Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/78

46 the hospital; when I returned one of the nurses came to me, saying I was wanted in a particular ward; I went, and found only one patient left—private Talman, who was too ill to go to the general hospital.

I felt that everybody was dead or dying, and went to my room, and indulged, woman-like, in a long rain of tears. My occupation seemed gone for the time, it was terrible to think when and how my next work might come to me.

In the morning the cooks were going, and only myself and Dr. French would be left. Very silent was our first breakfast alone. We had coffee, bread, and an egg each, and sat facing one another thinking of beefsteaks cooked rare, and seasoned with fine salt and pepper, and spread with generous slices of yellow butter—of mashed potatoes, and steaming rolls, and the frothy cream lying flaky on the rich brown coffee, but we made no outward demonstration of rebelling against soldier's fare; we saw a time not long hence when this breakfast even would have seemed luxurious.