The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-27
no IL we oouldn't make some arrange.

l sssA~
all the work out Of man 8 hands, espe.
cially such man as me, for I'm sorl
Of father, mother an brother to him.
was by his fathers body when the Pay
thans left hip, an It Yves a shot from
my rifle that brought down the man
who knitted him. That's the reason why
Boy Sladen took to me even before the
colonel, an that's why, first and fore.
most, I've claim to see to the wants
an wishes Of the boy"
Nurse Gaughan could not understand.
This speech was too great puzzle for
her to unravel, and she still kept silence.
"That bein &c." continued the order.
ly. II think we ought to come to some
arrangement.
Nurse Gaughan murmured, Certain
ly, if You wish, and Dennis went away
contented.
The arrangement that had been made
answered well, and Boy Sladen, watched
necessarily and closely, wanted for moth
ing. But his stay on earth was limited,
and both Nurse Gaughan and Private
Dennis knew it. To Nurse Gaughan he
became friendly and confidential as the
week wore on, and bis greatest pleasure
was to draw picture Of himself as the
drum major.
"You know what the drum major Is,
nurse?" he asked one day.
Eyes" replied Nurse Gaughan read
lily, forgetting for the moment Boy Sla-
den's ambition.
Some day, nurse" continued Boy
Sladen, "for I'm getting stronger now,
and ] shall soon be able to get out Of
bed, I shall march at the head Of ours
as drum major. Then when I'm man
you'll see me go past, and you'll say to
your husband and children, for it'll be
some time yet, See, that's Boy Sladen
Of the band, that I nursed through
feverr And shall know what you say,
although I shan't be able to look. I'm
certain that if you're about I shall
know"
But, said Nurse Gaughan, "hadn't
you better 60 to sleep? Do try and rest
little"
II don't want to go to Sleep" said
Boy sladen. "Why, the men'll be pa
rading soon. Even if I went to sleep I
should wake up as soon as I heard the
band play and the tramp of the feet.
I'll go to sleep when they've left bar
racks. That'll be two hours yet. Won't
you try and go to sleep q bit. nurse?
You look SO tired and worn out. Do
try, or I'll feel Pm a nuisance.
Nurses mustn't sleep on duty" said
Nurse Gaughan, "but I'll sit in the
chair, if that will please you"
well, do that, them" said Boy Sla.
den.
Nurse Gaughan, weary with watch
ing, felt drowsiness steal over her that
she could not conquer. She glanced
more than once at her charge, but he
made no sign Of wanting her help, and
when she last looked his eyes were
closed, and he seemed to be asleep. No
sound broke the silence, and Nurse
Gaughan also closed her eyes and SUM
bered.
Boy Sladens sleep was short and
troubled. His delirium was returning,
and when he woke he started up in bed
and looked wildly about Nurse Gaugh-
all slept on, and Boy Sladen. hearing
the shut1ling Of feet outside, cast the
bedclothes silently from him and crept
noiselessly to the window. He saw the
men falling in, and a mad idea seized
him. He glanced at the nurse, who
slumbored still; then crept softly past
her, and as soon as he was outside ran
swiftly toward the battalion. He was
in rear of the men, and no one saw him
coming.
The drum major, pompous in demean-
or and rigid in the wealth Of gold and
scarlet that generous people gave him,
had taken up his post at the head Of the
band. The staff, with the great silver
ornament at the head Of it, was grace
fully balanced against his tunic, and
the drum major was pulling Oh his
white gloves just shade more, for the
women were watching from the married
quarters. Suddenly the staff was
wrenched away, and looking in stupid
amazement for the cause be saw Boy
Sladen standing beside him, clad only
in his nightdress, bareheaded and bare
footed.
A wild light was shining in Boy SIa-
denis eyes. He planted the staff firmly
Oh the ground at arms length, then
twirled it round his head as he had seen
the drum major twirl it, and before any
one had time to speak he cried, "Striko
up the March of Gordon's OWN" He
stepped out gravely, as the drum major
did, and turned the staff rhythmically
and in graceful circles in the dir.
He was humming the tune as he
when Nurse Gaughan, startled
and terrified, ran across the parade to-
ward him. She seized the staff, and
needless alike Of its magnifcence and
the stony horror Of the drum major,
flung it to the ground, and putting her
arms around Boy Sladen she lifted his
little, wasted form and bore it into the
hospital.
The colopel's quick eye had caught
Boy Sladen's words. cts the last favor
he'll ever need," he muttered, and he
repeated the command.
The drums were beaten bravely, the
'ymbals clashed melodiously, and the
iced and brass made martial music as
tho battalion crunched the gravel Of the
parade to the March Of Gordon 3 Own"
An hour later Boy Sladen Of the band
vas dead. But he was satisfied. He had
called his ambition. Strand Maya
line.