fascination in watching him, as he peered and probed into the
mechanism of those wonderful bodies, whose mysteries he
understood so well. The more intricate the wound, the better he
liked it. A poor private, with both legs off, and shot through
the lungs, possessed more attractions for him than a dozen
generals, slightly scratched in some "masterly retreat;" and had
any one appeared in small pieces, requesting to be put together
again, he would have considered it a special dispensation.

The amputations were reserved till the morrow, and the merciful
magic of ether was not thought necessary that day, so the poor
souls had to bear their pains as best they might. It is all very
well to talk of the patience of woman; and far be it from me to
pluck that feather from her cap, for, heaven knows, she isn't
allowed to wear many; but the patient endurance of these men,
under trials of the flesh, was truly wonderful. Their fortitude
seemed contagious, and scarcely a cry escaped them, though I
often longed to groan for them, when pride kept their white lips
shut, while great drops stood upon their foreheads, and the bed
shook with the irrepressible tremor of their tortured bodies. One
or two Irishmen anathematized the doctors with the frankness of
their nation, and ordered the Virgin to stand by them, as if she
had been the wedded Biddy to whom they could administer the
poker, if she didn't; but, as a general thing, the work went on
in silence, broken only by some quiet request for roller,
instruments, or plaster, a sigh from the patient, or a
sympathizing murmur from the nurse.

It was long past noon before these repairs were even partially
made; and, having got the bodies of my boys into something like