Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-11-16

I q DAONO " lOut lIabS
Friend"
Pretty soon this changed to shouts
| of Ammo (ammunition)i Ammo! AM
mo forwardW You could hear him
all over the ward. The nurse started
to sing grooming little lullaby. The
| shouting ceased. Further twitching
and twisting. and the ether was ex-
| PEELED into an ever ready little re-
| ceptacle held in the hands of the
nurse. In n few minutes rays or
consciousness penetrated to the brain
of the wounded man and he began to
| mutter: d
| Turn on the lights; it's dark. it's
dark. l can't see. It's dark. dark.
| Take that damned pillow of my
head. It's dark. dark, tell you.
| What's the matter with my mitts?
! They're tied; cobblestone on them.
| Where am 1, Smokey? This dugout's
| dark. Switch on the glim."
! The nurse was talking to him in
low voice and grooming her lullaby.
/ My God. how that girl could sing!"
1t was not long before the blinded
soldier fell asleep. He slept for three
| hours, the nurse beside him. Not for
second did she leave her post. l
| inwardly wished that the patient
| would sleep for hours longer. The
presence of that nurse made me feel
| iGpPy anu COiilGnleQ All over.
The form on the bed stirred, and
then in a plaintive voice:
Where am I? Where am I? Turn
, on the lights! Turn on the lightsr'
The sun was streaming through the
window.
The nurse was crying. So was I.
The Jock on my left was softly ours
ing to himself.
h. ,f
patient and in 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
| hlanched to a blush white.
He asked the nurse. What time
is it?"
She answered.: Three o'clock.
dearie. Try to go to sleep. You'll
| feel better soon"
! The Canadian asked in a piteous
l voice, why is it so dark?" Then he
| shouted in a terror stricken voice: "I
| know! I know! They've put my
lights out! Good God. I'm blindl I'm
blind! My eyes are gone-gone-
| gone" And his voice died out in
long Sob
Three doctors came through and
| held low-voiced consultation. Two
of them left; one stay
| The Jock whispered to me: Poor
bloke! He's going. west. l know the
signs"
The dying man began to mutter
! The nurse bent over him. She hao u
writing pad and pencil in her hand,
! She whispered to him: "Dearie, the
! nail is going out. Do you want me
to write a note home to the folks
! Just short note telling them that
you are all right and will be with
them in a couple of months?"
The patient answered:
Home? Folks? I've never had
any since I was a kid. Home! God,
L wish 1 had onew
The writing pad in the nurses
hand was wet. The bandage on my
was soaking through. But blood is
red.
The voice of the wounded man
again: "I want-want-I want a"
The nurse: What do you want.
boy? What can 1 get for you-a nice
cool drink?"
"a drink? He'll. no; I want
/ SMOKE! w mere my maklngS. i
want a fag-a smoke-a smoker
! She looked at the doctor. He nod
! ded. She left the patient and came
over to me. 1 felt as 1 were in the
! presence of God. She whispered to
me: Have you a cigaret, my dear.
| fer that poor boy? We are all out
! have not received any for ten days.
| If the people at home only realized
what n godsend tobacco is for these
poor wounded lads they would send
them out. They are as important is
| shells"
l told her to look in my kit bag.
She loked through it and found one.
all out of shape-a Goldhake. I think
! it was the only smoke left in that
ward of sixty patients.
With joy in her eyes she went back
to her patient, gently put the cigaret
| between his lips and lighted it.
A contented sigh, two or three
weak puffs and the lighted cigareJ
| fell out of his mouth onto the sheet.
He was asleep.
1t was getting late. / fell asleep.
When ! woke up it was morning.
The bed on. my right was empty.
The nurses in the ward had red eyes.
They had been crying.
1 turned an inquiring gaze to the
Jock on my left. He solemnly nod
ded and his mouth twitched. 1
thought he was going to cry, but
sudd enly he looked at me, tears in
his eyes, and said, "Aw, go to hell"
and turned over on his side