The Evening critic., 1885-05-06
wAsHNGTON. D. o. WEDNESDAY,

their arms as best they could, Down the
hill, half blinded by the smoke aud stunned
by the awful explosions, slowly moved tho
strange procession. They waded the little
stream in the hollow, stopping moment 10
bathe Charley's face and hands, aud carried
their burden up the hill to Mr.. Persons
house.
BY this time Mr. Pierson had reached the
fort, and the firing ceased. The Other chill
dren were sent for, and in q few moments
the regimental surgeon and hospital stow
ard came galloping down to express their
sorrow ut what had happened and TO render
assistance. The surgeons proffered SER
vices were most gladly accepted. When he
was ready to examine the wound, the
mother said
Now, Charley, IL will hurt you to have
the wound dressed but IL must be done,
and you must try and bear it. 1t will soon
be over"
"I'll try" said Charley, of you'll be sure,
mamma. aud not let my leg be cut of"
She pressed him to her heart, and assured
him with loving words that there was no
occasion for so serious an operation.
"Sing to me, mamma Sing to mo "
why, Charley-I-I-don't believe l
can sing now" she faltered.
you must mamma, you must Please
sing TO me just the same as you always do,
and III keep awful STILL" Aud hereached
up and put his arms pleadingly around
her neck. There was silence in the
room as the little sufferer persisted in his
strange request. Then the mother closed
her eyes and tried to sing. Her voice was
tremulous at first, but by mighty effort
she expelled from her mind every thought
save the remembrance Of her love for her
wounded child and she was soon able TO
sing to him almost as sweetly and solely as
II in her own quiet home. The boys arms
gradually relaxed and he lay back again
quietly upon the blood-stained bed, with
his head resting half upon his pillow and
half upon his mothers lap. His eyes were
closed, and his pallid face had lost some-
thing OF the rouudness and fullness which
marked II In tho morning. The mother
was bending over him with one Of his
hands in hers. On tho other side of the
bed sat Berry Pierson tanning Charley's
face. At the foot stood tho surgeon and
the steward. Clustered around the room
were half dozen neighbors looking on
with sympathetic, awe-stricken faces.
When the mother began to softly sing
the song she knew he loved, there was
solemn hush in the room, and every eye
was filled with tears. Even the rough, old
surgeon, as he cut away the bloody band
age, was seen to turn away his head and
hastily draw his sleeves across his eyes
number of times; and tho steward was
hardly able to distinguish his instruments.
Under the soothing effect of his mothers
voice the boy allowed the wound to be
dressed and tho cruel stitches to be taken.
Later in the day he dropped asleep and
awoke considerably refreshed. He was un-
complaining through it all and tho forth
tude with which he bore his sufferings ex-
cited the admiration of every one.
In the cool of the evening Charley was
taken homo in an ambulance, sent for that
purpose from tho fort. The officers did
everything in their power to atone for the
suffering they had SO carelessly, but unin-
teDtionally, caused. The surgeon and his
assistants attended him tenderly and care
fully until he was we'll. The surgeon
offered to procure his mother pension, but
Mrs. Hayes declined, saying that she was
100 thankful that her boy was alive to
think of asking aid from the Government.
Charley was soon able to walk with the aid
Of clutches, but could not dispense with
their use for many months.
Mrs. Hayes, now an aged woman, loves to
tell of those perilous times. One of her
daughters, lady of rare qualities, fills one
Of the highest osi,ions allowed to her sex
in the Govern emit Departments in Wash
ington. She has in her little cabinet at
home the very piece of shell which did its
cruel work that day. 1t is rusty, and when
picked up was blood.stained. Charley is a
florist, and brings his flowers regularly TO
one of the Washington markets. He limps
little, and will always have cause to re-
member the summer morning when the
New York regiment in Fort Smith bom-
barded his mothers house, New York
Tribune.