Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-13
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A Veterans Memory Reverts to the Close
of An Eventful Day.

OF An EyenI1ul Day
Hospital scenes are to those of ordi-
nary life what Dore's pictures are to
those of other artists. Glimmer and
gloom come close together and empha-
size each other"
In the storm of the years that are fad
ing, memory reverts to the close OF
battle-day, when an orderly galloped up
and said: t1t is the order of the General
commanding the brigade that your bat
terry advance to the 'front.'" and he was
away amid the dust and smoke which
hung heavy, making men and horses
look like spectres moving in the neither
gloom.
Bugles blared, horses plunged and
reared, the six pieces with caissons-
but what is this? My horse wavers, and
the agony of death comes! ''Hit, STRIP
said grim sergeant, as he caught my
horse struggling to the earth with one
fore and one hind leg smashed by the
binding explosion which covered US
with dirt and each others blood. And
then, what pain! The bursting shells,
the sharp reports and rattle of musketry,
fell upon the ear in painful periods, and
the throbbing life seemed to go out with
the receding sounds. Then came a
cessation of all, darkness of night as
we'll as that of mental visions closing
the scene.
THE ambulance! Well, what of
that?" said l, peevishly Co the men with
the Geneva cross upon their sleeves, as
they laid me upon the straw, while two
smoke begrimed and blood-stained NOR
tails groaned on each side as we jolted
away to the field hospital in the rear.
Dead men with upturned white faces,
rendered whittier still by the moonlight,
strewed the way. Gone was the glamor
of military glory, succeeded by burning
thirst and agony.
'Lay him to one SIDE" said the sur
geon, as his assistant frightened blood
stained bandage; and with half-closed
eyes, saw dim figures move about the
miserable building improvised as hos
pital. A few candles, the glare of pine
torches, smell of whisky, tobacco and
an@sthetics, the feeble resistance to the
surgeons knife, the sound of the dread
full little saw, the deft fingers, and the
last groans of those whom surgery could
not save, passed before my dim sight
and benumbed senses like phantoms;
then-my turn came!
The first glimpse of a stretcher bear
ing a motionless form is starting; the
return of an etherized patient is more
trying; the same is true of death
scene. 1t is terrible to see the enemy
clutch a man by the throat and shake
him, yet it rather nerves the witness to
a more desperate struggle, lest he him.
self be brought into such straits.
At last-and it seemed an age-some
one said, Come" and was lifted upon
the rude operating-table. "Chloroform
or ether?" said a voice in the rear.
Both" and a wet cloth with the
sickening-sweet fluid was placed over
my face. Long breaths," said the sur
geon, and 1 tried to answer assent, but
my voice seemed to step high like the
legs of a drunken man. Then came the
battle DER again. My battery dashed
past; horses, bugles and men mingled
in a mad whirl; streams of white light
shot from the guns, and then-a blank!
1t seemed hours; then the night air
came damp and chill. 1 was sitting in
the old churchyard which knew when
boy, sitting by my body there. An
other blank! 1t was sunny summer
afternoon. The birds were singing, and
the odor of the pines came on the breeze.
Was this death? 1t seemed a pleasant
experience after all. But what is this
nausea? the excruciating pain? Take
him away; he is playing 'possum," and
resented the irreverence of the re-
mark. l was too fresh from the grave
yard to tolerate such familiarity, and
then, l might be dead, after ALT
The pain again and the blank-not SO
blank as before. There were scattering
thoughts striving to assert themselves.
Yes, it is all right, it is all right,
said to myself; and then appeared in
capital letters confronting me: This
must be coming to! How painful life is
and vet to be alive!-that brought a
thrill of joy.
The first streaks Of the gray dawn
were streaming in; tired surgeons were
wiping their instruments; bugles at the
front were sounding reveille; a fair
hair young officer lay by my side; we
had been boys together; he had the
smile of a conqueror upon his face, and
as touched his cold hand with mine
mine, so hot and feverish-I knew he
was dead, and feeling of sadness came
as the thought developed that WAS
aliye.-Cor. United Service.