Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-04-12
CHAPTER XIII.
Field Hospital. sixt., Corr

Field Hospital, sixt, Corps.
MY a ached SO abominabis
when ] first opened my eyes that
was compelled to close them again
merely realizing dimly that | looke,i
up at something white above me.
which appeared to sway as thougi.
blown fently by the wind. My grop-
Ing hand, the only one I appeared
able to move, toll me I was. lyinE:
upon q camp-cot, with soft sheets
about ME, and that my head restad
upon a pillow. Then l passed once
more into Inconsistencies, but this
time 1t was asleep.
When i once more awakened the
throbbing pain had largely left my
hot temples, and ! saw that the sway
Ing white canopy composed the moot
OF a large tent, upon which the
golden sunlight now lay in checksred
masses. telling mo the canvas had
been erected among trees. A faint
moan caused me to move my head
slightly ON the gratefully soft llilow.
and could perceive p long raw Of
cots, exactly similar 40 the one
occupied. each apparently filled.
stretching away toward an opening
that looked forth into the open mir.
A man was moving slowly down the
narrow aisle toward me, stopping
here and there to bend over some
rufferer with medicine or q CHEEKY
word. He wore a short white jacket,
and was without . cap. his head of
heavy red hair = most conspicuous
object As he approached en-
deavored to speak, but for the moment
Ly throat refused response to the eff.
fort Then ! managed TO ask feebly:
Where am II"
The blue eye in the freckled, hoy
ish face danced spontaneously, and
he laid a big red hand gently upon
my forehead.
Field hospital, Sixth Corps" be
said, with a strong Hibernian &C,
cent. AN how de We loike it. John
n.y..
Better than some others I've SEEM
managed to %articulate family. "Whe
won?"
"Divil q wan of us knows" he ad
mitted frankly. but your fellows die
the ~retratin'."
1t was an old, old story to all of us
by hat time. aud l closed my eyes
YEARLY. content to ask no more.
have no way Of knowing how long
rested there m~otionless although
awake, my eyes closed to keep out the
painful glare, my sad thoughts busisd
with memory Of those men whom /
..~1 o-y r~11 ~,
stricken field we had battled so vainly
70 save. Once l wondered. with sud
den start OF fear, II I had lost a limb.
II l was to be crippled for life. the
one thing l dreaded above all else.
Feeling .feebly beneath my bed-cloth-
ing I tested, as best ! could, each
limb. All were apparently intact. al.
though my left arm seemed useless
and devoid Of feeling. broken no
doubt, and / heaved a sigh Of genuine
relief. Then became partially
aroused to my surroundings by a
voice speaking from the cot next
mine. -a~~-
"You lazy Irish marine!" 1t cried
p~etulantly. that beef stew was to
have been given me an hour ago"
Sure. sor." was the soothing reply.
vt wasn't to be given yer honor till
two o'clock"
We'll, It's all of three now"
"Wan-thirty. on mo sowl, sor."
That first voice sounded oddly
familiar. and turned my lace that
way. bus was unable to perceive the
speaker.
~ that Lieutenant caton?" I esked
do%ubtfully.
Most sssuredly it is" quickly.
And who are your"
Captain Wayne OF the Confederate
Army"
.oh, waynef Glad you spoke. but
extremely sorry to have you here.
Badly hurt?" -
Not seriously. l think. No limbs
missing, anyhow. but exceedingly
weak. Where did they get your"
IN the side. q musket ball, but ex.
tracted. I would be all right II that
lazy Irish scamp would only give me-
.EAf enough to eat BY the way
wayne. Of course I never got the
Stx1ight q II, FOR there are half-a
dozen stories about the affair flying
around, and those most interested vii
not tax but one Of your special
1tenda, ina to ny notion : most
tharminy young woman, viii be II
Aoro % - ne sometime this after
nnoa 90 Wtl b delighted to meet
syou 6kGa1n, I'm sure.
one e ~ frfends?~ 4 queatione<
tEcredulously. yet instantly thinkinl