Gazette and sentinel., 1861-03-09
GAZETTE 6 SENTINEL.
The Woman with one Hand.
The Surgeons Story.

DO not DelleVe III SnOSls. nave ~
faith in any supernatural manifestations
or appearances whatever. / beg any
one who may peruse this narrative, to
understand that | am no superstltlous
creature, afraid of my W shadow.
lending an attentive ear to old woman's
stories, and seeing something white
in every corner where the shadows
| gather thickly after dusk. 1t Is scarce.
" likely that an old surgeon who had
stood beside SO many dying pillows, and
watched so many spirits take flight from
racked and wounded bodies. should
tremble at the thought of a dlsembodled
soul. know too we'll the release death
often is to the poor, pain-stIicken NOR
tails, to fear their voluntary return 70
scenes of their unhappiness and suffer
ing. Neither am ! the victim OF dlsor.
ded nerves or fevered Imagination l
have performed operations in which n
hand would have proved ~fatal-when,
had my hand swerved but o hairs
breadth to the right OF left, l would
have been a murderer. Nay, !, DR..
Greystock, can do what many able, en-.
ergetic men have found impossible. for
l have had those dearest to my soul be-
meath NY hand, and though each moan
of anguish, every flutter Of the heart
went through my very nerve, the kindly
cruel knife worked on as steady as
though it carved a block Of senseless
wood.
L was born in a quiet and retired
country village. My father mingled in
the professions of doctor and apothe-
cary, and at times drew teeth, or set .
fractured limb-any thing for a living.
poor man, for he had a large family.
and neither property nor expectations
of a legacy. His patients were distrib-
utcd over a wide tract OF country, ana
. during an unhealthy season he was oil.
ten upon horseba X from morning until
; night, enduring the scorching sun Of
summer, tie cold blasts of winter, or
the miasmatic vapors of the marshy
: grounds over which he was called TO
. travel upon many a rainy midnight, 10
prescribe for some poor creature VINO
was Every low with the fever" During
= his frequent absence | presided over
the pills and p%otions, mixed washes.
made up prescriptions, and amused my
self by the ~perusal of several works up
on anatomy, which graced the book
shelves of the room behind the shop.
This science was my chief delight, and
in a little while the determination to be.
come a surgeon filed my mind. Much
. experience had made me doubt the pow
= er of medicine. The mysteries OF the
unseen machinery within US might BAT
fe the most learned, but the surgeon,
A, eealIng with the outer man, could see
We his york, and really benefit his fellow
y creatures. knew the strength Of my
a, nerves and the value they would be II
ne me in the surgical profession, and de
u clared my intention to adopt it before
aty had reached my sixteenth year. Ny
b he father was pleased and gave his consen'
at once, but there was some prellmina
hit ries to be arranged, and some funds L
er be accumulated before l could enter up
on regular study. Meanwhile | stayet
at home, imratiently, and gathered al
| could from books and my fathers IN
structions. The time passed tedlousl,
enough, for / was anxious to commend
m. my career, and start upon the high roa
ny to wealth and e%minence, and many wer
lad tue anxious days and sleepless night
o which | spent ere the time arrive
wAich Witnessed my departure for tn
city. At last, however, all was read.
| babe adieu to my mother, my fathel
and my young brother, from whom
- had never yet been separated for or
4 night, and with a heart which beat wit
Il high hopes, ever amid the grief Of par
OF ing, took my place in the stage, and lie
for the first time, the home Of my gla
.a.d childhood. In a month | had becou
ex. accustomed to the separation, al
/ o thought only of my profession. -
The Medical students are generally vii
me ,ne reckless and d~issipated. was neitht
The discretion of old age seemed
vire, have come Suddenly upon me. lshar
nv comrades studies, but refused
ring mingle in their orgies, for / had det
and mined to retain my strong nerves a
mistaken head to the last. Nevertl
less | was a general favorite, and for
.ior' ed many friendships among the gid
find oahn, WHICH iaS'eu ,o"S ~" :
cor. become grey-headed men. There v
e Tor one among the number whose name v
ly Robert Redlaw-a gay, handsome
he was, full of fun and frolic, and !
ribIy addicted to practical jokes /; b
fully nevertheless, kind-hearted and ger
that ous IN a fault. for he would have ri,
here his last penny to any n that seen
in need Of it. To the living he was
{ ev- tenderness to the wounded wretch