The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-12-02

llcNe III, hettA. III we Nluh no" Scusu
we live through IL"
Even while they wcpt and talked
John was lying In one Of the Washing
ton hospitals. He had been terribly
wounded. and after many delays was
brought there with one leg amputated
and his right arm disabled. His nurse,
bright little woman from Maine,
tried in every way 10 arouse him.
II believe he wants TO die" she said
to the surgeon. 81 can hardly persuade
him 10 cat"
"Probably he does" replied the
weary-eyed man. "Iie had a magnifi-
cent ply sique, and such a fellow feels
that he cannot face life manned in this
fashion. I've often had such cases. TX
You can only get him past this first
shock"
The busy man hurried away without
finishing his sentence, but the nurse
| understood
4 few nights later a lot of boxes ar
rived in response TO the urgent call for
hospital supplies, and Johns nurse
eagerly claimed some of their precious
contents. IL need blankets in my
ward" she said land oh. here is
beautiful quilt, This Will cheer my
poor boys like bouquet Of flowers.
The nurse from Maine was one OF the
hest ia the hospital. and no one OBJ
lected when she carried away the quilt
ond placed it gently over her favorite
patient.
perhaps it will keep his eyes off the
blank wall" she said TO herself. with a
sigh
When the first morning light shone in
$ through the long, narrow windows,
= the young soldier opened his eyes al
{ most resenting the knowledge that he
! had slept better than usual. As he
4 looked languidly TO see If his nurse had
= rivcn him an extra blanket. he saw
the new quilt. and at the same moment
: was conscious Of faint perfume OF
e rose leaves. perceptible even in that
c sckening atmosphere.
a lie closed his eyes and saw the bushes
). under the parlor window at home.
- laden with great red roses as they had
4 been the morning he left Eden. lie
o had started out that morning with a
/ bud in his buttonhole, and another be-
Is tween his lips-"decked for the sacri'
r. fee" he thought. with spasm OF bit
" terness.
% With his left hand he pulled the quilt
nearer. 1t was made of many, many
e. small triangles, Mothers dress. h'
n murmured. placing his finger upon
"A brown bit. with tiny white spray II
it. "Hetty." and wave of colcr ros'
in TO his pale face. as he caressed tn
10 angle Of pink.
n For the first time since he was place.
IN upon that cot, great tears rolled dow
X his cheeks. The spell of despair wa
r. broken. Life was sweet after all.
Mother and Hetty won't mind If
d. am poor one-legged fellow. i
he sobbed.
nd All the bitterness and rebellio
I'm melted out of his heart as he lay thel
in quietly crying; and when his nur'
nd came in he greeted her with a SIM
mt that TRANSPORTED his face.
Isv This is Aunt Bina's quilt" said j
Il don't know how il got here but il
mt Now. nurse. bring on your broth. Il
YER I'm going to get we'll
ITS better than medicine" the d
r. lighted woman declared to the docto
Ike lies given me his address. and I've o
ms ready written to his mother.
ok And I've shown that quit 10 ai. u
vas bows. and told them about ne dear Q
maid who counted all the stitches al
ere thought so much Of her 'love-quilt al
Mt. how hard it must have been TO give
old M. They're all brighter and better
at II. WHY they say, do the folks
home think so much Of us as that?
res. Years have passed since that d;
me and John and Hetty are elderly peol
now. with boys and girls growing
her around them. John found that
her brains could do better service for h
en- than even physical energy, and has
ties come successful and conscientio
: of lawyer. In their busy, happy lives IN
we have never forgotten the woman who
sacrifice meant so much to them, a
Sic when Memorial day comes round, a
ing the veterans gather to decorate tn
comrades graves, John and Hetty
her serve ing ehoiess' ?
80, den for Aunt Bina's humble rest
old place.
,ave And the quilt? Through the thong
fulness of the nurse from Maine. II '
49,, returned to the generous donor,
bestowed it. MS she had intended NJ
n,,.r her young friends If you had
oa privilege of examining the contents
~, a certain chest in the Thurston hoi
- stead. You would find soldiers
and suit of faded blue, and very n
il. carefully wrapped in tissue pal
any Aunt Bina's quilt.-Youth's Comp
and '"' "
orn- what Our Simplicity stands Fo
Not long ago i read in Ere
gain . ,h,t Emneror Willis