The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-04-17
A wan REMINlsoENoE.
A Veterans Memory Reyerts to tho Clol
OF An Eyontiul Day

A Veterans Memory Reyerts to tho Close
OF An Eyontful Day
"HospItal scenes are 10 those OF ordl-
nary life what Doroa pictures arc 10
those Of other artists, 0llmmer and
gloom come close together and ompha-
hiao each other"
In tho storm OF the years that are fad
ing, memory reyorta 10 tho close OF a
battle-day when an orderly galloped up
and said 1T In the order OF the General
commanding the brigade that your bat
tory advance 10 the 'front.'" and no was
away amid tho dust and smoke which
hung heavy, making mon and horses
look like speotres moving In tho mother
gloom
Buglos blarod, horses plunged and
reared, tho six pieces with eaiaspna-
but what iA thia2 My horse wayora, and
tho agony OF death comoal "llIt, air2'
said q grim sergeant aa he caught my
horse atruggling 10 the earth with ono
ioro and one hind log smashed by tho
binding explosion which covered US
with dirt and each others blood, And
thon, what painl Tho bursting shells,
tho sharp roportsand rattle OF muaketry
fell upon tho oar In painful periods, and
tho throbblng llio seemed 10 90 out with
tho recodlng aounda Thon came q
cessation OF all, darkness Of night aa
we'll as that OF montal visions closing
the sc0no,
"Tho ambulanccl Woll, what OF
that2' said I, pooylshly TO tho mon with
the Geneva cross upon their alooyoa, 90
they laid mo upon tho straw, whilO two
Rmoke,bogrlmod aud blood'atainod NOR
tails groanod on each side as wo joltod
away to the Aold hospital IN tho roar,
Dead men with upturned whito faces,
rendered whittier atlll by tho moonlight
Btrowed tho way Gone was tho glamor
Of military glory succeeded by burning
thirst and agony
LAY him 10 ono sldo," said tho sur
geon, as hla assistant tlghtonod blood
stained bandagoi and with half.closod
nyoa, saw dim figures move about tho
miserable building improyised as hos.
pltal, A iow candles the glare OF plno
torches, gmoll Of whisky, tobacco and
anmathotlcs, the fooblc resistance 10 tho
surgeons knife, the sound Of tho droad'
iul little saw, tho doit fingers, and tho
last groans Of those whom surgery could
not save, passed before my dim sight
and bonumbcd sonsos liko phantomSi
thcn-my turn camel
Tho first glimpse Of q strotchor boar
Ing o motIonlem form ls altrtinRi tho
Toturn Of an othcHacd patient 10 moro
trying tho aamo IA truo OF death
Scone, II Is torlblo TO SEQ tho onomy
clutch man by tho throat and shake
him, yet II rather norycs tho Witness 10
q moro desperate struggle, lost no him
self bo brought into such straits,
At last-and II soomod an Ogo-somo
ono said, "Como,' and was lifted upon
tho rudo oporatIug.tablo, "Chloroform
or othor2' said voice In the rear,
"Both," and wot cloth with tho
slcltoping.swcct nuid was placed over
my face, "Long broaths,n said tho sur
gcon, and | tried 10 answer assent, but
my voice seemed 10 stop high liko tho
legs Of q drunken man Then cNmo tho
bAttlo o'or again, My battery dashed
past horsoa, bugloa and mon mingled
In 0 mad whirli streams Of white light
shot from tho guns, and thon-a blankl
II seemed hoursI then the night afr
camo damp and chill, ! was sitting In
tho old ohurohyard which / know whom
boy sitting by my body thore, An
othor blankl II was sunny summon
afternoon, Tho birds were singing, and
tho odor Of tho pnoS camo on thobroozo,
Was this doath2 II soomod u pleasant
experience aitor all. But what is this
nausoa9 tho oxcruciating pain2 "Tako
him away he Is playing 'possum," and
! resented tho irrOyorenoo Of tho ro-
mark. / was too frosh from tho grave
yard 10 tolerate such familiarity and
thou, might bo dead, aftOr ALI
Tho pain again and tho blOnk-not 10
blank as before, Thore were scattering
thoughts striving TO assort themsOlvo9.
"Yes, II is all right, II 10 all right"
said TO mysolii and then appeared in
papital lottors confronting moi This
must DO coming tol How painful lito isi
and yot TO DO aliyol-that brought u
thrill OF Joy.
Tho 1rst stroalSs OF tho gray dawn
woro streaming ini tired surgeons woro
wlping their Instruments buglos at tho
front woro sounding royoillo fair
bair young onlcor lay by my sidoi wo
had boon boys togothori no had tho
Imilo Of u conqucror upon his fOco, and
AZ I touched his cold hand with mino--
mine, 10 hot and foyorish--I know no
was dead, and fooling Of sadness camo
Is tho thought developed that Twas
alive. Cor, United Service,
. saaaa..asaasa.a-..aa