The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-26

II was 10 use. They came back SIaEfngiy
to the routine OF those heroic doctors
which wore 70 ne the air OF an iaquisi-
ton
Just how far the nature oc ones
thoughts and reasoning processes IS dis
torted or broken down while the body IS
sufferig from acute pain I an unable
10 say. but was conscious that l vas
locking at what was going on through
some kind Of medium that was new 20
me. There was vnat ! may call an acute
distortion OF the relationsc and values
This IS true shock OF such a scene II
reaches down to the eternal nature and
harmony OF things with a monstrous cru
city ad an unanswerzble Interrogation
knew that my astonished senses were
some way making ne irrational, and
tina. my outraged sensi5iiities were pro
duci1g something Ike a suo-hysterla
But so wide is the range OF mans ca
pacity TO suffer unat no general route
can be mapped out for MS feelings IN
sensibiiity very often passes for forutude,
and a dull, nervous organization for
strength OF viii. just as the mental dis
turbance in the delirium OF physical an
guIsh IS mistaken for moral weakness
have seen that II the ranks. where one
mas susceptibilitiss tear him 20 pieces
long before the shell does, and another
fEhts automatically and curses Wftn de-
faace while ne dies. The unlikeness OF
natures and frames thus brought to-
gerher inthe concourse OF war is height
ened 10 the last degree in the fed hos
pitaL For the most part, sudden extremi-
". without che relief OF action. throws
back upon the conscious centres food
OF sensations that are wholly without
precedent In the mans experience He
is stripped n an instant OF the Fictitious
glory OF endeavor. the whole symbolism
and fervor % conflict are wiped out as
Win spongue. and he is face 20 face
with his own im2otency. stripped OF every
thing but the appalling sense OF weakness
wavering between agony and extinction.
Nor was there the least attempt to
screen. 10 mitigate. or 10 soften the
dire work that was going on. The battle
mad come on Unexpectedly, and, as usual.
the hospital provisions for II was lag
gard and inadequate Mercy and tender
ness had 20 be practically ruthless, and
business-like, and on-hand. Legless
trunks were laid upon the reeking straw
with thu gentleness only OF expedition
The pile OF limbs in the centre grew into
a ouivering mass and the flies. those In
added a million miseries OF their own, as
they lit upon the distorted faces OF arm
less men who could not brush them of
and eddied in clouds around the heads OF
the surgeons. One of these surgeons. a
white whiskered methodical man who had
=
stuffed something into his ears. which
ne had 20 take out when he was spoken
TO by the attendants. His face and arms
were spattered with blood. and some OF Il
chung IN little clots 10 his white whiskers.
but he was grim and ttreless. II never
could have occurred to him that glory
had ended in an abattoir.
Suddenly there was a new kind OF COM
motion outside. NY acute senses told me
that vehicles heavier than the ambulan-
ces had arrived. They should also nave
told me that the cessation OF the mingled
ribaldry and din OF the divers foretold the
arrival of something else. II was the
greasy army blanket that served as a
door. and stood with his hat in his hand
ushering the women There We're four OF
them Three were middle-aged experts
who knew what 10 expect. and one was
to get her first lesson. They made no
salutations. They had no curiosity. and
they gave way TO no emotions. Two Of
them were tying on aprons as they came
in, very much as they were going into the
kitchen to prepare a dinner. They wore
the air OF persons who come 20 the unex-
plicable with an obedfent but flexible rou-
tine. One OF them carried in her hand a
bundle of palm-leaf fans. and those
cheap adjuncts. unprovided for in ths
camp equipment Of man were the instnt
symbols Of new consideration come into
this den OF horrors, Fans, Never were
trifles so greatly exalted. looked az
the face Of the armless man nearest 20 me
covered with crawling insects. and felt
a new admiration for woman, who IN a
minute was beside aim with her exer-
cising wand.
The fourth and youngest woman col
lapsed after a minute Of IL The peculiar
odor. toe hot smell OF escaped vitality
so different from the septic faint OF d.
sease smote her seusibiiities in spite OF
her determination; the r1any-stranded
sound OF despair. desperation. and dis
solution. woven into one indiscribabIe
Groom. was TOO much for her. She stag
gered; some one caught her. One Of her
companions made a rnatter-of-fact sign
to q man 20 carry her out into the air
merely saying. This il her first" and
she disappeared. But II was only for a
while. she came back. white and wet
bat indonitable. with her teeth set. and
went through X Ilke-I came near say
Ing Ike a nan-for which "a a man.
7 ask pardon Of her humbIy as I pass
along.
Long afterwards 7 understood Row TIE
presence OF women IN the fed hospital
put some kind 0f restraint even upon the
surgeons. and made the assistants feel
t+at they could 10 longer relieve their
emotions with gracelsss bravado. They
naturally felt that these women were a.
together TOO exacting in their attention
20 np0rtant details. and Il was out
OF this feeling tha: there grew something
Ike IN Official OPPOSITION 20 TIE presence
% women at the front Buc never heard
this telling expressed BY the wounded men
on the contrary. ire arrival OF woman
even 70 the dying man. was always n
some sense a restoration q conditions
nat the necessary violence CT var lad
abolished. Woman certainly 4 hsr count
less relations % NE sxc.tss TIE noblesy
euseavc-s ard Ire most chfvsir.c asufra-
ton Il man Bat n The hospital she dis
engages zArself from all o. aer previous
relations. and with ore sEeep % super
Iztfvs Strength throws away a. % IRE
conventional adjustments q re EsZss
and presents herself simply and uncnzs-zs
s5ly as al a1gei OF mercy No ore but
re wounded nan kaoEs hoE much softer