The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-04-09
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could nor would stand the life at the
hospital any longer. She would go
back home. She wondered how she
could ever have left that home as
she thought of her mother and father.
True, they did not need her there,
and there was none too much for the
| others, but she did not think of that.
| Everything lovely that she had left
| there came back TO her; everything
unlovely that she had voluntarily
! sought. showed up black and ugly by
contrast. There was the menial work
in the kitchen, the sickening work in
the wards, the little disagreeable
rasping things attendant on proba-
| toners first years. All this, togt ther
with her several duties, piled high
| before her mental vision, giving her
a terrible sense Of despair and des-
peration.
"I'll write to them this very after
noon, then I'll speak TO Miss Fergu-
son tomorrow. I'll tell them that
/ was a fool TO leave my nice home,
and that I'm coming back as soon as
can. / won't stay another week.
and down went the girls head in such
a burst of homesickness and moral
weakness as surprised herself, but she
said, Il can't help it,"
Then she wrote her letter, a pretty
doleful one, and told her parents Of
her intentions. This sealed and
stamped, she thought she felt better,
but she did not.
She was not a very big girl, though
she impressed people as being larger
than she was. Her eye was bright,
as rule, and she had a good chin
and a forehead indicating more than
| the usual amount of reasoning pow
! er; but now that she was discouraged
! her gaze was dull and she was too
tired to reason out things, she could
not even think of anything that did
not increase her feeling of despera-
! tion.
One of the nurses rang for her. 81
want you in the mems surgical
ward" was the message. Agnes gave
a weary sigh, and muttering. I'm
nothing but a servant" washed her
! face, brushed her hair. and went over
in the other part of the building-a
part she especially detested. Most
of the men were foreigners who could
not speak English, and the rest most
| ly belonged to that class of men who
distinguish themselves in the break
| ing Of civil and natural law.
Il want you to sit here during Wis
iting hours" said the directing head
| of the ward There is nothing 10
do; you can get your work If You
wish to-" But Agnes did not wish to.
| She did not wish to do anything but
get away from the place.
Perhaps sitting still and doing
nothing helped her little to notice
| others. One lady, coming out,
stopped and looked at bed near the
| door. "See there" she said to her
companion; that poor fellow was
once a soldier and in active service,
and he is always fancying that he is
in the thick of fight, and it is terri
bic to see him. l feel very sorry for
| him; it is bad enough TO have been
in battle, but TO be haunted ever after
by the recollection of it must be
something awful"
The ladies passed out, and Agnes
! took a glance at the ex-soldier. She
| had not noticed him before. AS she
! looked, he opened his eyes, and she
felt as if, in that moments glance,
he saw more than she cared anyone
to see. He seemed to read her
thoughts.
Presently he raised his head as If
/ full of the strength Of some overmas-
! tering feeling. His eyes shone bright
! ly with fever and excitement. He
gazed at the girl with strange inter-
est and curiosity, then his lips moved,
and his hands twitched in mute ap-
peal which she almost understood.
Fascinated, she watched him in
| breathless fear.
what did they say about me?" he
demanded fercely, indicating the Wis
| itors.
Agnes went over to his bed. "They
said you had been a soldier Then
she added impulsively because some
thing in his face made her sorry, II
should think you would be glad all
the rest of your life when you thought
about it. 1t is a glorious thing TO
fight for your country"
The old man looked anything but
glad. "You don't know" he cried.
Il thought so once, too" He began
TO tremble and his white face grew
ashy. There It is. the noise, don't
you hear it? Now they're firing; the
airs full OF bullets-look at that,
the horses are trampling down men,
Save me, save mel" Then in a voice
Of wild despair. MY Godl / can't
get past this line"
The fire Of battle ragged in him. A
maddened fear held his senses. His
eyes had the unseeing glitter Of fever.
He threw out his hands. wrestling
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