Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-14
CHAPTER TX


Late In the erentng a number Of conral-
sSceats toerc grouped about the stope.
My name is Edward l.. Pelton | am
in the employ of Beekman street firm
a. bookkeepcr. A week ago Mr.. Charles
Gates came 10 my place Of employment
and asked me % put into writing what
ever / could remember Of certain events
which took place ia Virgiuian hospital
in the winter of 1853.
What want, he explained, sis your
best recollection OF private named
Maurice Green. The hospital records
show that he was for some weeks in a
ward OF which you had charge. When
you have located the man. put whatever
you can recollect Of his life there down
in black and white and you shall be well
paid for your trouble"
At the first interview / frankly ex-
planned to Mr.. Gates that it would DO
impossnb Die for me TO furnish him the de-
sired information. At that time had
not the slightest recollection OF ever hav-
ing seen or heard of q private named
Maurice Green. He refused 10 take no
for an answer.
Il viii give you a weeks time to think
it over" he said. ''before apply to
others who shared your life Il the hos
pital. l am told that Maurice Green
was connected with very important
event Ut the hospital that winter. Re-
call. if you can, all the people connected
with every one of that winters impor-
tant events, and you will come to what
want"
For week / had no peace of mind
night or day. was anxious TO aid Mr..
Gates. who seemed very pleasant gen
tlernan. and was anxious to earn the
money he was ready to pay for the work
he had asked me 10 do. A dozen times
abandoned the task in despair. Ny
treacherous memory brought TO me no
hint of an important event in which Pri
vate Maurice Green was central figure.
At last a newspaper clipping found
among my army papers put me on the
right track. When Mr.. Charles Gates
came 10 me at the end of the allotted
time | was ready for him.
II have found your important event."
l said as he came 10 my desk. land l
have connected Private Maurice Green
with il. He was killed by an accidental
explosion in the night time of one of the
coolest days ever saw in Virginia"
you have made a good beginning"
he said. land the rest ought to be easy.
Write down everything you can remem-
Der Of the man from the time he entered
the hospital up to the time of his death.
and | Will call in three days for the
4. IL
back after ne was well on his way out Of
the Office, "you may as well begin your
narrative by stating, in unInistakable
terms. all your reasons for believing that
twas Private Maurice Green who was ac-
cideutally killed that night in Virginia"
How do know it was Maurice Green
who was killed that night l am positive
of It. But that IL a womans reason. Let
ma set down here. in detail, all can
now remember Of the man
He was placed in my ward early in
the winter. At the time he was suffer
ing from q species Of brain fever. but he
recovered quite rapidly. A New York
officer similarly affected came in at the
same time, and | remember now that
both gained rapidly. and that they be-
came quite intimate "a soon as they were
able to sit up in their cots and talk. 1t
IL my impression that at the time had
some particular reason for keeping the
two men together in my mind. bat |
cannot now recall what il was IL Is
quite probable, however. that thought
OF each in connection with the other be-
cause their treatment WA about the
same, and because ono occupied cot
number ninety-eight and the other cot
number ninety-nine. | cannot now re-
call which number was Green's
Both men were very weak when they
arrived at the hospital. and both were
unconscious No wonder. The poor fell
lows had travelled long distance. lying
In the open air because uncovered wag-
Gus were the best the department could
then supply. Their clothing was not
~ufiicient to protect them from the cold.
aud every particle Of 10 had TO be de-
str0yed on account Of the vermin which
tbs blankets used 30 cover them during
their journey had communicated 10 il.
When they were able 20 leave their cots
each was supplied with private's Unit
form
Every incident Of the night Of Greens
death comes wildly 20 my mind "a
write. For the first time in many years
in that part Of Virginia = heavy fall Of
snow had rendered the roads impassable
Cur supplies had given ont. and All efforts
t. secure communications with the out
side world had proved unavailing Star
vation stared rs IN the face. Even now
L snd i. impossible TO control my temper
when I think of the needless misery our
patents suffered some one blundered
IN locating and vietsialae toe camp Let
It go down IN history tilat nay
Late IN tia evening number ~ ron.
vaiescents we're grouped abons the stove
ST ore essd - the r~ssn. Fuel we scaree,
and tle pcor fellows bad covered them
SELVES with ths blsnkesa frur, their bsSss
~ orsier - Nid uaiseraisis frs n supfiy-
iTz enough wsrfash - snstasH iife
Green wss IA cue Of hss Cd uaooes-