St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-08-06
HARD SENTENCE.

l was conversing not long since with q re-
turned volunteer. Il WAS in the hospital as
nurse for a long time," said he, sand assisted
in taking off limbs, and dressed all sorts of
wounds; but the hardest thing ever did was
to take nay thumb off mans leg" "Ah ~
said I,"'how was that ?" Then lie told me.
1t was young man. who had q severe wound
in the thigh. The ball passed completely
through, and amputation was necessary.
The limb was cut off close up to the body,
the arteries taken up, and he, seemed to-
be doing well. subsequently one Of the small
arteries sloughed of. An incision was made,
not the main artery" said the surgeon as he
performed the operation che might have bled
to death before we could have taken it up"
But Charley got on finely, and was favorite
with us all. Twas passing through the ward
one night, about midnight, when suddenly, as
was passing Charley's bed, he spoke to me-,
oil, my leg is bleeding again" ! threw
back the bed clothes, and the blood spirited in
tile air. The main artery had sloughed off.
Fortunately, knew just what to do, and in
an instant 1 had pressed my thumb OF the
placed and stopped the bleeding. It was 50
close to the body that there was barely room
for my thumb, but I succeeded in keeping it
there and arousing one Of the convalescents,
sent him for the surgeon, who came in on the
run. u am 80 thankful, H." said he, as
he saw me, "that you were up and knew what
to do, for he must have blel to death before
could have got here But on examining the
case he looked exceedingly serious and sent
out for other surgeons! All came who were
within reach, and consultation was held over
the poor fellow. One conclusion was reached
by all. There was no place to work save the
! spot where: my thumb was placed they could
not work under my thumb, and if moved it
lie would bleed to death before the artery
could be taken up. There was no way to save
his life. Poor Charley! He was very, calm
when they told him, and requested that his
brother, who was in the same hospital, might
be called up. He came and sat by the bed
side. and for three hours stood and by the
pressure ofmy thumb, kept up the life Of Char.
ley, while the brothers had their last converi
sation on earth.; It was strange place for me
to be in; to feel that held the life of q fellow
mortal in my hands, as it were,r and o stran-
ger yet, to feel that an act of mine must cause
that life to depart. Loving the poor fellow as
/ did, i was . hard thought, but there was MO
alternative The last Words we're spoken
Charley had arranged al his business affairs,
and sent tender messages to absent ones. who
little dreamed how near their loved one stood
to the grave. The tears filled my eyes more
than once as listened to those parting words.
All were said, and he turned to me. ''Now
- z l guess you had better take of your
thumb" 20, Charley! now can =" said
"But it must be, you know" he replied cheer:
fully, ~ thank you for your kindness, and
now good bye" He turned away his head, 1
raised my thumb, once more the life current
sushed forth, andin three minutes poor Char
lsysx.s dead. r2.:!3.li.i; i,..a ,nts.~,ju: ..