Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-09-06
CHAPTER VII.
Weary Weeks Of Waiting


for many. but 1t was not SO for me.
Nv heart bounded with Joy when the
order for our movement was read at
OF all the officers l
think l was the only one whose de-
parture was not blessed with tears OF
mother. sister or sweetheart. My ia
Their. now old and feeble. came to see
ME. and his eyes became wet as he
beheld me for the first time In my uni-
form and folded me in his arms My
mother had long been dead-in fact. +
could scarcely remember her at all.
Before saying goodby to my father l
gave him a letter and made him prom
Use that should anything happen to me
he would send it to the address on the
envelope.
He looked at me sadly for a moment
and said:
"Does she live in the south. Howard.
and is that why you have stayed away
20 longT
l told him yes and turned away my
head that he might not see what 1t had
cost me to speak Of her. He laid his
hand gently on my shoulder and said.
1--WE Palmers have never been lucky
there my son." and thought under
stood many little things in his life and
knew then why he never had anything
but what was kind to say Of that south
ern country when he heard It under
discussion. I grasped his hand and
held 1t for moment
MAY God protect you and bring
you safe to me again." was all he said
and left me.
Our regiment was only ordered to
Camp Meade. but 1t was start. The
days there were dreary ones. and !
shall never forget the shout our boys
put up when the order which turned
our face to Camp Thomas. at Chicka-
manga. was read to them. 1t set our
blood ON fire. and cannot rerress INV
feelings Of state pride even now when
! recall the happy faces Of those bay
State fellows as they prepared to
shoulder their muskets and start for
the south. A majority OF the regiment
wanted to be brigaded with other regi-
ments from Massachusetts. but with
wisdom and foresight the chief exesu
tive commanded that the troops from
the north should be brigaded With
those from the south and west. II
was Z wise policy that threw the men
from Michigan with those from Texas.
and those from California with thase
from Maine and Vermont. and the men
from Massachusetts, with the honest
fellows from Georgia. The spirit Of
friendship which had been growing for
over thirty years was to be cemented
By an alliance against q common enc
my This was how we found ourselves
10 the same brigade with q Georgia
regiment aud with another from Ken
lucky.
We mingled with one another from
the dryt on friendly terms: We shared
one another's rations and nuraed one
anothers sick. met every GeorEian
and heard him add that Il would take
great nursing to pull me through.
Il was the last thing ! remember for
many Q day. ! heard afterward how
he nursed ne: how be slept By my cot
q night and sat By Il all day. After
ward b. told me that talked only Of
the Pines In my deiirium. and for the
drst time he had learned that It was
who had taken up the mortgage and
reduced the interest The day came
when the surgeons desfnired OF my
life. and then It was that he tele-
graphed his sister. have that faded
bit OF paper on which be wrote the
message framed and hanging over my
desk and underneath It hes answer.
Lieutenant Palmer lying at point OF
death Your aame incexsantly on his
upa Don't come II you think best. but
It might save his life" was what he
sent
The answer was even shorter. II
read simply. Keep him alive until
reach there"
They told me that her nursing saved
my nfe. One touch from her hand and
my delirium would subside. and. though
] lay Unconscious for days, she took
little rest. and when she would lie
down II was Bud who would take her
place at my side.
One morning just after orders came
for my regiment to start for Cuba my
eyes opened to the world and my
senses returned Bud was By my side.
! knew then that Miss Ellen had been
there. for the influence Of her presence
was with me still
"Where b sheY' asked.
Getting little needed rest" be an
swered Tho crisis was passed last
night and she knows You arc saved to
her"
The big, strong fellow could stand It
NO longer. He knelt by my bed and.
holding my hand. buried his face in
the covering. I knew that be was
weeping for very Joy for his sister.
turned over YEARLY and laid my hand
on his head.
Bud" whispered. has she for
givenT
Yes. Howard" he said. 'She has
told You 80 herself many q time in the
long watches Of the night"
lapsed into unconsciousness again,
and when awoke Miss Ellen was BY
my side. She 1t was who told me that
my regiment was going and held my
hand In sympathy. for she knew how
It would hurt me to be left behind.
She read ME the presidents noble
words Of praise for the men who had
to the call for troops and.
drawing from her pocket a little slip
Of paper. read me what the executive
had to say Of those who had fallen III |
with fever and who had served their |
only In the camp. 1t was only
4 short message from our president in |
answer to an invitation tn como IN |