The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-12-12

oppressive silence broken and to
have something to do As she sat
down beside his cot, she asked
"To whom shall | write ?"
"My mother"
And he thrust his hand down
under his pillow and drew forth a
letter which she read with tears.
"What shall | say to her p
Tell her that the surgeons think
that | may live a week or two yet"
ooh but you may get we'll"
mo ; l can never recover. | have
a fatal disease"
"Shall ask your mother to come
to you?"
mo ; she cannot come. She is
too poor, and she can't leave the
younger children, but she is praying
for me-"
"Would you like to have me pray
for you ?"
"Yes, Miss. if you will"
Lizzie Billings took one of his
thin, cold hands in her own and
knelt beside his cot and offered up
one of those low, sweet, sympathetic
prayers that come from the heart
and ascend straight to the Throne of
Mercy.
When she arose, every man who
could leave his bed was standing
about the cot, and many were wiping
away the tears they could not re-
strain.
"Would you like to have me sing
something's" ?" she questioned, look
ing kindly into their faces.
ooh ! do-please do," they all
urged, ard she sang one Of the
sweet songs of the Gospel that she
could sing SO well.
OF course they were all delighted,
and begged that she would come
again.
81 have a melodeon," she said, as
she left them, land I'll come to-
morrow and have that brought into
the ward, if the surgeon says l
may"
AS they looked wisttully after her,
one of the soldiers, wiping the tears
from his eyes, said
"She looks like woman, but she
sings like an angel
The next day the little melodeon
was carried into that ward and Lizzie
Billings sang for them, and the
surgeon in charge was one of the
auditors. He was so delighted with
the influence of her singing that he
gave orders that she be allowed to
sing in all the wards of that hospital
From that time on she devoted all
her time to the service of song till
all the hundreds in that hospital had
been cheered again and again by
her tender words and sweet sympa-
thetic voice
The effects of her singing were so
uplifting and comforting that l ex-
tended her field and had an ambu-
lance placed at her command that
she might visit other hospitals. After
that she made the rounds among the
hospitals at Washington, going day
by day f-om one hospital to another.
Everywhere her coming was hailed
with Joy. Mothers and wives who
were watching hopelessly beside
their dying ones were lifted in heart
and hope toward God and heaven.
Men who had been strong in battle
to do and dare, but who now lay
sorely wounded and weak, and heart
and flesh we'll nigh failing them,
were lifted on pillows of hope and
faith and felt strong to live and to
do, or to suffer and die.
Thousands were cheered and
saved from despair by this wonder
ful singer Of the hospitals.
| found her atterward in other
work, equal to the management OF
large interests. She cou'd have
taken charge of a special-diet
kitchen, but | have always thanked
God that her time was given instead
to songs IN the hospitals. She has
changed her name since then. She
is now the wife OF Congregational
minister, but her voice still holds, by
its sweet, sympathetic cadences, the
listening congregation. 4Nnie Nit
tcnmyer in Home and Country.