The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-09-03
RETRIBUTION.
THE MAD SOLDIERS STORY.

As we stroled slowly through the wards
the doctor told me many anecdotes of the
unfortunates under his charge. Finally we
turned into n room, where he said " This
patient was soldier and imagnes many
strange things he is perfectly harmless,
and you must get him to tell you his case,
while go over into ward A." Looking
around the neat little room | saw large
copy of our Lords Prayer and the Ten
Commandments fastened on the wall, a small
washstand, bed, and bureau. Kneeing
in the corner was the bent figure of man,
and he was praying earnestly.
"prvate Blake" said the doctor, sharply.
Here, General, here" said the man,
rising and facing about with a brisk military
salute.
"Privato Blake, this is Gen. Jones ho
has come TO listen to your grievance. Tell
him all about it,"
al will, General and whyl Because
he'll get me out, and that's why. What
was your command, General 2"
Il belonged to the Ninth Corps, my man"
And so lid /, General, and 1t was n
go cd corps Do you remember General,
when John Smith was shot for dcsertion in
front of Petersburg2
No, my man, but I've no doubt he was
if you say 500
" But he wasn't shot by the squad, Gen
eral only ny one of the squad-me! And
I'm in here for n thousand years, u thou
sand years was innocent. When saw
him lying full of holes on his wooden over
coat my poor heal rumbled, and knew I'd
be tried for it. Great God Now Tve
sworn again, and now | must pray again"
He ran across the little room and dropped
on his knees.
ooh, come, come, Blake" said the doctor,
If you want the General to help you, you
must tell him all about it,
81 will, General You officers didn't
think could put crank on the moon and
make grindstone out of it, but did, and
at night. too. between the second and third
relief"
" II you don't stop that nonsense I'll go
away, and so will the General" said the
doctor. AS the man again rose from his
knees and came toward us looked him over.
He was chunky" built, with blue eyes
and dark hair, a round face, and II nervous,
ftfnl, uneasy manner.
The doctor left the room and sat down
to listen.
81 say, General" (and he salnted me, }
" did you ever lore anybody Y'
81 hope so, my man; Pm married"
"Married Rig a jig, jig Married
Why, General, there's lots of married men
who never knew what it was to love any
body, and it's blessing they never did.
tell you, General, without any wish to be
familiar with my superior officer, that there's
squad of men in this Army that had better
never love, because if anything should &c
wrong they'd so crazy, They are all feel
ing. They used to say was crazy, and
believe was a little touched; but ther,
wasn'ta man in the Ninth Corps who'd say
Private Blake wasn't Il good soldier. d,
you think you can get me out, General %
Perhaps SO, my man,
Then I'll tell you all about it. | cam,
from Connecticut, where | made good liv
ing before the war-I was a barber. My pool
old mother kept house for me and I was
happy. | had neat little shop, with tn,
Lords Prayer and the Commandments OH til,
rich fellow came up from New York and lee
her astray, and she died, and many's til,
night look out of this window and see hen
fly by on star, AMI she says: Harry
dear, be patient you'll join me by and by .
know that well enough, but, General, i
won't be in less than thousand years
was to be married, General, and that devi
came from New York in his sleigh and tool
her riding, and he hung around our village
and was in misery because she grew cold t.
me. And one day he came into my shop anC
looked around and asked me to shave him
He told me to be careful, rs he had mol
Oh his right cheek, which clumsy barber
had cut hut didn't cut it, Pm as good
workman AS everyou saw, but they won't IL
mo have my tools here.
When my poor little Mary sacked III
for good and all General, | knew there wa
something wrong in my head, but | hid it
One day my mother told me that Mary ha,
gone off with him, and they wernt married
and that's the last / remember. General
They said was kept strapped down NOR
than year in an asylum, and then com
to and they discharged me as cured, and
went back to our village to find my motho
dead. opened my shop again, but tn
people wouldn't come to me to be shaved
They said they didn't like to have Graz
man lingering about their throats with
razor in his hand. So went out West
changed my name, and opened shop at
town on the Mississippi, close to the landing
and did very well for two or three year,
One day big man camo into my shop an
threw himself into my chair, and said Il
wanted to be shaved id quick He wa
about half drunk, and went to sleep as sooi
as he laid back. woke him up and aske
if he wanted all his beard taken off. II
said, yes > and he went to sleep again.
had in my shop what ] had brought froI
Connecticut, the Lords Prayer and til
Commandments, in big letters, hanging o
the WALL | lathered him we'll and took 0
his mustache and beard on the left side
his face; then began on the right, but la
hardly started when my razor touched
mole
~ knew him, General knew him
The devil that had led my poor Mary astray
but now he was in my power and snoring
sleep. Ha, Ia / slipped into my var
and got my axe. Once, twice. three times
raised that axe to oleaYe his skull, but al
other idea flashed through my mind lik
lightning. | got out all my towels an
bound him to the heavy chair--hs arms an
legs and head-so tight that he cOuldn
move il he had been as strong as Samson
Then yelled in his ear and woke him up.
90 Whatinell is the matter he growie
+" Matter you devil. Iyelled; don't yC
know mei Where ismy Mary Oh stru
gle, twist, swear = lie did know me, Ge
eral, and sobered in a minute.
Let me out of this said he. I'm ca
for help
{ Cali for help, you devil Why don
you' I'd have your throat cut from 81
to ear before man could open that doc
Pray, man, pray
Why should | pray p
~ Nv LII In..n -. ~ A.. 1 L