River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-04-17

cling, shifting column Of gold through
the open tent flap The air was
hot. not an endurable, dry heat,
but a moist, sticky heat which
drew an intolerable mist from the
water standing in pools beneath the
plain flooring of the tents. The flies
had no barrier and they entered in
noisOme companies, to swarm, heav-
ily buzzing, about the medicine spoons
and the tumblers and crawl over the
nostrils and mouths of the typhoid
patients, too weak and stupid to
brush them away. The other sick
men would lift their feeble skeletons
Of hands against them; and tall sol
der who walked between the cots
and was the sole nurse on duty,
waved his palm-leaf fan at them and
swore softly under his breath.
There were ten serious cases in the
ward The soldier was raw man de-
tailed only the day before and not
used to nursing, being blacksmith
in civil life An overworked surgeon
had instructed him in the use Of
thermometer; but he was much more
confident of the success Of his lesson
than the instructed one. There was
one case in particular bothered the
nurse; he returned to the cot where
this case lay more than once and
eyed the gaunt figure which lay so
quietly under the sheet, with de-
iected attention. Once he laid his
hand shyly on the sick mans fore
head and when he took it away he
strangled a desperate sort of sigh.
Then he walked to the end of the tent
and stared dismally down the camp
street, flooded with sunshine. well,
thank God there's Spruce!" said he.
A man in khaki uniform, carrying
bale OF mosquito netting, was walking
smartly through the glare. He
stopped at the tent. How goes it?"
said he, cheerfully, but in the lowest
of tones. He was a short man and
thin, but with a good color under his
tan, and teeth cleaning at his smile,
white as milk
why, I'm kinder worried about
Maxwell"
Before he could finish his sentence,
Spruce was at Maxwells cot. His
face changed. Cit the hot-water bot
tie quick's you can" he muttered,
"and git the screen-the one I madei"
AS he spoke he was dropping brandy
into the corners of Maxwells mouth.
The brandy trickled down the chin.
He looks awful quiet, don't he?"
whispered the nurse with an awe
struck glance.
You git them things!" said Spruce,
his words, whereat the soldier shut
fled out of the tent, returning first
with the screen and last with the bot
ties. Then he watched Spruce's rapid
but silent movements. At last he
ventured to breathe: "Say, he amt
he ain't-he amt"
Spruce nodded. The other turned
a kind Of groan into a cough and
wiped his face. Awkwardly he helped
Spruce wherever there was the chance
for a hand; and in a little while his
bungling agitation reached the work
er, who Strengthened up and turned
a grim face on him.
Was it me?" he whispered then.
For Gods sake, Spruce did every
thing the doctor told me, highs l
could remember. / didn't disturb him,
cause he 'peared to be asleep. II
never saw a man die before!"
1T amt no fault of yours" said
Spruce in the same low whisper.
I'm sorry for you. Did you give him
the ice / got?"
Yes, I did, sergeant"
The soldier was looking at the pla-
cid face. A sob choked him. "He
said: Thank YOU every time l gave
him anything" he gulped. God! it's
murder to put fools like me at nurs-
ing; and the country full of women
that know how and want to comet"
SIS! 'Taint no coed talking.
You done your best. Go and report.
As the wretched soldier numbered
Off, Spruce set his teeth on an ugly
oath.
4 ought to have stayed, maybe"
he thought, but I've been doing with
so little sleep, my head was feeling
dirty queer; and the doctor sent me.
Collapse. of course; temperature ran
down to normal, and poor Tooley
didn't notice, and him too weak to
talk! Well, l hope l git the G boys
through, that's all l ask"
He went over to the next cot. where
lay the nearest of the G boys, greet
Dick was a handsome young spec
ter. just beginning to turn the corner
in a bad case of typhoid fever. His
blue eyes lighted at Spruce's voice;
and he sent a smile back at Spruce's
smile Did you get some sleep?'
said he Whats that you have in
your hand?"
That's milk, real milk from cow.
Yes, lots of sleep; you drink that"
The sick man drank it with an ex-
preston of pleasure. Il don't believe
any of the others get milk" he muir
INJURED; save the rest for Edgar"
Edgar don't need it, Dick" Spruce
answered gently.
Dick drew long, shivering sigh and
his eyes wandered to the screen. He
was soldier and he died for his
country jest the same as if he were
hit by a Mauser," said Spruce-he
had taken the sick boys long, thin
hand and was smoothing his fingers.
Its no more an what we all got to
expect when we enlist
"Of course" said Dick, smiling.
that's all right, for him or for me,