Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-09-28
TALES AND SKETCHES.
THE SURGEONS STORY.


geons had amputated his right leg above
the knee, cruel operation, attended with
great danger in this case, as the patient WAS
suffering from other causes also. He ad.
dressed those words to me, who had special
care of him. Again the suffering captain
moaned. . '. sH
"Coming, did you say2' H.
"Tbe train is due uow. III send a man
to the depot 81 there shall be no delay Keep
your spirits, Cap. There is nothing serious
in your case we hope"
"There is something serious in my case,
doctor, and l want to see my mother. You
did not know that my mother is II widow
has been this many year, and | am the
oldest boy. Mother and l brought up the
family so far, and-aud--"
"Sce here, Cap, | shall not let you get
excited. You must be kept perfectly quiet.
forbid these thoughts. If you knew how
long it took me to tie up these arteries-the
least excitement and my work goes for no.
thing. 1t would be a benefit to the service
il they would pass law preventing every
body from visiting the hospital until the pa
tient is out of danger. I've seen men killed
in half an hour by the excitement of meet
ing old faces" ...
Have you never seen men restored, doc
tor 2" .......
mot when there is any danger of burst
ing arteries. I'll tell you what, Cap, a few
spirits, while can count one, two, three,
four. five, and all is over" .......I
"fou don't think I'm in anysuch danger"
mot with proper care, and you don't get
excited over this meeting l wish it was
over"
III won't see her if you think it best. /
want to live, doctor. have great deal to
live for. | am willing to follow your ad-
vice God knows. Only get me on my feet
aGain-on my foot should say"-and sha-
dow of smile fitted over his countenance"
I'VE will see what is best, Captain but
I'm now going to leave you only long enough
tn get some dinner and welcome your mo-
ther."
"God bless you doctor ~
"There again, Cap, you are in such an ex-
citable state; though this meeting may have
just tie opposite effect from what we usu.
ally expect. At any rate, your mother shall
be within calling, and if her boy behaves"
The captain wearily closed his eyes as l
felt his throbLing pulse.
An experienced nurse took chair by the
patient, with orders to watch the least sha-
dow of change. I then descended the
stairs, and was about to pass into the din.
ing room when soldier informed the "that
IA lady was in the Office inquiring for Mr..
M"
$50 she has come" I mentally exclaimed;
"God grant she may not be the means of his
death"
went hastily into the Office No middle
aged matron there,-only little pale-faced
girl in dusty travelling dress. There must
( he some mistake.
"Did any one call for DR.. NJ -"
"Are you DIR. M-?' She approached
me Just like a child, and held up two little
white hands, like one sinking in the water
"Is he going to die-I mean is Captain
O. very dangerously wounded 2"
captain G. is ir very dangerous
condition"
Gould see himl"
| "Are you his sister Z"
! In an instant a flush covered her pale face.
| In her agony she had thought only of him.
! She looked in my face as she drew aside the
veil that covers the human heart
~ am his betrothed wife. His mother is
! i'll she could not come to him; she said it
was best for me to go. am all aione-no
protector but him"
looked into the face of this brave Ohio
girl, who had scarcely crossed the threshold
! of womanhood. Not a tear dimlued the
lustrc OF her blue eyes.
''Can | see George a.
What could say ana then I reasoned
"She seems the kind of woman to go t. j
sick mans cot"
I'VE will see Who shal, teri the Cap
tain has come Z
"Mary--in place of his muther."
Here was n dilemma worse than / antlcj
pated. l called the head nurse Of the ie
\ a. g.,
Mary, adding, she had come to ste Captain
c.. then nastened to the Captain
cot, for had left him quite as long as IN
tended to do.
HAS any body come Z"
"Supposng your mother has not come dc
you think you could endure the disappoint
ment2"
Somebody has come, doctor"
"Your mother has not come"
"But Mary has. Bring her to me doctor
This suspense is worse than all the rest"
felt now, it would be useless to attempt
to reason with man in his condition, ano
knew that safety depended upon gratifying
his every wish.
"You shall see Mary"
NY pen draws veil over the sanctity o
this meeting. No one was present but /
wounded comrade who occupied an adjoin
ing cot | stood in the hall ready to ad
vance ut moments warning. The Captain
called out cheerily doctor, you see car
bear this kind of excitement | feel like 1
new man. Mother has the rheumatism
couldn't come; so she prevailed on Mary tt
take her place. This is my Mary, doctor
Isn't she brave little girl TO come all thu
way to Washington alone to hunt me up
eh Z"
l Mary put her hand playfully over hi
mouth. and says
II will talk for you"
He removed the pretty hand, saying;
J ~ have thought, doctor, sometimes
have felt" and his eyes wandered painfull
6 to the place where his shapely limb shoul'
have been, ''that Mary might think less o
me now that am not as l used to be-"
"How could you, George 7"
shook my head at her and she under
4 stood my meaning.
: 81 see how it is, said the Captain; ''yo'
are all trying to spoil me by letting me hav
my own way. have been thinking 10 hav
Mary tor my wife now. 1t would be s
much better you know, doctor. She woul
. then have the right to be with me. No on
7 could question her presence. cannot b
separated from her. What time is it doc
tort"
, "Quarter to three o'clock"
4 | Iloctnr NON will arranoe evarthinu Wit