Page:Six months in Kansas.djvu/73

Rh throat is sore, to drink from a cup or tumbler large swallows, without stopping, till the vessel is empty—he drained the cup, and held it out for more, which I gave him. How glad he looked ! Now he spoke with comparative ease; and I helped him into the newly-made bed, quite refreshed.

I knocked at the next door, from which came a faint "Come." It was a sort of closet, opening from the other, hot as an oven, almost, and contained two narrow racks for beds; upon one of which a slight-built, young fellow lay, looking as though he was buried, so far as friends were concerned. He looked so young and slight, I could have cried over him, if it would have done anything towards making him bigger and more fit to fight out a destiny in Kansas. But I did not conclude it would; on the other hand, I had made up my mind previously, that water, as an application, could not injure any person or thing hereabouts. So, brushing up the young man's hair with my hands, I kneeled beside him and tried to rouse him. He did not notice me much, or indeed anything else, till I said, "You will feel refreshed if I bathe you." So, after this pre-