The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-05-21
FROM DEATH TO LIFE.
Why a Warriors Hair Changed
from Black to w hite.

You wonder that my hair is so white
while am not an old man as years go?
I Perhaps your hair would be as white as
mine if you had passed through the or
deal of death in life that it was my fate
to endure.
Tell you about it? Ugh! shudder to
think of it. Everything comes up before
me so wildly when tell my strange
story that / seem to be living the terri
BILE hours of terror and suspense over
again do not tell it often, but if you
care to hear it, listen, and when l am
done tell me if you wonder my hair is
white. @ts2#k s7
was soldier in the late war, and it
was my fortune to be wounded in an
engagement in Virginia a ball struck
me in the shoulder, and ! fell to the
ground and knew nothing Of what hap
pened for hours after that s. -
When came to myself ] was in an
ambulance and was being taken to the
hospital. The jolting of the wagon
caused almost unbearable pain in my
wounded shoulder. At times it seemed
as if my suffering would drive me wild.
BY the time we reached our destination
was SO weak I could hardly speak
above whisper. was taken from the
ambulance and carried into the hospital
ward. and . surgeon was sent for at
once fa& s s%Sss
He came presently-a kindly featured,
mild-yoiced man, who won my conf
1onna Oh I1a aalro1
tions about my wound before he pro-
ceeded to examine it. Seeing how weak
Twas he gave me something that soon
quieted me-
When the drug had taken effect he
examined my shoulder. saw from his
face that he considered amputation
necessary. /.
..Iwont consent to have my arm ta-
ken off, cried. "Id rather suffer
any amount of pain than the loss of
that e ess5.,s
''But-you might lose your life," he
suggested. 0rx
II might as well, and be done with it,
as to go through life with one ARM"
answered. I'm never consent to any
operation that will deprive me Of it. :"
He reasoned with me in vain. At
length he left me.
Shortly after the nurse having charge
OF that ward came in. The surgeon
had made out a prescription for me,
and swallowed the medicine he sent,
wondering if life or death was to be my
lot. .-.44 .
fell into broken, troubled sleep,
from which | woke to the conscious
ness OF keen, knife-like pain in my
shoulder, a sudden darting pain that
ran through all my nerves and tingIed
TO the extremities of my body.
In this condition the surgeon found
me when he made his next visit.
Il knew how it would be- he said,
shaking his head. 81 tell YOU what it
IS my boy, you had better submit to
the loss OF limb than loss of life. 1t
Wlli soon be too late, if this infiamma-
tion goes on, to risk an operation
can not consent to it, 1 persisted.
L.ialnklng OF the disadvantage I would
ue iaDoring under in attempting to fight
tne battle of life without nv trnstv arm
besides, the shock of amnntation
might XII me. 1t probably would. As
Wen die with my arm on as to have Il
taken of and then die. -
1T might, it is true,S' said the sur
geoni "but the chances of recovery after
an operation would be far greater Than
now However, if you are determined
70 hang toit We'll do the best we can
for YOU" 80 "0'V NC can
Ihen he proceeded to dress nv
wound. The pain the operation caused
away. aSAiiiseo
Grin and bear it." said the surgeon.
after after a little you win be more com
Iortable, / think. But I tell Won the
truth when ksay that you viii suffer far
more with your arm. if you live. than
you would in having it taken off.
lit isn't the dread of the pain of am
.putatlon that makes me refuse to have
u taken off, | answered, "it is simply
because | can not bear the idea Of 90 goIns y
through life with but one arm to denend
For a time after my wound was
qqressed | was tolerably comfortable
linen the shooting pain have spoken