The outside man , and tallest of the lot . Give him a cheer , auntie : he sees us , and remembers ! '' cried Tom , nearly tumbling off his perch , as he waved his hat , and pointed out Joe Collins . Yes , there he was , looking up , with a smile on his brave brown face , my little nosegay in his button-hole , a suspicious bulge in the pocket close by , and doubtless a comfortable quid in his mouth , to cheer the weary march . How like an old friend he looked , though we had only met fifteen minutes ago ; how glad we were to be there to smile back at him , and send him on his way feeling that , even in a strange city , there was some one to say , `` God bless you , Joe ! '' We watched the tallest blue cap till it vanished , and then went home in a glow of patriotism , -- Tom to long for his turn to come , I to sew vigorously on the gray gown the new nurse burned to wear as soon as possible , and both of us to think and speak often of poor Joe Collins and his Lucindy . All this happened long ago ; but it is well to recall those stirring times , -- to keep fresh the memory of sacrifices made for us by men like these ; to see to it that the debt we owe them is honestly , gladly paid ; and , while we decorate the graves of those who died , to remember also those who still live to deserve our grateful care . II I never expected to see Joe again ; but , six months later , we did meet in a Washington hospital one winter 's night . A train of ambulances had left their sad freight at our door , and we were hurrying to get the poor fellows into much needed beds , after a week of hunger , cold , and unavoidable neglect . All forms of pain were in my ward that night , and all borne with the pathetic patience which was a daily marvel to those who saw it . Trying to bring order out of chaos , I was rushing up and down the narrow aisle between the rows of rapidly filling beds , and , after brushing several times against a pair of the largest and muddiest boots I ever saw , I paused at last to inquire why they were impeding the passageway . I found they belonged to a very tall man who seemed to be already asleep or dead , so white and still and utterly worn out he looked as he lay there , without a coat , a great patch on his forehead , and the right arm rudely bundled up . Stooping to cover him , I saw that he was unconscious , and , whipping out my brandy-bottle and salts , soon brought him round , for it was only exhaustion . `` Can you eat ? '' I asked , as he said , `` Thanky , ma'am , '' after a long draught of water and a dizzy stare . `` Eat ! I 'm starvin ' ! '' he answered , with such a ravenous glance at a fat nurse who happened to be passing , that I trembled for her , and hastened to take a bowl of soup from her tray . As I fed him , his gaunt , weather-beaten face had a familiar look ; but so many such faces had passed before me that winter , I did not recall this one till the ward-master came to put up the cards with the new-comers ' names above their beds . My man seemed absorbed in his food ; but I naturally glanced at the card , and there was the name `` Joseph Collins '' to give me an additional interest in my new patient .
`` Why , XXXXX !
Collins Joe Tom Washington daily left new-comers quid right week