Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-25
THREE INTERVIEWS.
HE.

lyZ2rQe or the tn South Carolina infantry,
then on special staff detail in Richmond, Va
was passing down line Of new recruits
drawn up for medical inspection. He put
them through the usual contortions. They
swung their arms, rose up on their toes,
rolled their eyes, and put our their tongues
after the manner of their kind, while he per-
functorily thumped and scrutinized them not
unlike critical darby in melon patch
At last he halted before medium sized,
yellow haired lad, whose beardless face slen-
der physique and evasive, not to say nervous
manner indicated that youthful timidity was
strongly contending with the fiery resolution
that had doubtless brought him hither. His
preternaturally large bright eyes hardly ever
rose in their glances above the surgeons sash
and sword belt. His face and neck were well
tanned, yet his features were of classic regu-
larity and his hand small and shapely. The
routine questions as to age, ETC., were an
swered with evident reluctance The doctor
seemed to grow suspicious, for he suddenly
pressed his knuckles sharply against the
youths chest. The latter sprang back with a
swift appealing glance at his tormentor, who
abruptly turned, passed to the next man and
20 on down the line. When he had finished,
DR.. 1yzarde returned to the lad, and consult
ing his list, said in cold, official tone:
Your name IS Oliver Wildsn
eyes. sirn
"You will come with me, Wild. Your case
seems TO require special attention.
The surgeon led the way, while Wild, with
eyes upon the ground, quietly followed him
into private Office, when the latter closed
the door and turning to the would be soldier
he said sternly:
Now, miss or madam, how long have you
been masquerading III this attire and what is
your real purposep
The youth looked mp with frightened con-
traction of feature, then assumed with effort
a hardened, Indifferent air, saying:
81 RELY don't make out to understand We,
sir"
Il viii make my meaning plain. You are
a woman. It is difficult to conceal such
things from physician who knows his bust
ness. Do not deny it. Twould save you
from more public exposure. Your motives
though widely mistaken, may be honorable;
yet, though tne Confederacy needs soldiers
badly, we can do without women in that
capacity for while yet. also fear that in
your language, as in your actions, you are
yelling your real station in life by an as
sumption of ignorance as unnatural to you as
it seems degrading to me-"
As Iyzarde concluded, the other lowered
his gaze to the floor and remained obstinately
silent The doctor resumed:
"You will see that it is impossible for me
20 pass you. Yet if you have real desire to
serve your country, there are other ways
wherein you may do so without unsexing
yourself. There are"-
''Do you really think so7" she interrupted.
I've may as well say 'shen now) In her
earnestness she forgot her cracker dialect and
intonation, and spoke with pure and re-
fined enunciation.
Certainly" replied Iyzarde. "There are
hospitals needing good nurses; also the Sis
tiers of Mercy and Charity of various relig-
ious and secular orders who follow the ambu-
lance and brave shot and shell to accomplish
good work on the battlefield. The courage of
the soldier is far more essential than the de-
votion of those who minister to human suffer-
ing amid frightful perils to the living. Even
your face and hands are artifcially tanned.
SeeF"
Before she could resist he took one of her
hands, pushed up the coatsleeve, revealing
thereby shapely white arm. Through the
brown upon her cheek he saw the rich color
rising as she hung her head. At this period
some one entered the outer office, and the
doctor, bidding her to remain there until his
return, went oct, closing the door behind
him.
{ 1t was several minutes before he came
back, only TO find that the would be recruit
had vanished An open window looking
into back yard, that communicated with
an alley leading to the street, explained the
manner OF her exit. He afterward made
various discreet inquiries yet heard of her
no more, finally abandoning the quest with
feeling of pique. She had interested him
more than he felt the heroine of such a
freakish escapade deserved. There was
contradiction and a mystery involved there
in that puzzled and fascinated him; Yet as
the months wore on these impressions gradu-
ally faded into a vague, gently regretful
memory.
Sister Maria Jones, nurse of the order of
the white Cross" attached 70 the ambu-
lanceS of Gordon's division, was attending
the wounded in the rear of the trenches be-
fore Richmond The time was the winter
Of 1S64-5. Grant was drawing his Gordon
tightly around the doomed city. Without
those battle worn lines were all the pomp
and circumstance OF war; within, its suffer
ing and desolation The men in the rifle pits
were stretched to the utmost limit consistent
and severe.
One day Sister Maria was called on to at
tend young surgeon, whose professional
arder on the field had subjected him to
dangerous wound She started back at the
sight of his pale, inanimate face, then quietly
settling herself with new resolve, she hardly
left his side for two days. lie was then taken
to Richmond where better accommodations
could be secured to him. After his departure
Sister Maria continued her work of mercy
as usual, Yet there were grayer lines upon
her face and at times soft, introspec.ive
light IN her eye, while she might have been
detected in committing certain thoughts to
her diary that she would never willingly
have made pubic. The next entry after the
wounded surgeons departure ran thus:
''He is gone, and so ends my brief dream
He recovered his strength sufficiently to en-
dure removal, and during one lucid interval
he recognized me. II happened that | alone
was by his side, His brown eyes opened
with q bewildered glare; be looked around
him YEARLY, then fixed his gaze upon nv
face In spite of myself blushed and
looked down. Then heard him murrnur. as
ii TO himself:
1T lnust-nly little recruit-ran OF
81 dared not ra-se my eyes, Inougn 1
could afterward have bitten out my tongue
ct my own stupidity / might have given
him one word-one sign even of recognition;
but no; must stand there down faced Like
fool until a gasping sigh aroused me. He
had tainted dead away BE never seemed to
know me after that. Ah BE! Perhaps it is
Just as well, for in this terrible hurry burly
OF war we are not likely TO meet again