Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-02-14
CHAPTER XIII.
Field Hospital. sixt;, corn..

Field Hospital, sixt;, Corps.
MY mead ached so abominably
when first opened my eyes that I
was compelled to close them .again.
merely realizing dimly that looked
up at something white above me,
which appeared to sway IS though
blown t:ently by the wind. My Crop
Ing hand, the only one I appeared
able to move, toll. me I was lying
upon q camp-cot, with soft sheets
about me, and that my head rested
upon a pillow. Then 1 passed once
more into unconsciousness, but this
time it was asleep.
When l once more awakened tho
throbbing pain had largely left my
hot temples. and l saw that the sway
Ing white canopy composed the roof
OF large tent, upon which the
golden sunlight now lay in checkered
masses, telling mo the canvas had
been erected among trees. A faint
moan caused me to move my head
slightly on the gratefully soft pillow,
and could perceive a long row of
cots, exactly similar to the one /
occupied, each apparently filled,
stretching away toward an opening
that looked forth into the open at..
A man was moving slowly down the
narrow aisle toward me. stopping
here and there to bend over some
sufferer with medicine or a 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-.
deovored to speak, but for the moment
Lily throat refused response to the ef-
fort. Then managed to ask feebly:
Where am II"
The blue eyes in the freckled, bow.
lsh face danced good-humoredly, and
he laid big led hand gently upon
my forehead.
Field hospital. Sixth Corps" he
said, with a strong Hibernian &C.
cent. An how de ye loike it, John
ny7"
Better than some others I've seen."
! managed to articulate family. WHO
won?"
"Divil wan of us knows" hs ad-
mitted frankly, but your fellows did
the retratin'."
1t was an old, old story to all of US
by that time, and l closed my eyes
YEARLY, content to ask no more.
have no way of knowing how long
l rested there motionless although
awake, my eyes closed to keep out the
painful glare. my sad thoughts busted
with memory Of those men whom l
had seen reel and fall upon that
stricken field we had battled so vainly
20 save. Once I wondered, with sud.
den start OF fear, If had lost a limb.
II was to be crippled for life, the
one thing I dreaded above all else.
Feeling feebly beneath my bed-cloth-
ing l tested, as best I 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.
"You lazy Irish marine!" it cried
petulantly, that beef stew was to
have been given me an hour ago."
"Sure, sor," was the soothing reply.
1t wasn't to be given yer honor till
two o'clock"
well, it's all of three now"
"Wan-thirty, on me sowl, sor"
That first voice sounded oddly
familiar, and turned my face that
way, but was unable to perceive the
speaker.
-: that Lieutenant Caton?" l esked
doubtfully.
Most assuredly it u.s." quickly.
And who are you?"
Captain Wayne Of the Confederate
Army"
"Oh, Waypee Glad you spoke, but
extremely sorry to have. you here.
Badly hurt?"
Not seriously, think. No limbs
missing, anyhow, but exceedingly
weak. Where did they get you?"
In the side. a musket ball. but ex-
tracted. l would be all right II that
lazy Irish scamp would only give me
EAIf enough to eat. By the way,
Wayne, Of course I never got the
straight Of it, for there arc half-a-
dozen stories about the affair flying
around, and those most interested will
MT talk, but one Of your special
frtcrds. ind to my notion most
charming young woman. will be in
hero to see me sometime this after
noon. She will be delighted to meet
you again, I'm sure"
One Of my friends?" questioned
ccredulously. ut instantly thinking
q Ddt4h Brennan. "A young won.
baf J..