Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/315

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LITTLE GIFFEN 1

Out of the focal and foremost fire, Out of the hospital s walls as dire; Smitten of grape-shot and gangrene Eighteenth battle and he sixteen Specter! such as you seldom see, Little Giffen of Tennessee. M Take him and welcome! " the surgeons said,

"Little the doctor can help the dead!" So we took him and brought him where The balm was sweet in the summer air, And we laid him down on a wholesome bed, L T tter Lazarus, heel to head! And we watched the war with abated breath, Skeleton boy against skeleton Death! Months of torture, how many such! Weary weeks of the stick and crutch; And still a glint in the steel-blue eye Told of a spirit that would n t die. And did n t! Nay, more! in Death s despite The crippled skeleton learned to write

"Dear Mother "! at first, of course, and then

"Dear Captain "! inquiring about the men! Captain s answer: "Of eighty and five, Giffen and I are left alive!" 1 The selections from Ticknor are reprinted through the courtesy of the holder of the copyright, The Neale Publishing Company.