Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-11-29

and in a few words flor l hurried
at the time) expressed Il hope that
he felt no dread of the close con-
tact with the pestilence, which his
position would naturally entail
upon himself and his fellow-order-
lies.
How well remember the prompt
yet quiet manner of his speech, and
The fearless look in his sharp black
eyes, az he moved across to the side
of the ward in which he stood, and
laid his hand against the white
washed wall, glaring, blindingly
white, in the hot June sunshine.
eff so be that this here wall was
the cholery, I'd be no more altered
of it, than l am to lay my hand
there like that"
His courage was soon tried, for
thick and fast the enemy came upon
us. The cloudless dome Of the blue,
blue sky-day after day change
lessly, burningly bright-the silver
moonlight, the shimmering stars
looked down upon scenes of pain
and death, as terrible as those Of
any battlefield.
And where all did their duty well
and bravely, none was so fearless,
none so untiring, so jealous for suf-
fering comrades as my humble hero.
1t was even difficult for the medical
officers to induc. him to take any
rest, day or night; and thc hospital
sergeant, cool, ,phlegmatic Scotch
man-who would receive a cholera
case of the worst description with
the same imperturbable counto'
nance as a slight case Of measles
reused into something almost bor-
dering on enthusiasm in speaking
of him.
"Hes worth all the rest put to
gether, Tom is; he's as gentle as ;
woman with the men; and | nevel
saw such a fellow for work-h
don't seem to have such a thing a
tiredness in him."
Just then an orderly passed hur
rriedly by, with hasty touch of hi
] forage-cap to me, and a smile tha
: seemed to say: "You see, am get
5 ting on finely"
r What a time of anxiety, ant
: watching, and hope, and fear, thos
: sunny months of June and Jul
} were to all of us. Who can thu
walk, hand-in-hand in close com
5 panionship with death, life cease
= less prayer-to-day al lncertai
possession, to morrow still more S
who can live through a life lik
e that, and ever forget it in all th
years to come?
= At last, thank God, better day
seemed aawning for opr islapC
: Both among the civil aud militar
population cases" became few an
= far between. True, those that di
1 occur were of the most viruler
!. kind, but still we began to feel tha
E the worst was over; and our chaI
D lain, and the medical officers VIII
had toiled night and day among tn
e SEX, began To look 2 little less wear
and worn out.
/ Now there is no duty, of all tn
trying duties entailed by the nurl
ing Of cholera patients, more tryin
g than that of the last offices to th
: dead, Well, a map-one who's
wife and children had fallen beioI
T the pestilence-ha4 died, rapid
t and with every symptom intensife
r to the last degree, and they wer
| lifting him into the coffin.
/ MY soldier friend, the humbl
hero of this sketch, raised the hea
: and shoulders Of the poor black
4 ened corps, laid 1t gently ia itE la'
: resting-place, and then poor For
G -~tbe unwearied, never firing, ten
: der nurse--fell back fainting int
9 the arms of a fellow orderly.
cts got me, Jqck~ was all th
1 brave voice said.
e In equally curt fashion | hear
: the sad news.
!, AS was sitting under the shad
' of the orange trees in our garden
4 idly watching the gold-green lizard
/ darting in and ogt Of the vine
n leaves of the verandah, some on
9 came to say that a soldier wishe
q to see me and that worthy, afte
e twisting his fingers and scratchin
v his head by way Of getting over
G certain shyness Characteristic Of h
e kind, made the short but pregnar
o observation, "Tom's took J" a piec
S of news that Travelled through tn
t regiment like an electric shool
o you may be sure. 1t was the wor.
e we ever had-ono Of those tcrribl
,e forms Of the disease IN which thel
It is no hope from the frat.
o Poor Tom seemed literally satJ
o rated with the cholera poison, doub
less from having been night an
: day in constant contact with tn
o contagious influences. Yet ho
hard he tried to smile same the ol
Q confident smile as he held out h
y nnnr liuid hand 10 me. during