Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-05-22
THE DEAR DEAD FACE.


THE war refer to was not one of
those which we have lately had upon
our own hands. but that which few
years ago ragged so long, SO fiercely,
between the Northern and the Southern
States of America. 1t was my fortune
to serve on the medical staff with a
portion of the Northern army during
most of that terrible struggle; and it is
needless to say that many personal in
cidents came under my notice, which
will never leave my memory. Not one
of them, however, made SO painful an
impression upon lie as that which am
about To describe.
Toward noon on the day after one of
the fiercest fights of all the war, a young
soldier was brought in from the battle
field, where by some mischancc he had
been overlooked and abandoned, while
comrades of his, far less grievously
wounded than he, had been sheltered
and tended before nightfall. The poor
fellow had lain all night and during the
long secrching hours of the morning,
amid heaps of dead, both men and
horses. suffering from the loss of an arm,
and other wounds. An army surgeon is
not as 4 rule man prone to undue sem
timent or to feminine softness at the
sight of physical suffering; and | am
makes me an exception in this particu-
lar. There was, however, in this
youths expression of countenance some
thing which struck me irresistibly,
and with the strong glare of
his large, bright eye, fixed my
attention and awakened my eager in
terest. He was slender youth. tall,
yet gracefully made, with 4 head which,
as the novelists phrase it, would bring
ecstacy 10 the soul of sculptor; and
every feature nodded to the true type of
manly beauty. A single glance gave
me this summary outline of my patient
before had time TO ascertain the ma
ture or extent of his injuries. A very
brief examination soon told me that the
life which for hours had been ebbing so
painfully away WIS well nigh spent, and
he must have read the awful truth in
my face, for he whispered TO me family
and sadly, as rose:
- Is there. then, no hopeHn
Alasi there was no hope; but had
not speech to tell him so; for something
was rising in my throat and choking
me, and moisture in my eyes was
binding me; and the only reply could
give him was shake of my head. The
brave spiri: which had nerved him
through the fight had kept him up till
now; but now, when the dismal truth
had broken upon him, there passed over
L. e.. ts,st g 1DI
pointment and resignation which it was
painful beyond expression to witness. |
lost no time in giving him such surgical
aid rs his desperate condition called for
and his waning strength could bear. /
had hardly done so when an unexpected
voice addressed him:
"My own dear boy! my brave, heroic
boyi"
The tone was of CHEEKY encourage
ment, yet feebly Disgusting the woe of a
breaking heart; for it was his mothers
voice that spoke, and her lips that kissed
his fevered brow. Gently she turned
back his disordered and blood-stained
locks, assembling with evident effort
the mothers anguish, lest she should
add another sorrow TO the pangs of his
dying hour.
"My motheri" he cried with almost
frantic delight. "Is it you, my mother?
How came you here2 Is ii you, or am
drcaming?" and as he spoke he threw
his only remaining arm around her neck
and kissed her with all the rapture of a
child. "Thank Godi" he continued,
ir snatches, as his failing strength al