Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-03-04

stared helplessiy.
give watched an cared for him up to
this point, continued Dennis in low |
voice. IAN don't quite see that it's
right for stranger TO come i'll an take
all the work out of man S hands, espe-
aiallv such a man as me, for III a sort
of father mother an brother To him. l
was hy his fathers body when the Pay
thans Ii him. an il was shot from
nv rife 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, We a 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 so, - continued the order
", Il think we ought to come to some
arrangement.
Nurse Gaughan murmured, Certain
", if you wish, and Dennis went away
contented
The arrangement that had been made
answered WELL and Boy Sladen, watched
necessarily aud 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 his greatest pleasure
was to draw picture of himself as the
drum major.
lyon know what the drum major is,
aurse?' he asked one day.
Eyes, replied Nurse Gaughan read
lily, forgetting for the moment Boy Sla-
denis ambition,
''Some day, nurse" continued Boy
Sladen, 'for I'm getting stronger now,
and / shall soon be able to get out of
bed, | shall march at the head of ours
as drum major. Then when IN man
you II see me go past. and you'll II say to
your husband and children, for it'll be
some time yet, See, that's Boy Sladen
of the band, that / nursed through a
feverr And | shall know what you say,
although | shan t be able to look. I'm
certain that if you re about | shall
know.
"But, said Nurse Gaughan, hadn't
you better go to sleep? Do try and rest
a little.
Il don't want to 90 to sleep, said
Boy Sladen. "Why, the men'll be pa
raGing soon. Even if | went to sleep
should wake up as soon as | heard the
band play and the tramp of the feet.
III 90 to sleep when they've left bar
racks. That II be two hours yet. Won't
you try and go to sleep a bit nurse:
M
try, or I'll feel I'm "a nuisance.
Nurses mustn't sleep on duty said
Nurse GauRhan, "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 a 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 slum-
bered.
Boy Sladen's sleep was short and
troubled. His delirium was returning,
and when he woke he started up in bed
and looked wildly about. Nurse Gaugh-
an slept on, and Boy Sladen, hearing
the shuffiing Of feet outside, cast the
bedclothes silently from him and crept
noiselessly to the window. He saw the
men falling in, and mad idea seized
him. He glanced at the nurse, who
slumbered still; then crept softly past
her, and as soon az 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 IA 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 on 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 he saw Boy
Sladen standing beside him, clad only
IN his nigbtdress, bareheaded and bare
footed,
A wild light was shining i'll Boy Sla
den's eyes. He planted the staff firmly
on 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, Strike
up the March of Gordon's Ownn " He
stepped out gravely, as the drum major
did, and turned the staff rhythmically
and in graceful circles in the air.
He was hummng the tune as he
marched, when Nurse Gaughan, startled
and terrified, ran across the parade to-
ward him. She seized the staff, and
needless alike Of its magnificence and
the stony horror Of the drum major,
flung it tn the ground, and putting her
arms around 10y Sladen she lifted his
little. wasted .orm and bore it into the
hospital