me when she used to put me to bed TWEEN
ty-fve years ago. If you'll excuse me, III
So he babe Us good night, turned over
on his pillow, and softly shut his eyes his
lips moved q little while, and then, indeed,
he went to slice o.-Hearth and Home.