The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-01-03
A TOUCHING HOSPITAL SKETCH

TOUCHING HOSPITAL SKETCH
To Willie, from his Mother: II should do
In the hospital or on the b. tile field, for the
sake Of God id humanity, viii you communi
cate with my mother, Mrs. Charles Dodge
town-state
This, written upon the fly leaf of q littlo
black pocket Testament.
am fast getting to be an old woman but
never shall forget those old hospital days.
And this little book has brought back tho
old memories, just as the sight of old andi.
rons and spinning. wheel will carry one
back to grandmother's time. You sec, l
haven't always had gray hair and crows feet.
There was time long ago when l thought
ceighbors boy 10, VT ON had played with
in my childhood. came to me aud asked
me to make choice for life, l had to put it
all away; for father and mother died that
year and loft four little brothers in an eld-
or sisters Care. did the best could for
them, but We were poor. AMI sometimes
the weight was we!l-nigh too heavy for
young shoulders.
Well! my boys grew up md went out int }
the world; all but Jamie, poor little cripple
boy. l loved him the more because so
dependent on me. But ho took sick, and
one spring day laid him away in TIE
meeting house graveyard and went back to
a lonely home. N3oody knows how my
heart ached for something to love and work
for. Aud then the war broke out, and as I
hadn't a husband or sons to give to my
country I thought I'd 60 myself. No. to
fight. O no; but as a nurse in the hos.'ital.
And so that's / oS happened to go. had
been there several months when tho battle
OF G-killed and wounded so many of
our boys, you remember. q ute a number
OF them were brought 10 our hospital. l
saw them carried in and then went through
the wards to do what could. As was
hurrying from one to another came to
this one in The corner. couldn't help but
notice right away how young and DO. ish
the face was. Somehow thought of Jamie,
and my heart gave great throb. He raised
up on his elbow MS I came near, gave q
cheerful nod and said. Good moring,
Aunte."
wan'e to put my arms around his neck
and give him good ulo;herly hug, but, ynu
see, we had to learn t, overcome our feel
ms there. So o ~ said ct I'D !. or l.
ing" as quietly as could, and then Went to
work to smooth out the army blanket, and
replaced the haversack, doing duty as /.
pillow, by a wooden shawl of my own. You
sec, was thinking SO hard of .mie, it
never occurred to me that liz WAS wounded
until he put his hand over his breast and
gave little short breath. "What Rave
they been doing to you I asked, taking
uwav his hand.
Used me for tlrget, Auntie. Splen-
did shot, true as you live" aud he smiled:
just rs though he Was talking about some
snort: 49,.
eaidI.
''That old fellow with the saw and screw
driver? Whew! He bored till most thought
he WAS the gimlet and I was the hole.
Guess he didn't find it."
saw that it wanted dressing, SO I set
tured to say so. and you ought to have seon
his face brighten, while he asked so earn
estly: do you think SO? just what
thought. III be all right in a few days.
Don't you think will"
sh' ok ny head, didn't want to disa-
gree with him. but knew it was bet or than
to give false hope. No; not III few Gay 8
Perhaps in few weeks" l had dressed
the wound by this time, 80 he said in his
CHEEKY way that he'd take little trip into
the land of nod, and then began to snore
like mischievous school boy. I went
about my other duties, but by and by came
around JUS: to see how he was; and sure
enough, he was sleeping just as quietly as a
buby.
Next morning stopped the surgeon afte,
he had gone through the wards, for though
he was in g hurry. wanted to know whel,
my boy was going to get we'll. I thought
likely as not he'd ask me again and it wouid
be so much better to say the doctor Say.
So" The way the surgeon frowned when
asked him-and he answered SO sharp
"When2 Shot through the lung. madam
just as surely dead as though his head wa.
cut If.
1t was we'll that I had so many months OF
discipline among the suffering and dying
OF could not have heard it and been SO
calm; for, you see, this boy was taking
Jamie's lace: 80 when went in with the
bowls of pnc,dSe couldn't smile back al
him, ulthoug h saw him raise up on hi
elbow the minnie stepped inside tue door.
OF course expected he would be worse,
bet be ate the porridge with boys relish
and declared he felt good enough to stanc
on his head. While vas working for ths
Others heard little tune. now softly
vhistled. now sung, coming from that cor
ner. 1t was something about the 'pattel
OK tie r'jn. drops on the loof," When
came around again he stopped his tune
long enough to ask me if ever sung it
told him didn't sing, hut perhaps some.
bo7y could.
No matter any way" he said; ''only
mother used to sing it to us when we were
little chaps ut home. I thought it woulG
sound sort Of good here, bat Il mt suppose
anybody could sing it quite like her."
told him l didn't believe anybody could
The next day, to my great surprise. he
e~omed great deal better. had resolved
to haze him send q letter homo that day;
but when he began to talk about getting
we'll: in his cherry way, it grew harder and
harder.
Don't you suppose III have furlongh
auntie, after the old hole gets filled up?"
You deserve one, couldn't help but
say: But hadn't you better write to your
mother, SO not to brighten her?"
oh, no, 'twould sc,re the little woman
out Of her wits. Besides, want to sur
prise her Won't she be glad enough to
burst when she sees me walking in that
side door by the lilac. bushes!'
And he began to get so excited inst talk
him to &C to sleep, or he wouldn't go home
very soon.
Really, I couldn't help keeping up the
delusion. lie Was 20 much better, and sc
hopeful too; L really began to think the
surgeons were mistaken about the wound
The next day no felt SO we'll he wanted to
sit up: ond said no. and tried to amuse
him every minute l could be spared from
the others. He said rubbed his head al.
most like his mother. and wouldn't she be
glad to see him Though! When be spok.
of his mother, I asked him
ii he hadn't better write home
and II he didn't want his mother
to come and escort him home, for be
wouldn't be real strong for long time.
But he seemed SO much to anticipate SUR.
prising her; and then he arguei that it was
too for Tor the little mother to come alone, an(
he was getting we'll so fast. The ne xtday an'
the next found my boy full of hope. ant
impatient to get we'll and start for home
We had such pleasant talks. He told m'
about his home and his little sisters ant
wido we'd mother. l told him about Jamie
and my lonely life. l foun! myself !a1gh
ing over his funny speeches good mar,
times, Q very unusual thing for y sober OLE
maid like me He an firmly believed anr