Evening journal., 1899-08-01
Back to Light and Love

THE silent stars looked down through
a clear, stin night upon host Of
sleeping men. The brigade had ad-
yanced by forced marches. and now lay
within two miles of the dervish camp.
To-morrow's dawn would see the as
sault. Two Officers stood together,
talking in low whispers, for it was of
the utmost importance that the enemy
should be taken by surprise, and the
orders as to silence were strict.
Buck up, old chap; you'll come
through all right. And if not, what does
it amount TO? You've got no women
folk to bother about"
mo, thank heaven. tits in times like
this that one is glad never TO have
married-lilSe poor old Harcourt."
why poor?"
II was thinking of his wife.
shouldn't care TO be tied to an ugly
woman myself"
That's all rot, Hamilton" retorted
the other. 81 don't believe it matters
{ n row of pins, so long, Of course, as she
isn't repusive or underbred."
think so?"
'Yes. The most unlikely women
sometimes attract most"
''Well, old chap, I'm precious thank
full I've no thoughts of woman to both
er me tonight. l shall try for lead
I tomorrow, even if have got the route;
we've a good chance of being first into
the zareba."
eve win give you a race for it, any
how. But we'd better try and get a
sleep, for this awful heat takes Il out
of a fellow"
The two went to their separate posts.
And as he lay, sleeplesS the thought
came TO Hamilton that it was somewhat
! lonesome to think that no woman's eyes
: would fill at the news of his death; and
he looked upward at the stars above
him, wondering where his soul weuh
be tomorrow.
The shadow of death lay upon him
as at times it does upon the brayesi
soldier; he would fight none the worse
for it in the morning.
The sun had risen.
In the previous short half-hour OF
dawn the assault had been delivered
, the dervish forces had been driven
from their intrenchmeRts, and now the
black, grinning "Gippys" were frater-
nizing and triumphing with their
5 laughing and chatting white comrades
= Backward, across the half-mile OF
L plain, the surgeons were busy. Away
4 to the southwark could be heard the
A sounds of pursuit as the British lanceri
chased the flying Baggara-
A field hospital at the front is no
a pleasant place, neither can it b'
= described in cold black and white. Wal
l. correspondents, as readers of th'
Il dailies have no doubt noticed, judi
!. ciously avoid more than the meres
" mention Of such places.
There were some CHASTITY cases, an'
both surgeons and assistants had beer
, worked hard. But the pressure wal
over, and at last there was time TO at
n tend to the wounds which were no
deadly.
!, "Now, Hamilton, let's see" said Sur
It geon Maj. Murphy, approaching an Off
= Ger who lay motionless on a stretche
who had so lain half an hour at least
The doctor looked his patient oyer
p gave a low whistle, and beeioned t
3 one of the orderlies, who at that mo
g ment turned his head.
A. Look, see, Dawldns, here's ba'
Id case! He must go back to the hospital.
''Bad as that, doctor?" asked the me
tionless man faintly.
"'Tis sol Now you keep quiet"
Lieut.. Hamilton had been totall
blinded by the explosion of a shell il
70 an earthwork as, well in front, he wa
leading his company. He was sent t
lie the rear-to hospital-and Sister Ma
IT. was given charge of him.
as He had not much pain, only he wa
blind. Treatment appeared to have n
, effect on this; it seemed likely to be
a. long business. The days began to han
heavily. Then came the old story: ''Lov
x In Idleness."
dis II.
Hospital sisters do not cease to
-. women when they take up their worl
i. Sister May was just as susceptible
- love as though she had been a sill
young thing of is. though, in fact, sh
at was ten years older. And he? Pit
tn. being akin to love. the recipient of pit
IN. runs double risk. Her voice was sol
ne and musical. her touch was soothing
her care of him seemed first motherl.
a.. then sisterly, and then
~, So it was that by easy stages the
i'n drifted into that strange attracto
Vn. which the world calls 'love."
les And her one fear was that some da
'ad he'might see again. The surgeon sal
40 It was just possible, and was advisin
4 consultation with the world-fame
Prof. Augenwirte, of Graefrath. 81
prayed against that possibility, for
IL her own eyes she was plain-nay, ugl
past redemption. Yet, though she conl
m hot realize it, her too large mouth an