The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-06-04
A Touching Scene.

1 was conversing not long since with re-
turned volunteer.
i was in the hospital, as nurse, for long
time,' said he,. 'snd assisted in taking off
limbs and dressing all sorts of wounds; but
the hardest thing ever did was to take
my thumbs off mans leg.
'Ahl said I. how was that?
Then he told me:
1T was a young man who had a severe
wound in the thigh. The bail passed COM
pletely through and amputation was neces-
sary. The limb was cut off close up to the
body, the arteries taken up and he seemed
to be doing we'll. Subsequently one Of the
small arteries sloughed off. An incision
was made and it was again taken up. 1T is
well it is not the main artery said the sur
geon, as he perform ed the operations; he
would have bled to death before it could
have been taken up But Charley got on
finely, and was favorite with us all. .
i was passing through the ward, one
night, about midnight, when suddenly, as
was passing Charley's bed, he spoke to me;
-, my leg is bleeding again. Threw
back the bed clothes, and the blood spirited
in the air. The main artery had sloughed
off,
Fortunately 1 knew just what to do, and
in an instant l had pressed my thumb on
the place and stopped the bleeding. 1t was
so close to the body that there was barely
room for my thumb, but | succeeded in
keeping it there, and, arousing one of the
valescents, sent him for the surgeon. who
came in on arun. am SD thankful H.
said he, as he saw me, that you were up
aud knew what to do, for he must have bled
to death before coud have got here.'
'But on an examination of the case, he
looked exceedingly serious, and sent out fol
other surgeons. All came who were with
in reach, and a consultation was had over
the poor fellow. One conclusion war reach
ed 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 he 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 broth
er, who was in the same hospital, might be
called up. He came and sat down by the
bedside, and for three hours l stood, and by
the pressure of my thumb kept up the life
of Charley, while the brothers had their last
conversation on earth. 1t was strange
place for me TO be in, to feel that held the
life of fellow mortal 10 my hands, as II
were, ana stranger yet, 10 ieel tuaG du ac'
of mine must cause that life to depart. Low
ing the poor fellow as did, it was hard
thought, but there was no alternative.
"The last words were spoken. Charley
had arranged all his business affairs, anC
sent tender messages to absent ones, who
little dreamed how near their loved one
stood to the grave. The tears filed my
eyes the more as l listened to those par
ting words. "All were sad, and he turn
ed to me, "Now, H, I guess you had
better take your thumb off" "Oh, Charley
how can II" said l. "But it must be, you
know" replied he cheerfully. 81 thank
you very much for your kindness, and now
good bye.''
"He turned away his head, I raised my
thumb, once more the life current gushed
forth, and in three minutes poor Charley
was dead.