After the concert a reception was held and I greeted them all as they
passed in file, and shook hands and received their expressions of
pleasure for my songs. After an excellent luncheon we inspected the
new kitchen and dining hall recently completed. One of the women, Mrs.
Sarah Markwert, and myself inspected the new kitchen and we came to
where one of the old veterans was washing the dishes. I said to my
friend, "Well, this is splendid, no one need mind washing dishes with
all these conveniences." At that moment the old man turned around and
with his hands in the dish water said to me, "Shure it's a many a long
day since I saw your face." I looked at him in astonishment and said,
"My dear comrade, where have I seen you before?" "Shure I was a sorry
looking man when you saw me in the hospital in Massachusetts as
helpless as a babe." "My dear sir, do you still remember me?" "Do we
forget the angels when once they visit us?" Then he went on with his
story until he brought the picture back to me as if it were yesterday.
Truly I was convinced of the power of song. He had listened to me when
sick and wounded and as his mind went back to the days of '61 he still
remembered the face and the singer and the song. After bidding him
good-bye and thanking him for his long remembrance of me, I turned
thoughtfully away. As we came upon the porch of the hospital I passed
a middle aged man and I nodded pleasantly and passed him by.
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