ere child's eyes, looking one fairly in the face, with a clear,
straightforward glance, which promised well for such as placed their
faith in him. He seemed to cling to life, as if it were rich in duties
and delights, and he had learned the secret of content. The only time I
saw his composure disturbed, was when my surgeon brought another to
examine John, who scrutinized their faces with an anxious look, asking
of the elder: "Do you think I shall pull through, sir?" "I hope so, my
man." And, as the two passed on, John's eye still followed them, with
an intentness which would have won a clearer answer from them, had they
seen it. A momentary shadow flitted over his face; then came the usual
serenity, as if, in that brief eclipse, he had acknowledged the
existence of some hard possibility, and, asking nothing yet hoping all
things, left the issue in God's hands, with that submission which is
true piety.

The next night, as I went my rounds with Dr. P., I happened to ask
which man in the room probably suffered most; and, to my great
surprise, he glanced at John:

"Every breath he draws is like a stab; for the ball pierced the left
lung, broke a rib, and did no end of damage here and there; so the poor
lad can find neither forgetfulness nor ease, because he must lie on his
wounded back or suffocate. It will be a hard struggle, and a long one,
for he possesses great vitality; but even his temperate life can't save
him; I wish it could."

"You don't mean he must die, Doctor?"

"Bless you there's not the slightest hope for him; and you'd better
tell him so before long; women have a way of doing such things
comfortably, so I leave it to you. He won't last more than a day or
two, at furthest."

I could have sat down on the spot and cried heartily, if I had not
learned the wisdom of bottling up one's tears for leisure moments. Such
an end seemed very hard for such a man, when half a dozen worn out,
worthless bodies round him, were gathering up the remnants of wasted
lives, to linger on for years perhaps, burdens to others, daily
reproaches to themselves. The army needed men like John, earnest,
brave, and faithful; fighting for liberty and justice with both heart
and hand, true soldiers of the Lord. I could not give him up so soon,
or think with any patience of so excellent a nature robbed of its
fulfillment, and blundered into eternity by the rashness or stupidity
of those at whose hands so many lives may be required. It wa