The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-08-29

Wv States Infantry, was the en-
try IN the hospital register.
He occupied a cot IN Ward 10, together
with thirty other wounded soldiers,
representing nearly every regular regi-
ment In the Fifth Army Corps Many
Of them were seriously wounded, one
was shot through the neck several
through the body, while others had
been mangled by the terrible shrapnel.
But Of all the wounded Bin Parsons
was the only one who could not live.
AT least, SO the surgeons and nurses
said, and as the regulars. through long
experience. had learned to put faith
in what the surgeons told them, they
not infrequently forgot their wounds
and looked over toward the white
screen which sheltered Bits cot, and
muttered something which sounded
like poor Bill" or remarked that It
was blank shame that such a good
soldier should be obliged to give up his
life to the bullet Of a miserable dago
And BIZ was a good soldier-a good
regular-and when you have said that
you can say no more. His bronzed
face, with its deeply marked lines. be-
spoke dangers and hardships and his
hair and beard were grizzled. Fight
ing was an old story to Bill Parsons.
He had hunted Captain Jack and his
Modoc Indians; he had fought the Utes.
Geronimo and his Apaches, and he had
been with Miles at Pine Ridge. Thirty
years in the regular army was his rec
ord and private was the only title that
had ever been affixed to his name. If
he lived, however, and decided to stay
in the army, he would stand an excel
lent chance of being called sergeant,
for his Colonel had seen him when he
seized the colors from the dead SER
geants hand and carried them far out
on the firing line on the hillside of Ell
Caney.
He had had but few conscious mo-
ments since leaving Siboney. They did
not think he would live to make the
voyage, but as he was breathing when
the Seneca began to load with wound
ed for the first trip north he was put
aboard with the rest And in due time
be was in the cool, clean ward at Belle
vue 1t was a hard fight for life, but
Bill was a good fighter, and he won.
Weeks passed. The wound in the
head had healed, but the terrible Gu
ban fever and the shock of his wound
weakened his body and Slapped the lit
tie that remained of his great strength.
His bunkies had already begun to leave
their cots and to gather on the sunny
balcony where they smoked their corn
cob pipes and snapped bandiage and
stories, but Bill still tossed and
mOaped on his cot Sometimes he
would open his eyes and look about
him in amazement. He wondered
where he was, and thought it might be
the Fort Custer barracks until he
looked through an open window and
caught a glimpse Of the slate colored
waters of the East River and the green
stretch Of the hospital grounds sloping
down to meet them. Maybe it was
fairyland or heaven. He wondered
who the sweet-faced woman standing
by the next cot could be, and he mar
veled that she should spend so much
time in feeding its occupants with fruit
and ices. If some one would only feed
him. He seemed to have a vague i'm
preston that something had softly
stroked his forehead while he slept
He thought that possibly 1t might have
been some Of the angels whom he useC
to believe guarded over those who
sleep. and then he smiled foolishly ant
told himself that he had probabl!
dreamed it. And then the Windows
darkened, the sky grew black, tn
ward and it's occupants faded away
and he sunk into the first sweet sleel
since he was wounded.
Meanwhile the regulars and nurse
had come to lock for the arrival of
stout, sweet-faced woman with specta
cles and gray hair.
eyes, ma'am," they would say, he
a little better to-day" And then SD
would smile and 60 over to Bills col
ner, and if he was asleep she woul
sit down on the edge OF his cot an
smooth out the rumpled hair and bath
lis temples with ice water. If his eye
were open she would pass by. b.
whether he was asleep or awake sh
wogld always leave a jar of jelly
some fruit on the little table by IL
head Of his cot. She left jelly with I'll
other soldiers, too, but she never 81
beside them or bathed their temples
perhaps it was because Bill looked
silk and so old.
Bill never slept so soundly as nov
and he often dreamed that some bea
tiful being guarded over his slumbeT