United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
He led the way to a small tent beneath the shade of a wide-branched
oak. A stretcher had been extemporized into a camp bed and on it lay a
youth not older apparently than the girl herself. His face had the
blood-drained look which many will remember, yet was still fine in its
strong, boyish lines. The down on his upper lip was scarcely more
deeply defined than his straight eyebrows. A negro attendant sat near
fanning him, and Miss Lou first thought that he was asleep. As she
approached with the surgeon he opened his eyes with the dazed
expression so common when the brain is enfeebled from loss of blood. At
first they seemed almost opaque and dead in their blackness, but, as if
a light were approaching from within, they grew bright and laughing.
His smile showed his white, even teeth slightly, and her look of deep
commiseration passed into one of wonder as she saw his face growing
positively radiant with what seemed to her a strange kind of happiness,
as he glanced back and forth from her to the surgeon. Feebly he raised
his finger to his lips as if to say, "I can't speak."
"That's right, Waldo; don't try to talk yet. This is Miss Baron. She
will be one of your nurses and will feed you with the best of soup.
We'll bring you round yet."
He shook his head and smiled more genially, then tried to extend his
hand to the girl, looking his welcome and acceptance of her ministry.
So joyous was his expression that she could not help smiling in return,
but it was the questioning, doubtful smile of one who did not
understand.
"When she comes," resumed Ackley, "take what she gives you, but don't
talk until I give permission. That will do now. You must take
everything except quiet in small quantities at first."
His lips formed the words "All right," and smilingly he watched them
depart.
"I suppose he is not exactly in his right mind," said Miss Lou as she
and the surgeon returned to the house.
"Many would think so, I reckon," replied Ackley laconically. "He
believes in a heaven and that he's going there. That's the only queer
thing I ever discovered in Waldo. He's worth a lot of trouble, Miss
Baron."
"It would be right strange if I did not do my best for him, sir."
"I thought you'd feel so. I want very strong beef soup made for a few
such special cases, who can take but little at a time. I would like him
to have a few teaspoonfuls every two hours. I am going to trust to you
and Mrs. Whately chiefly to look after him in this respect. We can do
little more than help nature in his case."
Poor Aun' Suke was getting weary again, but she had a heart which Miss
Lou speedily touched in behalf of her patient, and a special saucepan
was soon bubbling over the fire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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