Milford chronicle., 1915-11-26
IIS HOSPITAL VISIT
The Stranger Who Inspected the
Federal Quarters.
He CHEERED A FEW PATIENTS

But the Secret of the Unknown Doc
tors Influence Did Not Become Ap-
parent Until the Next Day and After
He Had Taken His Departure.
1t was in the spring of 1862, when
Stonewall Jackson, marching down the
Shenandoah valley, had won a bril-
liant victory over General Banks,
whom he drove north until the friend
" Potomac interpOsed its screen and
he found safety and care for his sick
and wounded in the hospitals of Fred
erick.
A new nurse had been assigned to
one of the hospitals the day before the
battle-a Massachusetts woman named
Charlotte Mckay, widowed and made
childless within q single year. The
Datients she had under her care were
mostly Federals of course. but there
was a good sprinkling Of wounded
Confederates who were prisoners of
war.
One day. just after dinner time. the
chief surgeon entered Mrs. McKay's
ward. accompanied by a stranger The
man had the appearance of a student
His head was bent and his brows were
drawn together. with two deep lines
between them. as if he had spent long.
thoughtful hours at his desk. and his
eyes the color of blue steel. swept the
ward with a keen glance that seemed
to take in everything. His grizzled
beard showed that he was no longer
young. but his step and bearing were
elastic and vigorous.
"Dr Janeway is from Louisiana" ex-
planned the chief as lie introduced the
stranger Tie had to abandon a large
sugar plantation there when the war
broke out because of his loyalty. He
was a surgeon in the Crimean war an1
so is interested in seeing how we do
things here
The stranger chatted genially with /
the nurses and the surgeon. discussed /
their operating facilities, compared |
them with those of the Crimea, ques- f,
toned them about the rations of the .
prisoners and accepted a steaming cup
of hot soup from the nurse.
The prisoners were watching and lis
tening to all that passed. in strong con.
trast to the sullen Indifference they
had shown before One young Virgin
ian, tall and muscular, looked as If he
were about to spring from his cot.
THAT boy looks like he came from
near my place" observed the southern
UniOnist. May l speak to him?
Eyes. doctor; you may talk to any of
them
With a curiOusly quick and noiseless
step the visitor reached the bed and
cOnversed for a moment in tones that
were inaudible to all but the young sol
der He returned in a moment.
81 was mistaken. A chance resem-
blance deceived me. The man says he
is 'hankering for a drink, nurse.
told him l would ask you for it."
The wounded man drank the water,
stretched out on his side and appeared
to sleep. while the two surgeons went
on to another ward and presently left
the building. Mounting his horse, Dr.
Janeway bade a cordial goodby to the
chief, bowed with deep respect to the
two women and rode slowly out of the
hospital grounds.
The prisoners were in better spirits
the next morning. \ laugh passed
from time to time. 1t was almost as if
some excellent joke unknown to their
attendants had raised their courage.
Did you know the gentleman who
was here yesterdays" Mrs. Mckay r
asked the boy soldier. The lad grinned s
up at her and replied: {
"Yes. ma'am." I
You did? Who was he?" c
ut was Stonewan Jackson, ma'am." q
The nurse stared, then she said: S
You're making fun Of me. Pryor. 1
General Jackson here in the midst of 1
ur armiesr q
1T wouldn't be the first time" re- a
orted the boy, nettled by her unbelief 6
More than once, when he hadn't just
he scout he wanted at hand, he has
one on his own errands."
But what If he should be recOg- O
ized!' :.
who's to recognize him? None Of "
our folks. for those who would know K
I'm are fighting. not nursing the sick. (,
nd none of ours, for they wouldn't Il
III If they saw him. Reason he spoke P
me yesterday was cause was is
lowing too much interest I'm one Of fl
IS foot cavalry ma'am. he wanted In
know just how we was bein' treat rs
!, and so he came to see."
We try to do the best we can for
~, Pryor"
Yes, ma'am. told him so. We've fl
zen treated heap better than we ex- di
'cted to be. But it's tough to be W
1soner, you know. And that was de
onewall Jackson. youths COmpan. en-
q. tv