Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-01-16

"I've coma back, began Dennis, "to
see if we couldn't make some arrange
ment about the boy"
Nurse Gaughan was silent still and
stared helplessly.
'I've watched an cared for him up to
this point" continued Dennis in low
voice, can l don't quite see that it's
right for stranger to come in an take
all the work out of a mans hands, espe-
cially such man as me, for m sort
of father, mother an brother to him. l
was by his fathers body when the Pay
thans left him, an it was 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
all 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
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 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 a 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-
den's ambition.
"Some day, nurse" continued Boy
Sladen, "for I'm getting stronger now,
and l shall soon be able to get out Of
bed, | shall march at the head of ours
as drum major. Then when I'm man
you'll see me go past, and you IL say to
your husband and children, for it'll be
some time yet, See, that's Boy Sladen
of the band, that l nurscd through a
fever!' And shall know what you say,
although l shan't be able to look I'm
certain that if you re about 1 shall
know.
But" said Nurse Gaughan, "hadn't
you better go to sleep? Do try and rest
a little
81 don't want to go to sleep" said
Boy Sladen. "Why, the men'll be pa
rading soon. Even if l went to sleep I
should wake up as soon as l heard the
band play and the tramp Of the feet
I'll go to sleep when they've left bar
racks. That ii be two hours yet. Won't
you try and go to sleep bit, nurse?
You look so tired and worn out. Do
try, or I'll feel I'm 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, then, 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
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 shuffling 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 as he was outside ran
swiftly toward the battalion He was
i'll 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 on his
white gloves just a shade more, for the
women were watching from the married
quarters. Suddenly the staff was
wrenched away, and looking in stupid
amazemert for the cause he saw Boy
Sladen standing beside him, clad only
in his nightdress, bareheaded and bare
footed.
A wild light was shining in Boy Sla-
den's eyes. He planted the staff firmly
on the ground at arms length, then
the drum major twirl it, and before any
one had time to speak he cried, "Strike
up the March of Gordon's Ownr" He
stepped out gravely, as the drum major
did, and turned the staff rhythmically
and in graceful circles in the air.
He was humming 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 to the ground, and putting her
arms around Boy Sladen she lifted his
little, wasted form and bore it into the
hospital
The colonel's quick eye had caught
Boy Sladen's words. It's the last favor
he'll ever nced," he muttered, and he
repeated the command.
The drums were beaten bravely, the
cymbals clashed melodiously, and the
reed and brass made martial music as
the battalion crunched the gravel of the
| para6a tO tbat March of GOr6on,S Oxun -