Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-06-19
FROM DEATH TO LIFE.
Why q Warriors Hair Changed
from Black to W ite.

Why q Warriors Hair changed
from Black to w hite.
You wonder that my har is so white
whlei am not an cd man as years go?
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
10 endure.
Tel yOu about it? UGH shudder to
think OF it, Everything comes up before
me 50 wildly when tell my strange
story that seem to be living the terri
bic hour OF terror and suspense over
again: do not tell it often, but if you
care TO hear it, listen, and when | am
done tell lie if you wonder my hair is
white.
was a soldier in the late war, and it
was my fortune to be wounded in an
engagement in Virginia. \ ball struck
lei the shoulder, and | fell to the
ground and knew nothingof what hap
pcncd for hours after that.
When ! came to myself | was in an
ambulance and was being taken to the
hospital The ioting of the wagon
caused almost unbearable pain in my
wounded shoulder At times it seemed
us if my suffering would drive me W 1t.
Hv the tine we reached our destination
was so weak | could hardly speak
above whisper was taken from the
ambulance and carried into the hosp tai
war,l, aad Il surgeon was sent for at
once.
Tie came presently-a kindly featured,
m,ld-vOiced man, who won my conf
Gence at once He askel me some que :
tiOns about my wound before he pro.
ceeded to examine it Seeing how weak
Twas he gave me something that soon
Qu eted me.
When the drug had taken effect hC
examined my shoulder. ! saw from his
face that he considered amputaton
necessary.
IL wont consent to have my arm Ia
ken of, cried. I'D rather suffer
any amount OF pain than the loss OF
that"
"But-you might lose your life," he
suggested
al might as well, and be done with it.
as to 90 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. A
length he left me.
Shortly after the nurse having charge
of that ward came in. The surgeOL
had made out a prescription for me
and | swallowed the medicine he sent
wondering if life or death was to be m,
lot
fell into broken, troubled sleep
from which | woke to the conscious
ness of keen, knife-like pain in my
shoulder, sudden darling pain tina
ran through all my nerves and tingleC
to the eXtremitieS of my body.
In this condition the surgeon founC
me when he made his next visit.
II knew how it would be, he said
shaking his head. "Itell you what j
is. my boy, you had better submit t,
the loss of limb than Il loss of life. l
will soon be too late, if this inilamma
tiol goes on, to risk an operation.
Il can not consent to it," persisted
thinking of the disadvantage | woul,
be laboring under in attempting to figh
the battle of life without my trusty arm
"Besides, the shock of amputatiol
m ght kill me. 1t probably would. A
well die with my arm on rs to have
taken OF and then die"
1T might, it is true" said the sur
geon; but the chances of recovery afte
IN operation would be far greater thai
now. However, if You are determine,
to hang to it we'll do the best we cal
for You"
Then he proceeded to dress m
wound. The pain the operation cause,
WIS terrible. Once | almost falnte
away.
Grin and bear il" said the surgeon
"After Little YOU win be more con
Portable, think. But | tell you tn
truth when | say that you will suffer ia
more with your arm if you live, tina
you would in having it taken off,"
at isn't the dread of the pain of an
putation that makes me refuse to hav
it taken off," | answered, ''it is simpl
Lccau sc can not bear the idea of goin
through life with but one arm to Deepen
or
For n time after my wound wa
dressed | was tolerably comfortable
Thel the shooting pain have spoke
of commenced running all over IL
again. My suffering was so inten.
that could feel the sweat starting G
my forehead. | could not keep bac
the groans of agony which rose to n
lips.
Presently the nurse came in. SEER
how teri bly, was suffering he Gale
the surgeon, who CHANGED to be passir
through the hall.
"Poor fellow he's bound to have
hard time of it, the surgeon sal
Give him this powder now, and if
doesn't relieve him give another.
may be necessary to give two; but don
do so unless he suffers intensely"
swallowed the powder. Gradual
the sense of eXcruciating pain died or
and at last oblivion came.
1t was late at night when l vol
from the stupor produced by the dru
Just as it became daylight the pa
began again, with redoubled intensit
1t would seem to concentrate itself t
moment in my shoulder. then spret
all over my body like rlpples on pu
die of water into which one drops
stone. Every ripple of pain seemed
burn its way along nerve and arteI