“ Give it to Him.”
An Incident of the Franco-Prussian War.
(Related by the Surgeon).
A
German lad and a Frenchman1
Lay side by side on the straw2
Of a German Ambulance, waiting3
The terrible knife and saw.4
Hear of these wounded soldiers5
The story true and pathetic !—6
No hope but the surgeon’s knife,7
Help’d by the kind anæsthetic.8
“ Draw lots, my men,” quote the surgeon,9
“ There’s but one does to be had—”10
“ Give it to him, Herr Doctor,”11
Said the noble German lad.12
“ It’s harder for him to die,13
Because we have won the day :14
I’ll bear it without the stuff,15
Only—I’ll sing, if I may.16
“ I think I should bear it better—17
And you’ll give the stuff to him.”18
So he sang, “ Die Wacht am Rhein,”19
While the surgeon hew’d his limb.20
So the grand, young, fainting voice21
Sang on, sang on—sang on—22
Died not till the hero died23
His splendid victory won.24