Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-07-21
! Back to Light and Love
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THE silent stars looked down through
clear, still night upon q host OF
sleeping men. The brigade had adj
vanced 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. Itis in times like
this that one is glad never to have
married-lilie poor old Harcourt,"
'Why poor?"
81 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
u row of pins, so long, of course, as she
isn't repulsive or underbred."
"Thnk SOP"
"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. ! shall try for a lead
tomorrow, even if have got the route;
we've a good chance of being first into
the zareba."
1--WE will give you race for'it, any
how. But we'd better try and get a
sleep, for this awful heat takes it out
of 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 would
be tomorrow.
The shadow of death lay upon him
as at times it does upon the braves'
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 driver
from their intrenchments, and now th'
black, grinning "Gippys" were frater
nizing and triumphing with theil
laughing and chatting white comrades
Backward, across the half-mile o
plain, the surgeons were busy. Ava,
to the southwark could be heard th'
sounds of pursuit as the British lancer'
chased the flying Baggara.
A field hospital at the front is no
pleasant place, neither can it b.
described in cold black and white. Wa
correspondents, as readers of th'
dailies have no doubt noticed, judi
ciously avoid more than the meres
mention Of such places.
There were some ghastly cases, ant
both surgeons and assistants had beer
worked hard. But the pressure wa
over, and at last there was time to at
tend TO the wounds which were no
deadly.
"Now. Hamilton, let's see," said Sur
geon Maj. Murphy, approaching an Off
Ger who lay motionless on stretche
who had so lain half an hour at least
The doctor looked his patient over
gave low whistle, and beckoned t
one of the orderlies, who at that mo
ment turned his head.
Look, see, Dawldns, here's ba'
case! He must go back to the hospital.
"Bad as that, doctor?" asked the mo
tionless man family.
"'Tis so. Now you keep quiet"
Lieut.. Hamilton had been total.
blinded by the explosion of shell il
an earthwork as, well in front, he wa
leading his company. He was sent t
the rear-to hospital-and Sister Ma.
was given charge of him.
He had not much pain, only he wa
blind. Treatment appeared to have NJ
effect on this; it seemed likely to be
long business. The days began to ham
heavily. Then came the old story: "Lov
in 1dleness."
Hospital sisters do not cease to b
women when they take up their work
Sister May was just as susceptible {
love as though she had been sill
young thing of IS, though, in fact, sh
was ten years older. And he? Pit
being akin to love, the recipient of pit.
runs a double risk. Her voice was sof
and musical, her touch was soothing
her care of him seemed first motherly
then sisterly, and then
So it was that by easy stages the.
drifted into that strange attraction
which the world calls "love."
And her one fear was that some da.
he might see again. The surgeon SAT-
It was just possible, and was advising
n consultation with the world-fame,
Prof. Augenwirte, of Graefrath. Sh
prayed against that possibility, for Il
her own eyes she was plain-nay ugly
past redemption, Yet, though she coul'
not realize il, her too large mouth ant
prominent teeth. her irregular nose