Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-11-11
Saved Life by cheerfuIness.

Brought together by the fate OF bat
tie in 1862 and the subsequent anguish
of military prison, Brigadier General
James McLeer, commanding the Sec
ond Brigade, and soldier whose name
he never heard drifted apart on leaV-
ing their surgical ward and have never
seen each other since. The last words
between them contained an expression
of gratitude to the Brooklyn man for
having saved the others life. In the
years that have elapsed, Gen. McLeer
has often wondered who the young
man was whose life he saved by the
mere cheer of words. The general was
then young man, barely twenty. He
has read the "reminiscences of many
soldiers in the hope of finding out
something of the subsequent life of
the stranger he met so dramatically In
the Mount Pleasant hospital, which
was in the suburbs of Washington, d.
c., during the civil war. So far he has
failed, but perhaps the man may stiil
be living, and. reading this story, may
make himself known to the woun1ed
youth who has risen to command
brigade of the National Guard.
This incident one of many iC those
stirring days of young McLeer. was -e-
porter, the relator telling the story
merely to emphasize the value of al
ways looking on the bright side OF
things, and especially to Illustrate the
power in this world of a cheerful wo:d
in the hour of gloom or despair:
Il was a patient in ward S of the
hospital, and after may months of
treatment for loss of my eft arm and
fro Of IL in 1
battle of Bull Run, was able to move
about with the ain of crutch and an
apparatus to support my wounded leg
in part
"One morning 1 was seated in the
corridor, opposite my ward. when
young doctor in charge of the adjcin-
ing ward came along TO make his
morning visit to the wounded under
his care. He stopped to speal with
me and offered congratulations on my
ability to move about. / lad been fer
nearly five months confined TO my bed
while nature was at work in trying to
repair the damage to Inc leg. The doc
tor invited me to visit his ward.
asked him whether there was any
thing special or interesting there, and
he replied:
"'Yes, we have the man with an
arm off, but l Interrupted him ny say
ing. We have a number ia cur wand
with arms and legs or
Very true said he: then. talking
out his watch and looking at IL .or a
moment, he added: But this man will
die at o'clock tonight Now you
may judge that he was a very young
doctor, tor older men in his profession
are not able to fix so closely the time
of dissolution However, l made mp
my mind to visit his ward and see the
man who would pass over the lines at
9 O'Clock that night
Il found the young soldier 10 a very
serious condition. His arm had been
amputated near the shoulder by a field
surgeon, and, as this was followed by
a long ride in an ambulance and subse-
Quent neglect, there was evidence of
great exhaustion, and, in fact, | was
impressed with the idea that the young
doctor was liberal in giving him until
8 O'Clock before passing away, as death
seemed to be very near to him. 1 sat
down beside his bed and gently TAX
ing him by the hand said:
.. My friend. YOU are better; l am
glad to see this change
He opened his eyes, looked at me
for moment and then in a whisper.
for he was very weak, asked whether
| thought he was better
"'Oh, very much better 1 replied.
I felt little serious about your case
but it is all right now and YOU are
going to pull through nicely"
Why, said he. the doctor said /
would die at O'Clock tonight
Nonsense l said, you are not
going to die Your doctor is a practi-