Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 100: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE WOUNDED SOLDIER. 93 _ It was on the day following the defeat at Fisher’s Hill that a small party of Unionists halted in front of Orvin Clymore’s red farm-house. In their midst, on a stretcher, they bore a wounded © Mati. Mr. Clymore came out to learn the cause of this visit, when he was addressed by Captain Chetwood, who was with the party. ‘‘Can you care for a wounded man—a native Vir- ginian, who was badly hurt in yesterday’s fight ?”’ ‘Would like to oblige you, but it is simply impos- sible,’’ answered the farmer. ‘'T understand——’’ ‘“Why don’t you take the fellow to the hospital?” ‘‘Simply because he refuses to go where so many are dying. He isa friend of mine, and I thought it no harm to apply to you. Your trouble shall be well re- warded, and the presence of a Unionist in your house may be of service to you now, since Sheridan is mas- ter of the valley.’’ ‘“The Federals won a victory yesterday, then?”’ cried the farmer, quickly. ‘fA good one. Early’s troops are dispersed. It is doubtful if the rebellion ever holds up its head in the Shenandoah Valley again.”’ The farmer seemned dejected at the news. At this moment Bertha McVane came out to the road, and catching view of the wan, white face of the wounded man, her womanly sympathies were at once enlisted. He was Captain Chetwood’s friend, too, and that was an additional reason why she.chimed in with the captain’s urgent appeal. The farmer yielded somewhat ungracefully, and Moses Bluff was taken to the farm-house, and up into an airy chamber in the second story. He was laid upon a clean white bed. ~ His wound was attended to, as best it could be, by comicbooks (E(@)