Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-02-01

voice, IAN l don't quite see that it,
right for stranger to come in an tax
all the work out of man s hands, espe
cially such man as me, for I'm a sor
OF father, mother an brother to him.
was by his fathers body when the Pay
thans left him, an it was shot from
my rifle that brought down the mai
who knitted him. That's the reason VIII
Boy Sladen took to me even before til,
colonel. an that's why, first and fore
most, I've claim to see to the want
an wishes Of the boy
Nurse Gaughan could not understand
This speech was too great a puzzle fol
her to unrayel, and she still kept silence
THAT bein so, continued the order
ly, 81 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 Oh 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 his greatest pleasure
was to draw picture Of himself as the
drum major
You know what the drum major is,
nurse?' he asked one day.
Yes,' replied Nurse Gaughan read
lily, forgetting for the moment Boy Sla-
denis ambition.
"Some day, nurse, continued Bow
Sladen. "for I'm getting stronger now,
and shall soon be able to get out of
bed, l shall march at the head of ours
as drum major. Then when I'm a 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 a
feverP And I shall know what you saw,
although shan't be able to look. I'm
certain that if you're about I shall
know"
but, +" said Nurse Gaughan, 'shadn't
you better go to sleep? Do try and rest
a little. .
II don't want to 60 to Sleep" said
Boy Sladen. "Why, the men'll be pa
rading soon. Even if I went to sleep
should wake up as soon as 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 a bit, nurse?
You look SO tired and worn out Do
try, or I'll feel IN a nuisance 2
"Nurses mustn't sleep on duty said
Nurse Gaughan, but TIL sit in the
chair, if that will please you
well, do that, then, 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
5aughan also closed her eyes and slum-
,ered.
Boy Sladen's sleep was short and
;roubled. His delirium was returning,
ind when he woke he started up in bed
md looked wildly about Nurse Gaugh-
IN slept on, and Boy Sladen, hearing
he shutting Of feet outside, cast the
,edclothes silently from him and crept
loiselessly to the window. He saw the
nen falling in, and mad idea seized
lin. He glanced at the nurse, who
numbered still; then crept softly past
Ter, and as soon as he was outside ran
Witty toward the battalion. He was
rear Of the men, and no one saw him ,
oming.
The drum major, pompous in demean- &
and rigid in the wealth Of gold and !
'arlet that generous people gave him, c
ad taken up his post at the head Of the q
and. The staff, with the great silver 3
rnament at the head Of it, was grace t
lily balanced against his tunic, and i
le drum major was pulling on his !
'hite gloves just shade more, for the s
omen were watching from the married
uarters. Suddenly the staff was {
renched away, and looking in stupid
nazement for the cause he saw Boy
laden standing beside him, clad only
his nightdress, bareheaded and bare y
'oted
A wild light was shining in Boy Sla-
,n's eyes. He planted the staff firmly
the ground at arms length, then Il
virled it round his head as he had seen
% drum major twirl it, and before any
10 had time to speak he cried, "Strike
the March Of Gordon's Own'" He :
apped out gravely, as the drum major L
d, and turned the staff rhythmically q
i'd in graceful circles in the air. IL
He was humming the tune az he e
arched, when Nurse Gaughan, startled o,
d terrified, ran across the parade to-
ard him. She seized the staff, and 6
edless alike Of its magnifcence and
9 stony horror Of the drum major,
ing it to the ground, and putting her /.
ms around Boy Sladen she lifted his
tie, wasted form and bore it into the
spital.
The colonel's quick eye had caught !.
y Sladen's words. "It's the last favor !
II ever need" he muttered, and he
2eated the command. "a
The drums were beaten bravely, the }a
mbals clashed melodiously, and the
ID and brass made martial music az
, battalion crunched the gravel Of the ) :
rade to the March Of Gordon Own. q
An hour later Boy Sladen Of the band =
. dead. But he was satisfied. He had
LIKED his ambition. Strand Maya
o. e.
English stubbornness.