The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-04
WHAT 1T COST.

The two beds We're side by side in tbs
!ong ward. and On them lay two men,
zach with n gun-shOt wound through
the right arm below the elbow. The
were about the same AGE. each had
a wife and children at home, and both
hoped to save these useful right arms,
for on their strength and skill the sup
port of their families depended.
Clarke was Il farmer. u pleasant,
happy tempered fellow. bound to look
on the bright side of things, and to get
well rs Don as possible, though his
wound was the worst of the two. Morse
had been Il blacksmith and was proud OF
his strength. but said little and seemed
10 have something On his mind, being
moody as well rs taciturn.
The two were soon friendly. for neigh
bors in Il hospital can hardly help being
so, but Clarke did most Of the talking
and Morse seemed content TO listen to
his lively gossip without making any re-
surn. Therefore | knew very little
about him, and when the surgeon one
day asked me if Morse had been Il drink
Ing man. l could not answer.
"Why do You want to know, doc
tor?:"
He is not doing as well as Clarke,
though his wound is 4 safer sort. and
ought to be nearly well by this time. 1t
is In a bad way and I'm afraid he Will
have to lose that arm of his answered
The surgeon shaking his heal over 4
particularly bad smelling dose he vas
preparing for some unhappy patient.
II hope not; | thought he was doing
we'll, and that Clarke. who suffers much
more, was the one who might have to
lose an arm." l said, rolling bandages
for both rs | talked.
mot he, his blood is as healthy as q
ch;ld's: ne will be all right in II month;
you may tell him So"
I'm very glad. for he is always
talking about the happy time when he
can 90 home to his wife and babies.
Morse says nothing. but is as anxious to
get we'll, l think. though when you
speak of his family it does not seem to
cheer him up"
81 wish you'd find out if he has not
and it is important TO know, for if ii is
so the sooner the arm is off the better"
and the doctor corked his bottle with a
decisive rap.
When | saw the men again my feel
ing toward them was quite changed,
for now anxiety about Clarke was all
gone. and l pitied Morse so much |
could not bear to ask that hard gues-
ton. | soon learned the fact. however,
without asking, and in this way:
AS l went through my war,i with n
glass of wine-whey for another patient,
l stopped to wet Morse's arm. for | saw
8; look of pain on his face and knew the
comfort of cold water. He did not
speak and l went to refill the basin
the glass on the table near his
bed. When | came back it was empty.
WHY, Morse. that wasn't for you!
of all kinds are bad for you
now.' l said, thinkin. how impa-
tient poor Martin would be at having to
wait for n second supply.
81 know tt couldn't help taking it
the smell was too much for me" NUT
tered 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 WI good" l VEN
to say.
'.It has been the ruin of me; but |
tight against it. ind ed / do he 81 Il SD
earnestly that | believed it, and longed
TO prepare him for what was to come.
ling that / could tell him more
than the surgeon, who had a
startling way of saying to 4
patent: "Now, then. my man. l shall
this leg of yours in about an
"'Perhaps the pain you have suffered
here may help you in your tight
Times like these do much to strengthen
good resolutions if one is sincere" l
said. pleased at having won him to talk
Of himself.
Il know it. and I've made many
I've been lying here. But you
see 1 couldn't resist ever a small
like that. 1 wish I'd had
q bullet through both arms before 1
did it." he answered, under his breath.
with u remorseful look ut the empty
glass. -.
perhaps the loss of one arm will
help you to resist" l began, finding it
hard to soften the hard truth after all.
..You don't mean that?' and he
up at me with a scared face.
Tor the loss of a right arm was more
dreaded than the loss OF any other
IL am afraid / do. DR.. Otmon thinks
t may be necessary, for it is no.. doing
but it is not so bad as Clarke's.
They've saved his arm, why can't they
he whispered, glancing at the
great, brawny hand below the band
.ges, the hand that would never swing
!. sledge-hammer again.
"Ah. that's the pity of it. Morse.
They saved his. though worse wounded
han yours, because he is \ temperate
nan. You must lose yours because
have poisoned your blood with bad
iquor and must suffer for it,
Haven't ] suffered enough YETI I'd
'ather die at once, than go home to be
/ CRIPPLE" cred the poor fellow in de-
par. for he had 4 strong mans horror
Il weakness and dependence.
did what | could to comfort him.
MI he needed comfort sorely, both then