The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-04-16

nearly ut1y U1Sdhs WAACAA liz osAA AASSs ~ -
on his unwounded side, quietly opened
his eyes and wonderingly asked, as he
gazed on the vision by his bed: What
has happened? Where am I? Have
been hnrto All! yes, remember now
that. last charged
The girls voice trembled with Joy as
she answered: You are in the hospital
at Fredericksburg. You have been here
six days; but, now that the fever is
gone, you will soon get well. You must
not talk much, though, just now, unless
YOU wish to dictate few lines to your
friends"
sob! yes, yes,'' eagerly said the
young man. ''Do please write a short
letter for me at once.''
: Quickly bringing pen, ink and paper,
and saying: ''You must be very brief,
because the doctor forbids all exertion
until he has seen you againf the
young lady waited for HIM to begin.
''What is the date?" he inquired. and
being told, dictated AS follows:
''FREDERIcKsBURa, May IA, 1864.
"My dear Mother:
81 got a bullet through my right
shoulder on the second day of the Will
derness fight. + am now in the mill
tary hospital here and will soon be
able to carry rifle again. My old
! schoolfelow picked me up, but he was
hurried off next day, and maybe has
not had chance to write you. Don't
be uneasy about me. Lots of good lady
| nurses here, and I'll soon be we'll.
"Your loving son, HERBERT -
'And now, Herbert, tell me the adj
dress,'' said the lovely amanuensis,
| reaching for an envelope.
! ''The address--oh, yes, it is Mrs.
Frances Leslie, ZIG Forty fourth street,
New York City" ......
The wo1, =, were barely uttered when
the girl spra4.g from her seat with a
glad cry and then, in full sight of ell
the night-watchers, bent deliberately
over the cot and gently kissed the boys
smooth forehead.
sob, thank God," she exclaimed;
| .'you are Herbert Leslie! I am Miriam
Ainslie, your friend Freds sister. No
wonder felt so much interest in you!
Fred has often told me of your mutual
friendship"
This was, naturally, a most joyful
| surprise to Herbert, and the next day,
| when he was allowed to talk freely, he
told Miriam all he himself knew Of
Fred:s movements anil begged for
! further information. But she could only
| say that her brothers regiment was
! now almost constantly fighting aud that
she had not heard from him for weeks.
| Before mailing Herbert's letter
Miriam had inclosed one from herself
giving more full account Of his condi-
ton and assuring his mother that he
should not want for anything; but on
the fifth day thereafter Mrs. Leslie her
| self arrived to take charge Of her boy,
and she and Miriam became at once
! great friends. Many poor fellow, far
| from home and kindred, looked towards
| Leslie's cot with longing eyes as the
two women lowered about him in low
ing ministration: but none OF these for
| Torn ones were in any measure neglect
ed, though it was impossible to supply
! what they most pined foz'---the tender
care of their very own flesh and blood
OF all places in which to study the
pathetic side of that CHASTITY evil, war,
! "a great military hospital, filled with
wounded men, is surely the best.
When Mrs. Leslie first arrived. and
saw her only son stretched helplessly
| upon his bed. she gave way. in spite OF
herself, to food of tears; but the
young soldier was SO bright and hope
full, so perfectly content with his lot
except in SO far as it kept him ont OF
the field. so sure Of the speedy triumph
of the union army and. witha], so genu-
inely rejoiced at her presence, that she
soon ceased to feel aught but pride and
| 10Y in her hero and his brave comrades,
for each Of whom she had a cheerful
| word and that sweet sympathy which
the daughters of America have ever
shown to her patriotic defenders. ~
In less than week Herbert was re-
moved to the convaiescent ward and
from under Miss Ainslie's care: but ii
was astonishing how often in the
course of each day the young lady had
occasion to consult her new-found
friend, his mother. and how much her
visits seemed to aid in the youths re-
covery. Indeed. this progressed SO very
rapidly that Herbert feared it was
''too fast to be wholesome and he felt
sure of the fact when, fortnight after
wards, he received an unlimited fur
Tough and was obliged to leave with his
mother for New York. But there was
no help for it. Mrs. Leslie was well
able to maintain and care for her son in
her own home and was too conscien-
tious to allow him to occupy, longer
than absolutely necessary, a. place more
urgently required for another. Both
took leave of sweet Miriam Ainslie
| with something more than regret, but
those were days when the women OF
our land had to steel their hearts to
suffering, and strengthen the hands Of
fathers, husbands brothers, lovers
sons by their own sublime example OF
endurance.
Augusta, 1864, an order was published
appointing Maj-Gen. Philip III. Sheri.
dan commander of the new middle de.
partment, composed Of the late depart
ments of West Virginia. Washington