The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1893-09-29

| the dainties so hard to get in the block
ade South. She did so because it was
duty. but her heart was not in the
work
There was one of Grierson's soldiers
-scarcelya a man in years--who lay on
his cot in the delirium of fever. The
kindly black face of the nurse who
bathed his head was strange to him
but he smiled feebly when he looked
into the face of the dear old lady who
bent over him, and he called her "moth-
er." ..
At that moment the heart of the
dear ell la ly surrend red, and she took
that Yankee boy for her own.
Never Was invalid more tenderly
nursed, and never hung life on more
slender thread. She watched him from
day to day and administered with tire.
less hand medicine and liquid food
He fingered days and weeks, his brain
clouded with fever fancies and the flesh
shrunken upon his bones.
One morning there was a CLEAN OF
intelligence in his pale blue eyes as he
looked up at the kind. earnest face OF
the SOU hern woman, and he whisper
ed. "Wa'er.' After few sips he
continued, 81 thought you was mother
but | guess as how won't see her nc
| more.
lie closed his eyes, and the dear old
lady sent at once for the surgeon. The
felt his pulse and remarked, His Vi
tality is very low-we must try to
build him up with stimulants and
nourishing liquids
These were obtained, but he refused
positively to touch the whisky, as he
had promised his mother never to do
so, he said, and taken the pledge. lie
swallowed the beef tea with reluctance.
The fever hal gone, and with it nearly
all the life that was in him.
The dear cd lady looked sadly upon
the emaciated form aud sunken cheeks
of the poor boy. She forgot that he
was an enemy and saw only a mother
son among strangers and sick unto
death. Her soul went out in great
wave Of sympathy to the invalid.
In vain s. tempted his appetite with
each of the liquid foods within the for
mula allowed by the surgeon. She
could not persuade him to take stimu-
lants, and his vitality continued to
sink daily.
TO her question whether there was
anything that he would like to eat ne
answered "Pumkin pie"
But the doctor SAID it would kill
him in a hours.
"Pumpkin pie,' became the lads
day long and night long plaint. 1t
made the dear old lady's heart bleed to
refuse him.
"Doctor can't you save the poor fel-
hw?' she asked.
Tn" 'n.'nr ,Nswcred gravely, Mad
nm, ;En afraid all your work has been
in vain. lie cannot ho'd out much
longer "
After the doctor had gone, the dy-
ing boy opened his eyes and whisper
ed wistfullv, "Please just one piece"
Yes, you shall have it, said the
old lady, and as she stepped into her
carriage and ordered the driver to
"whip up those mules and drive home
quick" there was i'll her face the same
expression of determination which
may be seen on that soldier when with
blanched cheek he clinches his musk
ct ard dashes at a battery of gatline
guns.
The pumpkin pie was made. The
crisp crust was rolled out by the beau
tiful hands Of the dear old lady who
was careful not to let the tears that
rolled down her cheeks drop on it.
TIE same evening the homely mules
trotted briskly to the hospital. .
1t was terrible thing she was about
to do.
She went again to the surgeons of
fee. Again she asked, "Doctor, il
there no hope for that poor Yankee
boy?'
Madam, can do nothing more
He will be dead before morning." WA
he answer.
Quickly but rcsolutely she made he
way to the couch Of death. She dis
missed the nurse and took her seat
After awhile the boy opened his eyes
and she held ont slice of pumpki il
pie.
He opened his mouth, and she brok
the pie into bits and fed him, weepin:
quietly the while. When the slice wa
finished, his hollow eyes seemed t
devour her us he murmured, "MOre.
She he.it ,ted Il moment. and thcl
whispering God forgive me she gay
him Il second slice.
He closed lis eyes, and she watche'
him until he bre,.thed regularly. an,
then she quickly st'le away. She fel
rs a murderer must feel. but she coul
not make up her mind to watch h.
victim dying.
, AT home once more, the dear old lad
!! locked herself in her room.