New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-03

wound dressed but it must be done and you must
try and bear it. 1t will soon be over.
am try,s said Charley. If you'll DO sure. man.
ma and not let my leg be cut on"
Size pressed him TO her heart. and assured MN
with loving words that there was no occasion ior
so serious an operation.
Sing to me- mamma Sing TO meF
aWhy. Charley -I-I-don't believe l can sing
now" she faltered. -, D,.u.. u;.. 30
q You must mamma, you naasti Please sing TO
me inst the same as you always do and I'll keep
awful still" And he reached up and put his arms
pIeadingly around her neck. There was a silence
i'm the room as the little sufferer persisted IN his
strange request. Then the mother closed Der eyes
and tried TO sing. Her voice was tremulons at hrst
put by mighty effort she expelled from her MIND
every thought save the remembrance of her love
for her wounded child and Sue was soon aDlc 10
sing to him almost sweetly and softly as II In her
own quiet homo. The boys arms gradually relaxed
and he lay back again quietly upon the blood
stained bed with his head resting bali upon MS
pillow and half upon his mothers lap His eyes were
closed and his pald face had lost something OF the
roundness and fulness which marked It III the morn
ing. The mother was bending over MN Win one
of his hands in hers. On the other side OF the
bed sat Berry Pierson tanning Charleys face; AT
the foot stood the surgeon and tne steward Illus
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
baudages. was seen to turn away his head ana
hastily draw his sleeve across his eyes number OF
times: and tho steward hardly able to dis
tngllish his instruments. Under the soothing
object of his mothers voice the boy allowed tlo
wound to be dressed and the cruel stitches TO DO
taken Later in the day he dropped asleep and
awoke considerably refreshed. He was uncom-
planning through it all; and the ioriitndc with
which he bore his suierngs excited the admiration
of every one 49,,
In the cool of the evening Charley was take n
home in an ambulance, sent for that purpose from
the fort The officers did everything in their power
to atone for the suffering they had so carelessy
but unintentionally caused. The surgeon and his
assistants attended him teuderly and carefully
until he was we'll The surgeon offered to procure
ms mother IA pension. but Mrs Cages declined
saving that she was too thankful that her boy was
alive to think of asking aid from the Government
Charley was soon able to walk with the aid OF
crutches but could not dispense with then use for
many months
Mrs Caves now an aged woman, loves to tell Of
those perilUus times. One of her daughters. lady
of rare qualities fills one OF the highest positions
allowed to her sex in the Government departments
in Washin gton She has i'll her little cabinet at
home the very pieco of shell whioh did ne cruel
work that day. 1t is rusty. and when picked up
was biOod-stained Charley is a florist and brings
his flowers regularly to one of the washington
markets Ho lmps little, and will always have
cause TO remember the summer morning when the
New-York regiment In Fort Smith b0mbaTdcd his
mothers house.