The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14
JOES LIFE IN HOSPITAL.
IT VAS PRETTY DULL UNTIL THE
SOLDIERS CAME

But They Have Proved So interesting and
Given Him So Much to Think OF He
Hopes They Won't Get Well Too Fast and
Leave Him with Only Ordinary Patients.
These are great days for Joe. He has been In
the hospital almost two years. and q great many
things have happened in that time. At first, he
didn't know much about what was happening
in the hospital outside his ward. He was
too busy suffering and making up his mind
whether to live or die. He docs a good deal Of
the suffering even now. for hip disease has I'M
pleasant features. and his brace Is a nuisance;
but, ever since he has been able to walk pain
fully about the halls and vorandas and yard,
Joe has thought the hospital a very nice sort OF
place and he hasn't the faintest desire to 60
away
Every one Is good to him-Good In an unpro-
fessional way that isn't inspired by the rules
and regulations OF the institution. All the
nurses and doctors have a kind word for him;
but then. one couldn't very we'll be unkind to
Joe, he Is such a tiny scrap Of a boy. with such
a white. delicate face; such big. serious eyes;
such an old-fashioned manner. and such an en-
RaGing lisp. He doesn't smile often, but life
hasn't been a humorous experience with him.
and. though he finds things very interesting In
the hospital. the interest isn't OF q character ex-
actly festive. For instance. there's the ambu-
lance. Joe finds tho ambulance and its
movements most interesting. He sorambles
TO his feet when he hears 1t dash out
into the yard. and watches 1t. with
excited eyes. until 1t has disappeared
through the gate. Then he settles himself In
a good vantage point to watch for It's return.
Sometimes 1t comes back empty. and then the
laddie Is a tri1e relieved. and a good deal dis
appointed. Sometimes II pulls up before the
hospital door. and the attendants lift out some
thing very limp and heavy and carry It into the
hospital; and Joe's eyes got even a bit larger
than usual. as he imagines all sorts OF things
that have a morbid fascination for his baby
mind. He doesn't ask questions. but he hangs
around and listens. Usually he hears the
story when no one thinks he is listening. Then
he has more material for his Imagination to
work on the next time the ambulance goes out.
Joe knows oil the convalescent patients and
keeps track Of them. or course he doesn't
know their names. but he has vague ideas asto
what Is the matter with each one and he keeps
tab on their condition and progress towardr re-
covery by a code OF signs which he has formu-
lated for himself by close observance OF hos
pital ways. He knows how long the tall man
with the bandaged head stays on the balcony
each day and he ways his own wise little head
approvinRly, when. one morning. the same tall
man walks out to the balcony chair without
ohih Oh I"O liz ~ All oOLICJlLutS Ull6
convalescents tell the little fellow stories and
talk to him; and he likes #; but when they
look tired and their voices begin to sound wab-
bly,. Joe says goodby and hobbies of. One
never has to send him away.
There's a big dog at the hospital. and the
laddie admires It. from q distance; he'd like It
rather better II 1t were lame or sick. He isn't
used to exuberant strength and vitality. and
that dog is OF the irrepressible variety. 1t runs
and jumps and cavorts. and Joe is q trino
afraid OF 1t. 1t makes me feel so tired" he
says plaintively. There's a splendid owner for
q crippled cur being wasted In joe.
A few weeks ago Joe's life became one tu-
multuousw hirl of excitement. All his old inter
ests and occupations faded into insignifcance,
for the soldiers had come. More soldiers wOro
coming. Some Of the patients had told Joe
about the war. and he had done a good deal OF
thinking about 1t. but his ideas were vague.
and. when he tried to imagine troops and fight
ing. he made the soldiers very much like the
big policeman at the hospital gate. But one
day there was an unusual commotion at the
hospital. and elaborate preparations. such a.
were not down on Joe's code OF hospital phe-
nomena. The little chap watched the stir and
hustle. and finally plucked up courage to stop
one OF the nurses. who is proverbially good ma
tured. and ask her what was going to happen.
lucb TO BOluB W DTluk bOule OF the WOu0Q0Q
soldiers here. Joe" and she hurried on: but
Joe sat down on the step. In q flutter OF excite
ment. He was going to sec real soldiers who
had been to Cuba and got shot. 1t was the next
best thing to going to war himself: and, per-
haps. when the soldier men got we'll enough to
be out on the steps and verandas they'd talk to
him and tell him Just how they got shot. The
prospect was so alluring that 1t almost over
whelmed the lad: He saw the ambulances
come ~; but the things the attendants lifted out
quite different from the usual heaps OF clothes.
They were soldiers, and Joe's breath came very
and tattered fragments of uniform. They didn't
have their guns. He was sorry about that. but
and Spaniards had shot them. so the situation
was perhaps exciting enough without guns.
Since thH It Gfay joe has had a beautiful time.
and they .did talk to the, little chap. and told
toughest OF them left out a great many grue-
some details that, Joe would have liked very
the cOnvalescent- soldiers. listened grsediy to
scraps OF talk between doctors and nurses,
and. when nothing else better turned up. stood
heroes were Quartered and stared In through
the, open door. catching glimpses OF white cots
last Tuesday when q visitor called to see one Sof
porch to wait until she could be admitted. The
so1nn Little l,ttIs , figure 9.,t n ,1 E checked gl1gham
and she asked the small boy to tell her his
.".{9e."he said politely;
Have, YOU, been sick, Joef"
Sf az w. S,snt S}oos lHconiSally and In
estinR and didn't see any sense in wasting time
talking about himself. but he was willing to be
"There'th tholdiers in there" he said i'm
pressiyely. jerking his thumb toward the door.