The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-07-04
FROM DEATH TO LIFE
Why a Warriors Hair Changed
from Black to White.

why WARRIORS ddlr managed
from Black to White.
You wonder that my hair is so white
whileI am not an old 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
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: - 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.
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 nothingof what hap
pened for hours after that.
When / came to myself l 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 l could hardly speak
above whisper. / was taken from the
ambulance and carried into the hospital
ward, and surgeon was sent for at
once.
He came presently-a kindly featured,
mild-voiced man, who won my conf
dence at once. He asked me some ques-
tions about my wound before he pro-
ceedcd to examine it. Seeing how weak
Twas he gave me something that soon
quoted me.
When the drug had taken effect he
examined my shoulder. saw from his
face that he considered amputation
necessary.
Il wont consent to have my arm ia
ken off," cried. sd rather suffer
any amount of pain than the loss of
that"
"But-you might lose your life." he
suggested.
II might as well, and be done with it,
as to go through life with one arm" l
answered. I'll 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 q prescription for me,
and swallowed the medicine he sent,
wondering if life or death was to be my
lot
fell into a broken, troubled sleep,
from which / woke to the conscious
ness of keen. knife-like pain in my
shoulder. sudden darling pain that
ran through all my nerves and tingled
to the extremities of my body.
In this condition the surgeon found
me when he made his next visit
81 knew how it would be-" he said,
shaking his head. Il tell you what it
is, my boy, you had better submit to
the loss of limb than loss of life. 1t
will soon be too late, If this inhamma-
ton goes on, to risk an operation.
81 can not consent to it, I persisted,
thinking of the disadvantage l would
be laboring under in attempting to fight
the battle of life without my trusty arm.
Besides. the shock OF .amputation
might kill me. 1t probably would. As
well die with my arm on as to have it
taken off and then die
lit might, it is true" said the sur
geon; ''but the chances of recovery after
an operation would be far greater than
now. However, if you are determined
to hang to it we'll do the best we can
for YOU"
Then he proceeded to dress my
wound. The pain the operation caused
was terrible. Once l almost tainted
away.
Grin and bear it," said the surgeon.
"After little YOU win be more COM
Portable, think. But / tell You the
truth when l say that you viii suffer far
more with your arm. if you live, than
you would in having it taken off,"
at isn't the dread of the pain of am
putation that makes me refuse to have
it taken of. | answered, lit is simply
because / can not bear the idea of going
through life with but one arm to depend
on"
For a time after my wound was
dressed | was tolerably comfortable.
Then the shooting pain have spoken
of commenced running all over me
again. My suffering was so intense
that could feel the sweat starting on
my forehead. could not keep back
the groans of agony which rose to my
lips.
Presently the nurse came in. Seeing
how terribly was suffering he called
the surgeon, who CHANGED to be passing
through the hall