Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-08

"Iu DenulnS over him thj
young lady saw that he was fright
iuily wounded. The blood had de
iuged his person, and although hi
wound had been hastily bound up b,
one OF the surgeons, he was evidentl,
suffering horribly; his features wer,
contracted by MS anguish, and, lyint
IN very constrained position, n,
seemed the most piteous obiec
which yet had attracted her attcn
ton.
10 see his suffering was to attemp
us relief. The young lady sat dowr
on the ground, and, finding that tn,
poor boy was almost uncOnsciou,
from the extent of his agony, sht
raised his head, in order to afford
MN, II possible, some ease, if only
from the change of position, Sh,
had scarcely done so, when a pain.
ful sigh issued from the lips of the
wounded youth; his head sank in
the young lady's arms, and his
measured breathing told that he had
almost instantly fallen asleep. This
result was SO unexpected that Miss
was tor some moments at a loss
What course to pursue. 1t seemed an
unnecessary and excessive act of at.
tention to remain thus, holding the
youths head. Her position was be-
coming very painful one; her com
panlonS had passed to other portions
OF the extensive battle. field she was
alone in the midst of q great waste of
heldS and woods, at night, unpro-
tected from insult, and holding in
her arms a wounded soldier, who
would, in all probability, soon be a
corpse!
Under these trying circumstances
she once or twice essayed to move
and place the boy in an easy position
upon the grass, but whenever she
attempted to do so his features con-
tracted painfully, he moaned un-
easily, and it was only when she re-
Sumed her pOsition-holding his
dropping head, as before, in her
arms-that he sank once more TO
calm and painless slumber. She
was still supporting thus the form of
the wounded youth, when one of the
Federal surgeons approached and
looked with some surprise at the
| touching group. Then his gaze was
directed to the face of the youth.
whom he evidently recognized. In
a few words addressed to Miss.
the surgeon explained how he had
himself dressed and bandaged the
youths wounds. His case was a
most critical one nevertheless, if he
could only sleep for some hours, he
might live. He had not slept since
the battle, and was dying for sleep.
The crisis Of his fever had arrived.
If this slumber continued until
morning he might then be out of
danger If it was broken, his death
was certainty. Having made this
announcement in that terribly mat
ter of-fact tone, which characteriZeS
persons familiar with suffering and
death, the surgeon passed on, leav-
ing Miss-alone, among the dead
and wounded, holding the bleeding
young man in her arms.
If his slumber continued until
morning, he might then be out of
danger; if it was broken, his death
was certainty. That was the plain,
clear, and terribly logical statement
OF the surgeon. To live he must
sleep, and those two or three at
tempts to deposit her burden on the
grass, with the sudden wakefulness
of the patient, proved to the young
lady that to sleep his head must con-
tinue to rest in her arms. When
this fact was clear, and patent to her
intelligence, her resolution was taken.
No movement of hers should dis
turb the deep slumber of the boy,
no act of her own arrest the subtle
spirit of life, which, like blessed
balm, was even then infusing itself
ito his shattered frame. The place
might be dark and lonely-the night
cold, terrible, fearful there among
the dead-her position might be, so
it, indeed, soon became, unutterably
painful, weighed down, as her arm
was, by the poor youths weight :;
but there was something worse than
night, cold, pain, loneliness, and the
presence of death-it was not to save
| that bOy's life when she could save
| 1t.
And she determined to save it..
Throughout the long hours of the
dreary night she remained as mo-
tionless as statue Of mercy, hold
ing the boys head in her arms. All
others had returned to Winchester.
Around her was the vast moOnlit
| field, over whose surface the wind
sighed mOurnfully; on every hand
were the wounded, the dying, the
dead, and yet this brave, kind girl
let us say this good, true girl-did
not shrink from her task, the young
heroine did not stir. Though the
delicate arm was nearly broken by
the weight upon it, no tremor Of the
nerves indicated the dire pain which
she was suffering, and suffering with
the silent fortitude which shames
the foolish theory that women are
less brave than men.
In our comfortable homes, by our
cheerful fires, we read of that, and
cry, "Bravew Perhaps we applaud
but would we have thus n0bly for a
brother, husband. or father-doubt-
less but for stranger? ? That wOun-
ded youth was perfect stranger to
the young lady; she had never seen
his face before that evening; it was
an angel of mercy succoring fellow.
creature-not a sister or mother
facing all things for brother or son
Do you wish the subject for great
painting, Mr.. Washington, finer thar
; that of the Burial of Latane"?
offer it to you.
Hour after hour the wounded
youth slept on. His regular breath
ing indicated clearly that his suffer
ings had abated; blessed and re
freshing slumber had descended