Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-26

I had been slightly wounded IN an
attack on the German lines ana mao
been sent to the base hospital at Rou-
en- The bed next to mine was empty
The sheets were turned down. the ph-
low was missing and a rubber sheet
was stretched across the center OF the
bed. the ends of which were neatly
tucked under the mattress. 1t was
my first time in hospital, but even
to me, a recruit, it seemed that that
bed was specially prepared, was walt
ing for some special case. ! was right.
It was.
In the bed on my left was JOCK,
a Scottie from the Fifteenth Royal
Scots, or ladies from hell" as TINS
particular Highland regiment was low
ingly called by Fritz, our nelghpor
across No Mans Land. This JOCK haa
lost his left foot from a shell purst.
l asked why the bed was made up IN
such a peculiar manner. He told me
that the occupant, a Canadian, was up
in the pictures Operating theater)
having both hands amputated at the
wrists and also that the Canadian was
blind, caused by the explosion OF
bomb while raiding the German trench
eS.
In about half an hour four white
clothed orderlies came down the ward
carrying a stretcher In the wake OF
the stretcher came a Red Cross nurse
lnl fAI hnFn hn
on my right. Then l marveled at the
efficient and gentle way In which the
wounded man was transferred from
the stretcher to the bed. The under
takers squad" left. but the Red Cross
nurse sat beside her patient every now
and then shooting a fly away from the
bandaged head or using piece OF
gauze bandage to wipe away the white
froth which constantly oozed from the
half open lips OF the bandaged form.
In a short time the ether began to
die out, and the frothy lips twitched.
Then sigh. and the man began to
sing, not God Save the King or THE
Maple Leaf Forever" but Never In
troduce a Bloke to Your Lady Friend"
Pretty soon this tune changed to
shout of ammo (ammunition). Am
mo! Ammo forward" You could hear
him all over the ward. The nurse
started to sing a grooming little lula
by The shouting ceased. Further
twitching and twisting. and the ether
was expelled into an ever ready little
receptacle held in the hands of the
nurse. In a few minutes rays Of con-
sciousness penetrated to the brain OF
the wounded man and he started to
nutter:
Turn or the lights; it's dark, its
dark l can't see. It's dark. dark.
Take that damned pillow off my head.
It's dark, dark, l tell you. What's the
matter with my mitts? They're tied:
cobblestone on them. Where am /.
Smokey? This dugout's dark.
Switch on the glim.' neae. .-.. Y,
The nurse was talking TO him in
low voice and grooming her lullaby.
My God, how the girl could sing!
1t was not long before the blinded
soldier fell asleep. He slept for three
hours, the nurse beside him. Not for
a second did she leave her post. ! in
wardly wished that the patient would
sleep for hours longer. The presence
of that nurse made me feel happy and
contented al over.
The form on the bed stirred, and
then in a plaintive voice: Where am
I, Where am /, Turn on the lights!
Turn on the lights,"
The sun was streaming through the
window.
The nurse was crying. So was ].
The Jock on my left was softly curs-
ing 10 himself
The angel OF mercy leaned over her
patient and in a low voice whispered
to him:
Never mind. dearie: you are in the
hospital and will soon be in Blighty
for nice long rest"
The Canadians mouth twitched.
thought he was going to cry. 1t was
pretty mouth but the lips were
blanched to blueish white.