The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-07-29
A Melodious
Voice
By F. A. Mitchell

seriousness, with 4 soreness all over m!
body and Il burning thirst. | was lyin:
OH the ground looking up ut the stars
For Il moment did not know why
was there. Then suddenly it all cam,
back to mc-n long brown line alon.
the edge Of Il wood. the order to nd
vance. Il volley of clicks as the Con
fcderates cockc, their mlsketS. ther
a cloud Of smoke ANA Il storm Of Du!
lets. ! was one who fell. and TO!
awhile men trlmped to and fro ovel
me. After that knew nothing.
Now it was dark. managed tC
change my position by turning On my
side. l could see lights moving about
Then heard the words:
Bring II stretchcr"
They We're not spoken in mans
voice, but woman's. Moreover. the
tones were soft and melodious. Was
it the contrast with what might be OK.
pccted on Il battlefield that moved me,
or was the voice really sweet? l listen.
cd and heard it again:
Poor fellow! Gently. boys. There.
Now carry him over there to the sur.
gcon."
| Surely it was sympathetic. But it
was more--it was voice that | felt
| sure would never forget. If should
! hear it among hundred others |
| would recognize it.
We were near enough to Richmond
| for our cannon to be heard there
| all day. Doubtless this was some wO.
man from there. who had come out
to minister to the wounded. She was.
however. giving us. her enemies. her
attention. for the ConfedelatcS had not
been in this exact part of the field She
went from me. speaking in that same
melodious voice. first encouraging the
wounded man being carried on the
stretcher. Then | knew by her words
that she was kneelng over some other
unfortunate.
Poor boy! You should be with your
mother instead of here"
Those We're the last words l heard
her speak. | had hoped that she would
stay by me. but we were lying very
thick. and only few could be favored,
never forgot the voice heard Oh
that battlefield. ! thought of it all
through the period when | was recoc
cring from my wound and wondered II
should ever meet its possesSor. ]
was sent north by sea and after re-
gaining my strength joined my regi
ment shortly before the battle Of Get
tysburg. I was with our army before
Petersburg and wren Richmond was
evacuated was one Of those who en-
tered the city.
went to a hospital to see an officer who
was ill. ] was sitting by his cot in Il
ward containing perhaps hundred
tnvalids. Near by was a screen used
to protect man who was dying.
heard voice say:
II will give your message If have
to take it myself"
1t was the voice had heard Oh the
battlefield.
was anxious to get glimpse Of Its
owner. but at the moment the man
was with was endeavoring 10 impress
upon me something he wished me to
do for him. AS soon as ! could get
away from him | went for look be.
hind the screen. saw only a corpse.
That was the disappointment of my
life l made inquiries for the woman
I wished to see, but could only describe
her as Il woman with Il sweet voice.
It was not enough. There We're num-
Der of ladies there with sweet voices.
Besides, / was Il soldier with other
things to occupy me than looking fol-
woman l had never seen. At any
or again hearing her.
The war having closed. my regiment
with others was sent north and after
the grand review ut Washington was
mustered out | had studied profcs.
sion before entering the military serv.
ice and on returning to civil life occu'
pied myself with my profession. !
continued to be haunted by that me.
| lodious voice. met women who
were attractive to me: but somehow.
If especially liked one Of them she
was sure to rcDel me by harsh tone
in speaking. Several years passed,
and though l was domestic in my
! tastes and would have liked to be mar
ried remained single.
Being called to Washington on bust
ness with the government. [ was in
the treasury department one morning
amid number of women clerks when
asked one of them where should
apply for certain information ]
wished.
go to the third auditors office on
the next floor above"
had found her
"Wcre You not on the field" ! ask.
ed, "after one of the battles near
Richmond in 1852, succoring the
wounded"
II was"
"And when we northern men oc-
cupied Richmond did you not one day
in hospital take message for a
dying MANI"
II did"
81 lay near where you were on that
battlefield and was near you when
| you received that message"
"IIave you ever seen me before?"
| mo"
Then how have you recognized
me?"
ssIy vour ypinn -