The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-05
What IL Cost.

The two beds were side by side in the
long ward, and on them lay two men,
each with gun-sbot wound through the
right arm below the elbow. They were
about the same age each had wife and
children at home, and both hoped to save
these useful right arms; for on their
strength and skill the support of their
families depended.
Clark was farmer, pleasant, happy
tempered fellow, bound to look on the
bright side of things, and to get well as
soon as possible, though his wound was
the worse of the two. Morse had been a
blacksmith and was proud of his strength,
but said little, and seemed to have some.
thing on his mind, being moody as well
as taciturn.
The two were soon friendly, for neigh
bors in hospital can hardly help being
so, but Clarke did most of the talking, and
lively gossip without making any return.
Therefore knew very little about him,
and when the surgeon one day asked me
if Morse had been drinking man, l
could not answer.
"Why do you want to know, Doctor 7"
"He is not doing we'll as Clark, though
his wound is safer sort, and ought to be
nearly well by this time. 1t is bad way,
and I'm afraid that he will have to lose
that arm Of his" answered the surgeon,
shaking his head over particularly bad
smelling dose he was preparing for some
unhappy patient.
81 hope not; l thought he was doing
well, and that Clark, who suffers much
more, was the one who might have to
lose an arm," said, rolling bandages for
both as | talked.
"Not he his blood is as healthy as a
child's; he will be all right in a month ;
you may tell him So"
81 am very glad, for he was always talk
ing about the happy time when he can 60
home to his wife and babies. Morse says
nothing, but is as anxious to get well,
think, though when you speak of his fami-
ly it does not seem to cheer him up"
81 wish you'd find out if he has not
been a drinker. can't make him talk,
and it is important to know, for if it is SO
the sooner the arm is off the BETTER" and
the doctor corked his bottle with deci-
sive rap.
When saw the men again my feeling
toward them was quite changed, for now
anxiety about Clarke was all gone, and !
pitied Morse SO much could not bear to
ask that hard question. 1 soon learned
the fact, however, without asking, and in
this way:
AS | went through my ward with a
glass of wine-whey for another patient, !
stopped to wet Morse's arm, for saw a
look of pain on his face and knew the
comfort of cold water. He did not speak,
and | went to refill the basin, leaving the
glass on the little table near his bed.
When came back it was empty.
"Why, Morse, that wasn't for you
Stimulants of all kinds are bad for you
just now" said, thinking how impatient
poor Martin would be at having to wait
for second supply.
al know i'll couldn't help taking it
the smell was too much for me, muttered
Morse, looking red and ashamed, though
the fierce, hungry expression of his eye
betrayed that he longed for more.
"I'm afraid you like that sort of thing
too much for your own good" l ventured
to say"
1T has been the ruin of me but | fight
against it, indeed l do" he said 80 earn
estly that believed it, and longed to pre-
pare him for what was to come, feeling
l could tell him more gently than the sur
geon, who had a somewhat startling way
of saying to a patient, "Now, then, my
man, shall want this leg of yours il
about an hour"
"Perhaps the pain you have suffered
here may help you in your fight. Times
like these do much to strengthen gooc
resolutions, if one is sincere" | said
pleased at having won him to talk Of
himself.
az know it, and I've made many sine,
I've been lying here. But you see
couldn't resist even a small temptation
like that. wish I'd bullet through botl
arms before did it p he answered unde
his breath, with remorseful look at tn,
empty glass.
"Perhaps the loss of one arm will helI
you to resist" | began, finding it hard t.
soften the harp truth after all.
You don't mean that 2" and he looked
up at me with scared face: for the los.
of right arm was more dreaded than tn
loss of any other limb.
al am afraid | do. DIR. Otmon think
it necessary, for it is not doing WELL"
"But it is not SO bad as Clark's. They'v
saved his arm, why can't they mine ?
he whispered, glancing at the great Draw
ny hand below the bandages, the hand tina
would never swing a sledee-hammer again
"Ah, that's the pity of it, Morse. The,
saved his, though worse wounded thai
yours, because he was temperate man
You must lose yours because you hav
poisoned your blood with bad liquor, ant
now must suffer for it."-Leofet.