M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-02-28
THE HAND OF DEATH
Shall traitors, &c.
-UR-
THE WOMAN WITH one HAND.
THE SURGEONS STORY.

do not believe in ghosts. | have
no faith in any supernatural manifesto
tions or appearances whatever. ] beg
any one who may persue this nara.
tive to understand that ! am no super.
stitious creature, afraid of my own
shadow, lending an attentive ear to
old women's stories, and seeing
something white" in every corner
where the shadows gather thickly
after dusk. 1t Is scarcely likely that
an old surgeon who has stood beside
so many dying pillows, and watched
so many spirits take fight from racked
and wounded bodies, should tremble
at the thought OF a disembodied soul,
| know too well the release death Of.
ten is to poor, stricken mortals
to fear their voluntary return to the
scenes of their unhappiness and suff
ering. Neither am | the victim o
disordered nerves or fevered imagi
nation. have performed operations
in which one tremor of the hand woult
have been fatal--when had my hanC
swerved but a hairs breadth to the
right or left, | whould have been &
murderer. Nay, |, DR.. Greystock
can do what many able, energetic men
have found impossible, for | have had
those dearest to my soul beneath my
hard, and though each moan of an
guish, each futter of the heart wen
through my every nerve, the kindly
cruel knife worked on as steadily al
though it carved block of senseles
wood.
l was born in a quiet and retired
country village. My father mingled
the professions of doctor and apothe
cary, and at times drew teeth or set {
fractured limb-any thing for living
poor man, for he had large family
and mother property nor expectations
Of legacy. His patients were dis
tributed over wide tract Of country
and during an unhealthy season hi
was often npon horse back from morn
ing until night, enduring the scorchins
sun Of summer, the cold blasts of win
ter, or the miasmatic vqpors of thC
marshy ground over which he wal
called to travel upon many a rainy
midnight to prescribe for some poo
creature who was "very low with tn
fever" During his frequent absence
| presided over the pills and potions
mixed washes, made up prescriptions
and amused myself by the perusal Q
several works upon anatomy, whicl
graced the book shelves of the room
: behind the shop. This science wa
my chef delight, and in a little Will
the determination to become surgeoI
; filled my mind. Ny experience ha
i made me doubt the power uf medicine
The mysteries Of the unseen macbiu
cry within US might battle the mos
: learned, but the surgeon, dealing wit
the outward man, could see his work
and really benefit his fellow creatures
! | knew the strength Of my nerves an
the value they would be to me in th
J surgical profession, and | declared m
! intention to adopt it before / ha
: reached my sixteenth year. My fathe
!; was pleased, and gave his consent
! once, but there were some prelim
4 naries to be arranged, and some fund
= to be accumulated before l could er
IS ter upon regular course Of study
Meanwhile | stayed at home, iinps
: tieDtly, and gathered all | could fror
u books and from my fathers inssrn'
\ tions. The time passed tediousl
;. enough, for | was anxious to con
> mence my career, and start upon tn
At high road to wealth and eminenc
,r }; and many were the anxious days an
o seepless nights which spent ere Il
te te time arrived which witnessed my d
i parture for the city. Atlast, howeye
4 all was ready. | bade adue. to n
mother, my father and my young