St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-02-24


about the war. thought had divert
c'l his mind from its sick and lauguic
l;'ncics, when lie suddenly graspcl my
hand and drew me toward him.
''Doctor," said he IN low whisper
''you won't laugh nj me if | tell you
something 2
''No, certainly not" said.
''lou remember that drum" he said,
pointing TO the glisicning toy that hung
against the wall. You know, too, how
it came to me. A few weeks after Christ
mas was ying half asleep here, and the
drum was hanging on the wall, when
suddenly | heard it beaten; at first low
and slowly, then faster and louder until
lis rear flied the house. In the middle
of the night heard it again. dil not
dare to tell anybody about ii, but have
heard ii every night since
lie paused and looked anxiously in my
face. 'Somctimcs," he continued, ''it
is played softly, sometimes loudly, but
always quichcning TO long-roll, so loud
and alarming that l have looked 10 see
people coming into my room to see what
was the matter. But | think, Doctor
| think" he repeated slowly, looking up
with painful interest in my face, "lhat
no one Lcars it but myself"
thought 50, too, but asked him if
lsc had heard it at any other time.
'Once or twice in the day-lime,'' he
replied, "when l have been reading or
! lDr 1,t IL,
were angry, and tried i'll that way to at
tract my attention away from my books"
looked into his face and placed my
hand upon his pulse. His eyes were
very bright and his pulse a little nurricd
and quick. then tried to explain TO
lam that he was very weak, and that
hIs senses were very acute as most pco-
pies are; and that when lie read or grew
interested OF excited or when lie was
tired at night, the throbbing Of Il big
artery made the Icating sound he heard.
lie listened TO me with sad smile of
unbclief, but thanked me, and in little
willie | went away. But as | was going
down stairs met the Professor. gave
him my opinion of the casc-wcll no
matter what it was.
'Ilc wants fresh air and exercise"
said the Professor, ''and some practical
experience of life, sir" The Professor
was not bad man, but he was a little
worried and impatient, and thought-as
clever people are apt 10 think-that
thugs which he didn't understand were
either silly or improper
left the city that very day, and in
the excitement Of batlle-iields and hos
pitfalls | forgot all about little Rupert, nor
did l hear Of him again, until one day,
meeting an old classmatc in the army.
who had known the Professor, he told
me that Rupert had become quito insane,
and that i'll one Of his paroXysms he had
escaped from the house. and rs he had
never been found, it WAS feared that he
had fallen in the river and was drowned.
| was terribly shocked for the moment,
as you may imagine; but dear me, was
living just then among scenes as terrible
and shocking, and | had little time to
mourn over poor Rupert.
1t was not long after receiving this in
tcllIgcncc that we had a terrible battle,
in which a portion of our army was
surprised and driven back with great
slaughter. was detached from my
brigade to ride over the battlefield and
assist the surgeons of the beaten division,
who had more on their hands than they
could attend TO. When | reached the
barn that served as temporary hospital,
| went at once TO work. All, Bob, said
the Doctor, thoughifully taking the
bright sword from the hands of the half
frightened Bob and holding it gravely
before him, these pretty playthmes are
symbols Ct cruel, ugly realities.
turned to tall, stout Ncrmontcr,
he continued, very slowly, tracing pat
tern on the rug with the point of the
scabbard, who was badly wounded in
both thighs, but he held up his hands
and begged me TO help others first who
needed it more than he did not first
heed his request, for this kind of un-
NscliislncsS was very common in the
army but he went on; ''For Gods
sake, doctor, leave me here; there is a
drummer boy of our rcgimcnt-a mere
chiid-dying, if he isn't dead now. Go
and see him first. lie lies over there
| lie saved more than one life. lie was
at his post in the panic this morning,
and saved the honor of the reoimcnt."
| was so much more impressed by the
mans manner than by the substance of
his speech, which was, however, cor
roboratel by the other poor fellows
stretched around me, that passed over
to where the drummer boy lay with his
drum beside him. | gave one glance at
his facc-and-yes, my children-it was
Rupert.
Well. well !, it needed not the chalk
ed cross which my brother surgeons had
left upon the rough board whereon he
lay TO show how urgent the relief he
sought it needed not the prophetic
words of the Vermonter, nor the damp
mingled with the brown curls that cluns
TO his pale forehead TO see how hopelts IS
it was now. / called him by name. lie
opened his cyes-larger thought, in the
new vision that was beginning to dawn
upon him-and recognized me. He
whispered &: "Tm glad you are come,
but | don't think you can do me any
good"
could not tell him a lie. | could not
say anything. l only pressed his hand
in mine, as lie went on.
"But you will see father and ask him
to forgive me. Nobody is 10 blame but
myself. 1t was long time before | un-
ders:ood why tie drum came TO me that
Christmas night, and why it kept calling
to me every niaht, and what it said. |