XXXIV.
THE HOSPITAL.
Let us pass on before, and take a peep into the hospital. There we findNed Ellis, playing dominoes with one hand, and joking to keep up thespirits of his companions. There lies Frank on his cot, with blanchedcountenance, eyes closed, and pale lips smiling, as if in dreams. Of histwo friends, Atwater and the old drummer, only one, as Seth Tucket said,remains. One was carried out last night--in a coffin his cold form islaid--life's fitful fever is over with him.
And the other? Very still, very pale, stretched on his narrow bed, nomotion of breathing perceptible, behold him! What is it we see in thatsculptured, placid face? Is it life, or is it death? It's neither lifenor death, but sleep, that dim gulf between.
Mr. Egglestone, who has been much about the hospital from the first,enters with a radiant look, and steps lightly to Frank's side.
The drummer boy's eyes unclose, and smile their welcome.
"Better, still better, I am glad to see!" says the minister, cheerily.
"Almost well," answered Frank, although so weak that he can hardly speak."I shall be out again in a day or two. The fever has quite left me; and Iwas having such a beautiful dream. I thought I was a water-lily, floatingon a lake; and the lake, they told me, was _sleep_; and I felt allwhiteness and peace! Wasn't it pretty?"
"Pretty, and true too!" said the minister, with a suffusing tear, as helooked at the pale, gentle boy, and thought how much like a whitefragrant lily he was. "I have news for you, Frank. The steamer hasarrived."
"O! and letters?"
"Probably, though I have none yet. But something besides letters!"--Mr.Egglestone whispered confidentially, "Atwater's wife is here!"
"Is she? Brave girl!--O, dear!" said Frank, his features changingsuddenly, "why didn't my mother come too! She might, I think! It seems asif I couldn't wait, as if I couldn't live, till I see her!"
"Well, Frank," then said the minister, having thus prepared him, "yourmother did think--your mother is here!"
At the moment, Mrs. Manly, who could be no longer restrained, flew to thebedside of her son. He started up with a wild cry; she caught him in herarms; they clung and kissed and cried together.
"Mother! mother!" "My child! my darling child!" were the only words thatcould be heard in that smothering embrace.
Mr. Egglestone turned, and took the hand of her companion, who hadentered with her, and led her to the cot where lay the still figure andplacid, sculptured face. O woman, be strong! O wife, be calm! keep backthe tears, stifle the anguish, of that heaving breast.
She is strong, she is calm, tears and anguish are repressed. She bendsover the scarcely breathing form, gazes into the utterly pallid face, andwith clasped hands in silence blesses him, prays for him--her husband.
For this is he--Abe Atwater, the shadow of death he foresaw stilldarkening the portal of his body, as if hesitating to enter, nor yetwilling to pass by. And the face in the coffin outside there is the faceof the old drummer, whose soul, let us hope, is at peace. One wastaken--will the other be left?
The eyes of Abe opened; they beheld the vision of his wife, and gladness,like a river of soft waters, glides into his soul. O, may it be a riverof life to him! As love has held his spirit back from death, so may itspower restore him; for such things have been; and there is no medicinefor the sick body or sinking soul like the breath and magnetic touch oflove.
Frank meanwhile was lying on his bed, holding his mother's hands, anddrinking in the joy of her presence. And she was feeding his rapture withthe tenderest motherly words and looks, and telling him of home.
"But how selfish I am!" said Frank, "How little you could afford toleave, and come here! I thought I was going to be a help to you, and, thebest I can do, I am only a trouble and a hindrance!"
"I could not stop an instant to think of trouble or expense when mydarling was in danger!" exclaimed the grateful mother. "I feel that Godwill take care of us; if we are his children, he will provide for all ourwants. Will he not, Mr. Egglestone?"
"When I have read to you this paper," replied the minister, "then you canbe the judge. I was requested to read it to Frank as soon as he was ableto hear it--after his friend's death."
"Is it something for me? Poor old Mr. Sinjin!" exclaimed Frank. "He diedlast night, mother. But he was so happy, and so willing to go, I can'tmourn for him. What is the paper?"
"A few nights ago he requested me to come to his side and write as heshould dictate." And the clergyman, seating himself, read:--
"'The Last Will and Testament of Servetus St. John, commonly called Old Sinjin.
"I, Servetus St. John, Drummer, being of sound mind, but of body fast failing unto death, having received its mortal hurt in battle for my country, do give and bequeath of my possessions as follows:--
"'_Item._ My Soul I return to the Maker who gave it, and my Flesh to the dust whence it came.
"'_Item._ To my Country and the Cause of Freedom, as I have given my last poor services, so I likewise give cheerfully my Life.
"'_Item._ To Mehitabel Craig, my only surviving sister after the flesh, I give what alone she can claim of me, and what, as a dying sinner, I have no right to withhold, my full pardon for all offences.
"'_Item._ To my present friend and comforter, Mr. Egglestone, as a memento of my deep obligations to him, I give my watch.
"'_Item._ To my fellow-sufferer, Abram Atwater, or to his widow, in case of his decease, I bequeath the sum of one hundred dollars.
"'_Item._ To my fellow-sufferer and dearly beloved pupil, Frank Manly, I give, in token of affection, a miniature which will be found after my death.
"'_Item._ To the same Frank Manly I also give and bequeath the residue of all my worldly possessions, to wit:--'"
Then followed an enumeration of certain stocks and deposits, amounting tothe sum of three thousand dollars.
The will was duly witnessed, and Mr. Egglestone was the appointedexecutor.
Frank was silent; he was crying, with his hands over his face.
"So you see, my young friend," said Mr. Egglestone, "you have, for yourown comfort, and for the benefit of your good parents, a snug littlefortune, which you will come into possession of in due time. As for theminiature, I may as well hand it to you now. I found it after the oldman's death. He always wore it on his heart."
He took it from its little soiled buckskin sheath, and gave it to Mrs.Manly. She turned pale as she looked at it. Frank was eager to see it,and, almost reluctantly, she placed it in his hands. It might almost havepassed for a portrait of himself, only it was that of a girl; and he knewat once that it was his mother, as she had looked at his age.
While he was gazing at the singular memento of the old man's romanticand undying attachment, Mrs. Manly looked away, with the air of oneresolutely turning her mind from one painful subject to another.
"I wish to ask you, Mr. Egglestone, what disposition has been madeof--I had another son, you know."
He understood her.
"I trust," said he, "that what Captain Edney and myself thought proper todo will meet your approval. After the battle, the wife of Captain Manlysent a request to have his body forwarded to her by a flag of truce. Weconsulted Frank, who told us to do as we pleased about it. Accordingly,we obtained permission to grant her request, and the body of her husbandwas sent to her."
There was for a moment a look, as of one who felt bitter wrong, on Mrs.Manly's face; but it passed.
"You did well, Mr. Egglestone. To her who had got the soul belonged thebody also. May peace go with it to her desolated home!"
"Mother!" whispered Frank, gazing still at the miniature, "tell me! am Iright? do I know now why it was the dear old man thought so much of me?"
"If you have not guessed, my child. I will tell you. Years ago, when Iwas the little girl you see there, he was good enough to think _I_ wasgood enough t
o marry him. That is all."
Frank said no more, but laid the picture on his heart,--for it was his,and the dearest part of the dear old man's legacy.
XXXV.
CONCLUSION.
After a long delay Captain Edney came; apologizing for not appearing towelcome his drummer boy's mother and his old schoolmistress before. Hisexcuse was valid: one of his men, S. Tucket by name, had got into ascrape by running off with one of Uncle Sam's carts, and he had been tohelp him out of it.
He found a new light shining in the hospital--the light of woman'sinfluence; the light of life to Frank and his friend Atwater, nor to themonly, but to all upon whom it shone.
Mrs. Manly remained in the hospital until her son was able to travel,when leave of absence was granted him, and all his friends crowded to bidhim farewell, as he departed in the boat with his mother for thenorth--for home!
Of his journey, of his happy arrival, the greetings from father, sister,little brother, friends--of all this I would gladly write a chapter ortwo; but he is no longer the Drummer Boy now, and so our business withhim is over. And so he left the service? Not he.
"I'm to be a Soldier Boy now!" he declared to all those who came to shakehim by the hand and hear his story from his own lips.
His wound was soon healed, and he hastened to return to his regiment; forhe was eager to be learning everything belonging to the profession of asoldier. It was not long, however, before he came north again--this timeon surprising business. Captain Edney, who had won the rank of Colonel atthe battle of Newbern, had been sent home to raise a regiment; and he hadbeen permitted to choose from his own company such persons as he thoughtbest fitted to assist him, and hold commissions under him.
He chose Gray, Seth Tucket, and Frank. Another of our friends afterwardsjoined the regiment, with the rank of First Lieutenant; having quiterecovered from his wound, under the tender nursing of his wife.
With his friends Edney, Gray, Tucket, and Atwater, Frank was as happy asever a young officer in a new service could be. He began as secondlieutenant; but----
But here our story must end; for to relate how he has fought his way up,step by step, to a rank which was never more fairly earned, would requirea separate volume,--materials for which we may possibly find some day inhis own letters to his mother, and in those of Colonel Edney to hissister Helen.
* * * *
Some extracts from a letter just received from the hero of these pagesmay perhaps interest the reader.
"I cannot tell you, sir, how much astonished I was on opening the package you sent me. I don't think the mysterious bundle that contained the watch dear old 'Mr. St. John' gave me surprised me half as much. I had never seen any _proof-sheets_ before, and hardly knew what to make of them at first. Then you should have heard me scream at Gray and Atwater. 'Boys,' says I, 'here's a story founded on our adventures!' I sat up all that night reading it, and I must confess I had to blush a good many times before I got through. I see you have not called any of us by our real names; but I soon found out who 'Abe,' and 'Seth,' and 'Jack Winch,' and all the other characters are meant for. I have read ever so many pages to 'Seth' himself, and he has laughed as heartily as any of us over his own oddities. We all wonder how you could have written the story, giving all the circumstances, and even the conversations that took place, so correctly; but I remember, when I was at your house, you kept me talking, and wrote down nearly every thing I said; besides which, I find there was a good deal more in my journal and letters than I supposed, when I consented to let you have them and make what use of them you pleased. Little did I think then, that ever such a book as the 'Drummer Boy' could be made out of them.
"You ask me to point out any important errors I may notice, in order that you may correct them before the book is published. Well, the night the row was in camp, when the 'Blues' cut down the captain's tent, the company was ordered out, and the roll called, and three other fellows put under guard, before Abe and I were let off. I might mention two or three similar mistakes, but I consider them too trifling to speak of. There are, besides, two or three omissions, which struck me in reading the wind-up of the story. 'Jack Winch' went home, and died of a fever within a month. If it isn't too late, I wish you would put that in; for I think it shows that those who think most of saving their lives are sometimes the first to lose them.
"You might add, too, that 'Mr. Egglestone' is now the chaplain of our regiment. We all love him, and he is doing a great deal of good here. I have put the 'Drummer Boy' into his hands, and I just saw him laughing over it. If every body reads it with the interest we do here in camp, it will be a great success.
"There is another thing--but this you need not put into the book. With the money my dear old friend and master left me, I have bought the house our folks live in, so that, whatever happens to me, they will never be without a home....
"In conclusion, let me say that, while you have told some things of me I would rather every body should forget, you have, on the whole, given me a much better character than I deserve.
"We are already beginning to call each other by the names you have given us, and I take great pleasure in subscribing myself,
"Yours, truly,
"FRANK MANLY."
* * * *
Reasons why you should obtain a Catalogue of our Publications
_A postal to us will place it in your hands_
1. You will possess a comprehensive and classified list of all the beststandard books published, at prices less than offered by others.
2. You will find listed in our catalogue books on every topic: Poetry,Fiction, Romance, Travel, Adventure, Humor, Science, History, Religion,Biography, Drama, etc., besides Dictionaries and Manuals, Bibles,Recitation and Hand Books, Sets, Octavos, Presentation Books and Juvenileand Nursery Literature in immense variety.
3. You will be able to purchase books at prices within your reach; as lowas 10 cents for paper covered books, to $5.00 for books bound in cloth orleather, adaptable for gift and presentation purposes, to suit the tastesof the most critical.
4. You will save considerable money by taking advantage of our SPECIALDISCOUNTS, which we offer to those whose purchases are large enough towarrant us in making a reduction.
HURST & CO., _Publishers_, 395, 397, 399 Broadway, New York.
Harry Castlemon Books
The popularity enjoyed by Harry Castlemon as a writer of interestingbooks for boys is second to none. His works are celebrated everywhere andin great demand. We publish a few of the best.
BOY TRAPPERS FRANK AT DON CARLOS RANCHO FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG FRANK IN THE WOODS FRANK ON A GUNBOAT FRANK ON THE PRAIRIE FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST
Sent to any address, postage paid, upon receipt of Fifty Cents.
We send our complete catalogue free.
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
Books by Edward S. Ellis
One of the most popular writers of boys' stories in America to-day. Thisauthor has the happy faculty of pleasing the boys with writings which arenoted for their animation and excitement. A select list is named below:
_Famous American Naval Commanders_ _Golden Rock_ _The Jungle Fugitives_ _Land of Mystery_ _Old Ironsides; Hero of Tripoli and 1812_
Any book sent postage paid, upon receipt of Fifty Cents.
A POSTAL BRINGS OUR COMPLETE CATALOGUE TO YOU
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
Just Issued at a Popular Price
Hans Brinker
or
The Silver Skates
by
MARY MAPES DODGE
This charming story, depicting life in Holland, is now published for thefirst time at popular prices. Whether you have been to "The Land of theDykes" or not, you will want to read this famous book.
We make a handsome cloth bound edition of it, which we will mailanywhere, postpaid, upon receipt of Fifty Cents.
Ask us to mail you our complete catalogue
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
The Drummer Boy Page 35