The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-05-27
Brave Little Tommy Barnes.
Prom the Jsck.on Patrol.

these columns. The terrible accident
which led 10 his present condition oc-
CURED on the Goth Of March last. The
little fellow was an attendant al
the public school just south OF the
railroad track. near the junction. and
one day one Of the larger boys who sat
near him in school, for some trifiing
reason became offended at him, aud
when school was out attempted 10 pun
ish him, but little Tommy eluded him
and ran home. The next day. just be-
fore noon time, his mother wanted lac
shonld go down town on an errand, aud
he told her he thought he would ride
down on the "Modoc" lie went di-
rectly TO the round-honse. entering at
the south side aud passing through TO.
ward the north side for the purpose Of
reaching the train. Just ns he got
within few feet Of the door where he
intended 10 pass out he met three or
four of his schoolmRtes, among them
the one who attempted to punish him
the day before. and who Immediately
made spiing FOR him with the expres'
sion, "Now I've got yon." Little
Tommy, 10 get ont OF bis way, at once
ran toward the door, not seeing loco
motive but four or five feet from him,
which was backing in at the same door
In al instant he was under the iron
monster, and pale, crushed and bleed
ing he was carried to his fathers hum.
BILE home. about a quarter OF mile
south OF the Tound-house. DR.. North
was hastily summoned. and an exam
ination showed that the lads left leg,
as far up as the kuee, was crushed as
fine as pomice. From the knee up
ward to a point within Ave inches OF
the body, the bone had been stripped
clean by the wheel Of the engine. In
fact. all soft parts except a half inch
in thickness OF muscle, had been cut
of. From that point up TO the per-
ipmum, the parts were severely con-
fused aud the skin dead, although COW
ering the soft parts. The rectum,
both anterior and posterior, was also
severely lacerated, the wound reaching
TO within two inches OF the confusion
OF the soft parts. There was also n
compound fracture OF the thigh OF the
right leg, within about five inches OF
the body. Assisted Ivy DIR. WaldroD,
DIR. North placed the boy under the
influence Of chloroform and dressed
the wound. He first gave his atten-
ton to the left limb, by amputating 1t
above the knee, removing the dead
skin and other matter, and covering
the ends Of the bone, expecting that
sloughing would take place, which
would ueeessitate a second operation.
The fracture OF the left thigh was then
attended TO, has since united. and the
prospects are that the limbwill eyentu-
ally be as good as ever. The sloughiDg
took place as was anticipated, without,
however-as was feared-extending in-
10 the rectum, and last Tuesday the
secondary operation was performed,
consisting OF the removal OF the entire
thigh.bone including theship joint
The operation was successfully exc
cuted by DIR. North. assisted by Drs.
Waldron, Smith, Haskin aud j. NJ.
Lewis, and tho condition Of the pa
tient since that time seems 10 be favor
able for his eventual recovery, although
it is possible that some unforeseen
cause may arise that Will produce fatal
results, Ont OF o. similar cases in the
Union and rebel armies during the late
war only IL or Is Of the patients lived
and were restored 10 health, and II this
should prove successful operation 1t
will be al exceptional one, and IN
great measure due 20 the surgical skill
Of DR.. North aud the physicians who
assisted him.
The most remarkable feature Of this
case, however, - the heroic conduct OF
the patient during the entire period of
the severe ordeal through which he has
passed. He is not yet l0years old and
is small IN stature for his years. but he
has borne his pain and suffering with
far greater fortitude aud much less COM
plant than would q majority III adults
under the same circumstances. At no
time after the accident, until after the
second operation was performed, did he
shed tear or utter a complaint, except
to simply say, "Please, doctor don't
hurt" When the physicians went 10
perform the esecoud operation, however,
he cried little but did not raise any
objections. When the operation had
been completed, aud he had recovered
from the effects OF the chloroforrn, he
looked up at DIR. North, and said in
whisper, though sufficiently load 10
DO heard by all in the little room
where he lies:
doctor. when Mr.. Waldron gave
pe that chloroform / dreamed ] saw a
great big whole in the ground which
| thought was my grave, but here l
am now in mammals bed" The doc
tor assured hin that lie was on his
mothers bed, and again looking up,
little Tommy said: Don't you think,
Doctor, that Jesus had something 10
do with helping me through with this
trouble? Father and mother, and every
one that came ia said could never go
through this operation. but / have
prayed TO Jesus aud think be holped
me"
Little Tommy Barnes is a child OF
unusual brightness and intelligence, and
by his patient bearing under his great
burden has won the sympathy and
friendship OF all who have become
familiar with the facts in his sad case.
house on an obscure street south OF the
round-house and are in quite straight
ened circumstances, his father being
laborer who works at whatever he can
find TO do. The little fellow. however,
has for several days past been the re-
cipient OF many fayors FROM q kind
hearted lady on East Main street. and
when we visited him yesterday he was
amusing himself with some illustrated
story books which, among other things,
she had given him on the occasion OF a
recent call