Morning journal and courier., 1890-05-13
LEFT TO DIE AMONG THE DEAD.
Recollections Of Wounded Soldier !


 lTranslated for the Springfield Republican,
 We were on forced march through for est. A shower of balls caused great branch wended our way through the blooming haw- thorns on the skirt of the wood the shower | of balls became terrific. Siderof, young soldier of company A, suddenly fell for ward. shall never forget his appealing | glance as the blood gushed from his mouth. | An instant after his eyes closed in death.
 caught glimpse of tho man who fired the shot. He was tall, heavily built Turk. I ran toward him. though was sick and famished. Suddenly heard report; some- thing passed rapidly before me and my ears tinglsd;
 he orawled through the thorny bushes. With . blow broke his gun and then buried my bayonet in his heart. I heard 6 cry, be- tween a groan and howl. Then I ran.
 The others shouted "Hurrahl" Several fell around mo. I remember dischsrging my gun two or three times. As we entered an open plain the cry of "Hurrah" became my. No, not all, for fell to the earth and could not stir.
 was astonished at this, and my astonish- ment increased whom no longer heard any thing, neither shouts, commands nor re- ports. saw only something blue-the sky, perhaps. An instant afterward I did not see even this. The sensation was a novel one to me. There lay with my face toward the earth, on which saw only few blades of grass, over which tiny ant crawled. could gaze at this-my whole world-with only one eye. The other was covered by something hard-perhaps @ branch against which my head had fallen. My position was extremely painful. I wished to change it, but it was impossible to do so. heard the rasping of grasshoppers and the bnzzlng of bees; then came silence. At length, by great effort, drew my arm from under my body and supported myself on my two hands. wished to get on my knees, but pain shot like lightning from my legs to my breast, thence to my head. Again l saw nothing.
 When I reawakened wondered how l happened to be beneath the star spangled sky. Why was not in my tent9 Who had taken me from its I tried to rise, but l again felt the sxcruoiating pain in my legs, and 1t dawned upon my mind that l had been wounded in the skirmish. Was my wound fatala I touched the part of my legs in which felt the pain. They were cov- | cred with coagulated blood. The agony, like U U COutluuhl JuuplhS tOOehooho, boonh4O Aoio | intense at the contact of my hand. There ! was buzzing in my ears and my head felt | heavy. Why had they left me here alone? With agonies worse than death I managed
 to sit up. How often since my distress be- gan had I despaired of doing even this! l Above me could see 0 large brilliant star,
 around which twinkled myriads of smaller thick, dark bushes.
 | Now I understood why my comrades had overlooked me, and my hair rose as thought that should never be found here. The stars looked like livid scars, the rising moon seemed like wreath. An! what blessed | thing 1t is to have roof above the head at night. heard strange sounds. The air was full of heart rending orlos. Did they come from some tortured wretch near mel looked around, but could see no one. God | it was myself that groaned. What plaintive cries uttered. Could it be that my pain was so great that I lost all knowledge of my own identitya Yes, suffered thousand
 deaths, though I hardly realized it because ! my head was SO heavy. Oh, if could eleep t-sleep-sleep foreveri
 I cannot tell how long lay upon the ground with my eyes shut, though was moi asleep. Through my closed lids at length
 felt the cruel rays of the sun. I no longer ' wished to stir.
 It must have been yesterday that was
 wounded. day has passed: How many
 more must go by before diea Oh, if
 could but keep my brain from working
 Millions of thoughts torment me. Oh, my
 pains cannot be long. They must end soon
 Two or three lines will be inserted in the
 papers about the skirmish. "Our losses are
 insignificant. So many wounded, one vol
 untesr Killed" snail not be mentioned
 only Siderof's death shall bo recorded
 The sun grows scorching. open my eyes
 upon the same bushes, the same iky.
 Thank God, l am not alone. I have
 neighbor there. O, heavens! it is the Turi La corpsel How large he looks. Yes, it ii
 he. There he lies covered with blood. Why
 did kill himi What accursed destiny ha.
 sent him here! Who was hei Perhaps, like
 seated at the deor of her hut, straining he, eyes to see her darling son-her one consid
 eration, her only support.
 Alasi 1t never occurred to me, when I se
 out for the war, that 1 should inflict pair
 and death. I thought only of tho way 1T
 which should bare my breast to the enemy
 With this feeling marched forth, and
 suit? have made e monster of myself, ant
 this poor fellow (he wore the Egyptian uni.
 form) is less guilty than I. Before being
 packed like horrings on @ warship, aut
 brought to Constantinopls, he and his com
 rades had probably never heard of Russi, e and Bulgaria.
 7 us was comm~ndsd to fight and h opeyea.~ Had he refused Aa would have re- ceived soms hundreds of stripes, after whicl , bullet would lave been lodged in his ,.v~-t As he retrsated os.- the long and rougl road from Stampoul to k...nhuk we attacke !. him, and he defended himself. Seeing ths
 his rihs could not frighten us he lost a 3 l presence of mind; then . little soldier ths he could have killed with one blow of h 0 black fist buried his bayonet in his hear | Whose was the faultl
 2 And now thirst begins to torture m I. Where osn I get drop of watera Hnppil.
 l think of the Turks flash. make up ID ,. body. My feet seem nailed to the earth ar s every motion redoubles my agony. I wee l. gnash my teeth, shriek while draggir 70 myself along. At length I attain my en Q There is the flask more than half full. O. ,o I shall have water enough until diel # Poor victim, you are my benefactor.
 commence to drink, supporting myself ( y my elbow, but suddenly losing my balance, s s; fail with my face upon the breast of my q i. Nyerer, A horrible stench tells mo that | e corpse is beginning to decomposs ora.t d, y The sun is in the zeEGss.t zsEs trees looks % red ~ Q that ! What will become of my neishb '4 before the end of this torrid daya He is ( r ready in horrible state. His hair Is begi 'f ming to fall of, his complexion, a natur ,s black, has become pale yellow, the ekin :. drawn tightly over his face, and behind tl ears it has cracked. MsRgots already swar 70 over 1t. His feet are swollen in his gaitel between the clasps of which can be ee, 10 great blisteIs.
 ,o It is impossible to remain hers longer. " must remove, but how can I9 can yet raj
 my arm, open the flask and drink a lit Is water, but cannot drag away my heavy al # inert body.
 ,,l However, I retire slowly-more slew than 6 snail. This operation lasts ma,
 hours, my pains grow more acute, but I { l. not mind them 50 much now, since I cam k remember what it h to be at ease I am . m ready accustomed to my misery. I have last succeeded in writhing some feet. But l- do not breath fresh air long, that Is, if the d can be fresh afr about . corpse. The wir k changes and brings me such a putrid od :. that my empty stomach contracts convu V sively, causing me internal tortures. Fl d pestilential atmosphere fills my nose, II 0 mouth, my throat. I give up in despair ar
 begin to weep.
 feel myself sinking down, down, dow
 Harki but it is only trick of my imaRin
 tion. cannot believe 1t. Yes, some one 10 speaking, and am about to call, when s think that they arc Turks. What if In, were to make prisoner of mol Hah! There they are crossing the broo, . My own countrymen! There are nearly af