Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-11-15
4 BRAV w MAN'S DEATH
One of Miss AIcou- Army Hospital
Sketches,

4 ERA VE MANS DE1 TIL
One Of Miss AIcotU- Army Hospital
Sketches.
One evening ! found a lately emptied
| bed occupied 10y "A large, fair man, with a
/ fine face and the serenest eye | ever met.
| One Of the earlier comers had often spoken
/ Of a friend, who had remained behind, that
! those apparently worse wounded than him
/ self might reach shelter first. 1t seemed
a David and Jonathan sort Of friendship.
| The man fretted for his mate, and was
never tired Of praising John-his courage,
sobrety, self denial and untailing kindh
uess of heart, always winding up with
" He's an out an out fine feller, ma'a
you see if he amt | had some curiosity
to behold this piece of excellence, and when
he came watched him for night OF
two, before made friends with him for
to tell the truth, | was little afraid Of the
stately looking man, whose bed had to be
heightened to accommodate his command
ing stature, who seldom spoke, uttered nc
complaint asked no sympathy, but tran
gully observed what went on about him
and as he lay high upon his pillows, no
| picture of dying statesman or warrior was
ever fuller of real dignity than this Nir
! ginia blacksmith A most attractive face
/ he had. framed in brown hair and beard
comely featured and full of vigor as yet
unsubdued by pain; thoughtful and often
beautifully mild, while watching the aiilic
tions Of Others as if entirely forgetful OF
his own His mouth was grave and firm
with plenty of will and courage in its lines
but smile could make it as sweet as any
woman's and his eyes were chld's eyes
looking one fairly in the face, which prom
ised well for such as placed their faith in
/ him. He seemed TO cling to life, as if it
were rich in duties and delights, and he
had learned the secret of content The
only time ! saw his composure disturbed
was when my surgeon brought another to
examine John, who scrutinzed their faces
with anxious looks, asking of the elder
" DO You think | shall pull through, sir: 50
" ! hope 50, my man And as the tive
passed ON, Johns eyes still followed then
with an intentness which would have won
truer answer from them had they seer
it. \ momentary shadow fitted over hi,
face. then came the usual serenity, as if il
that brief eclipse he had acknowledged tn,
existence Of some hard possibility, and
asking nothing. vet hoping all things, left
the issue in Gods hands, with that submis
sion which is true piety.
The next night as went my rounds
with Dr. r., ! happened TO ask which maj
in the room probably suffered most. and t.
my great surprise he glanced at John.
" Every breath he draws is like a stab
for the ball pierced the left lung, broke
rib, and did no end of damage here aut
there, 50 that the poor lad can find neither
furgetfuluess nor ease, because he must liz
on his wounded back or sutfocate. 1t vii
he a hard struggle and a long one, for h,
possesses great vitality but even his tenn
perate life can't save him; | wish it could.
You don't mean he must die, doctor '
- Bless YOU, there's not the slightest hop
for him. and you'd better tell him SO befor
long-w omen have way of doing sucl
things comfortably, so | leave it to you
He won't last more than a day or two a
the furthest
could have sat down on the spot an
cried heartily if had not learned the wis
dom of bottling up ones tears for lelsur
moments. such an end seemed very har
for such man, when half dozen worn
out, worthless bodies round him were gath
ering up remnants of wasted lives, to lin
ger on for years perhaps, burdens to Others
daily reproaches to themselves. The arm
needed men like John, earnest brave an
faithful, fighting for liberty and justic
the Lord.
After that night, an hour of each even
ing that remained to him was devoted t
his ease or pleasure. He could not tai
much for breath was precious, and h
spoke in whispers but from occasion,
conversations ! CLEANED scraps of privat
history which only added to the affectio
and respect ! felt for him. Once he aske
me to write a letter, and as | settled pc
and paper, | said with an irrepressib
glmmer of feminine curiosity, " Shall
he addressed to wife or mother, john
Neither. ma'am I've got no wife, am
will write to mother myself when | e
better. Did YOU think | was married b.
cause Of this he asked, touching plai
ring he wore. and often turned thoughtful
ly on his finger when he lay alone.
" Partly that, but more from a settle
sort of look YOU have, look which yOur
men seldom get until they marry
81 didn't know that but I'm not
very Young, ma am-thirty in May-ar
have been what you might call settled tn
ten years Mothers a widow. I'm Il
Oldest child she has, and it wouldn't do f.
me To marry until Lizzie has home of h'
own, and Jacks learned his trade, for wei
not rich, and must he father to the chi
dren and husband to the dear old woman
10 | can.
'' No doubt you are both, John yet no
p came you to 20 to war, If you felt ;
a Wasn't enlisting as bad as marrying
l. mo, ma am, not as | see it, for one
}. helping my neighbor, the other pleasil
=, myself | went because | couldn't help
l. didn't want the glory or the pay l wan
= ed the right thing done, and people Ike
=, saying the men who were in earnest oug
a to fight. was in earnest the Lord know
It but held off as long as | could, not kno'
/ ing what was my duty. Mother saw Z
|. case, gave me her ring TO keep me stead
e and said, 60 = so | went.
=, \ short story and a simple one, but I
x man and the mother were portrayed bett
than pages of fine writing could have do
/ it.
D. "Do You ever regret that you came VIII
'e YOU lie there suffering so much .
d Never, ma am; | haven't helped gre
ID deal, but I've shown | was willing to q
r my life, and perhaps I've got to but
NJ don't blame anybody, and if it was to
over again, ia DO it. I'm IA little sorr,
wasn't wounded in front it looks cowaI
: ~ to be hit in the back, but | obeyed {
lie ders, and it don't matter in the end
$ know"
a Poor John 1t did not matter now, e
in cept that a shot in front might ha
-y spared the long agony in store for him.
fl seemed to read the thought that troubl
III me, as he spoke 50 hopefully when the
ly there was no hope, for he suddenly adde
,d This is my first battle do you thl
te it's going to be my last y
r. 81 am afraid it is, John
ad 1t was the hardest question | had e'
/ 1l,l t,, hp
nj with those clear eyes fixed upon mil
at forcing "a truthful answer by their o.
ds truth. lie seemed a little startled at fir
nd pondered over the fatal fact a nome
in then shook his head, with glance at
he broad chest aud muscular limbs stretcl
a out before.
nd "Im not afraid but it's difficult to
tn lieve all at once. I'm so strong 1t do
II seem possible for such a little wound
les kill me-
i'm Merry Mercutio's dying words CLAN,
of through my memory as he spoke -
zee not so deep as a we'll, nor so wide a
church door, but It's enough And JC
would have said the same could he III
.., seen the ominous black holes between
~ shoulders. lie never had, but seeing
49,, 80 ghastly sights about him, could not belt
5n his own wound more fatal than these,
all the suffering il caused him.
l"S "Shall | write to your mother now
w. asked, thinking that these sudden tidi
might change all plans and purposes.
,,nlE they did not for the man received the
Wv der of the Divine Commander to ma
with the same unquestioning obedie
with which the soldier had received tina
,rst the human one doubtless remember
ON that the first led him to life, and the las
tm death.
sui. mo, ma'am to Jack just the SAL
ood he'll break it to her best and I'll add a
,... to her myself when you get it done.
bv So / wrote the letter which he dicta
silly finding il better than any / had sent
and though here and there little ungramn
~ cal or inelegant, each sentence came to
briefly worded. but most impressive