The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-03-12
THE DYING DRUMMER BOY.


During the American war | was
surgeon in the U. S. army and after
the battle of Gettysburg there were
many hundred wounded soldiers in my
hospital, among whom were % who
/ had been wounded SO severely that
| they required my services at once
some whose legs had to be amputated,
some lost an arm, and others both an
arm and a leg. One of the latter was
boy who had been too young for a
| soldier, had enlisted as a drummer.
| When my assistant surgeon and
steward wished to administer chloro
form previous to the amputation, he
turned his head aside and positively
refused to receive it. When the stew
ard told him that it was the doctors
orders, he said, "Send the doctor to
me-" When | came to his bedside l
said, young man, why do you refuse
chloroform When / found you on
the battlefield you were so far gone
that | thought it hardly worth while
to pick you up; but when you opened
those large blue eyes | thought you
had a mother somewhere VINO might
at that moment be thinking of her boy.
| did not want you to die on the field,
so ordered you to be brought here;
but YOU have now lost so much blood
that YOU are too weak to endure an
operation without chloroform, there
fore you had better let me give you
some"
He laid his hand on mine, and look
ing me in the face, said, doctor,
one Sunday afternoon in the Sabbath
school, l gave my heart to Christ. l
learned to trust him then; l have
been trusting him ever since, and 1
know l can trust him now. He is
my strength; he will support me while
you amputate my arm and leg.
| then asked him if he would allow
me to give him a little brandy. Again
he looked me in the face, saying,
doctor, when l was about 5 years
old my mother knelt by my side, with
her arm around my neck and SAID,
Charlie, l am now praying to Jesus
that you may never know the taste
of strong drink. Your papa died a
drunkard and went down to drunk
ards grave, and / promised God II 1t
was His will that you should grow
I'D, that you would warn young men
against the bitter cup. | am II
wears old, but l have never tasted
ANYTHING stronger than tea or coffee;
and as l am in all probability about
to 90 into the presence OF my Goa
would you send me there with brandy
on my stomach ?"
Turning towards me, he said, NOW
doctor, l am ready and | promise you
that | will not even groan while you
take off my arm and leg, II you Will
not offer me chloroform. | promised
While cutting through the flesh Char-
lie Coulson never groaned, put Wheh
| took the saw to separate the Dohe
the lad took the corner OF his pillow
in his mouth and all that | could hear
him utter was, 80 Jesus, stand by me
nowl" He kept his promise and new
err groaned. That night l could not
sleep. for which ever way l turned
saw those soft blue eyes, and when
closed mine the words, BLESSED Je- |
sus, stand by me now!" kept ringing
in NV ears. Between II and l O'Clock |
l left my bed and visited the hospital
a thing | had never done before I'M
less specially called, but such was my
desire to see that boy. Upon my ar
rival | asked if Charlie was dead. mo, |
sir" answered the steward; me Is
sIeeping as sweetly as a babe"
Five DAYS after | had amputated |
that bows arm and leg he sent for me,
and it was from him that heard the
frst oospel sermon. doctor" he said
snov time has come; | do not expect |
70 see another sun rise, but thank God |
7 am ready to 90 and before l die | de-
sire to thank YOU with all my heart |
for vour kindness to me- Doctor, you |
are a Jew; YOU do not believe In Jesus;
will YOU please stand here and see me
die Trusting my Saviour,-to the last
moment of my life?" | tried to stay,
hui I could not, for had not the cour-
age. so | hurriedly left the room;
About 20 minutes later steward
came TO me and said, "Charlie wishes
to see you.
AZ have lust seen him." l answered,
"and l cannot see him again.
"Rut. doctor. he says he must see
Won once more before he dies l now
made nm nv mind to see him, say an |
endearing word and let him die. When
| entered the hospital / saw he was
sinking fast. so | sat down by his bed.
a skiing me to take his hand, he SAID,
"Doctor love you because you are
lew. the best friend | have found In
this world was a Jew" | asked him
who that was. He answered, Jesus,
To whom l want to introduce you be-
fore | die; and will you promise me
that what l am about to say to you
You will never forget ?" | promised,
and he said. Give days ago while you
amputated my arm and leg prayed
TO the Lord to convert your soul" Ten
wears later the boys prayer was an
swered.
About IS months after my CONVEX
sion l attended prayer meeting one
evening in the city of Brooklyn. 1t
was one of those meetings when
Christians testify to the loving kind
ness of their Saviour. After several
had spoken. an elderly lady arose, said
her son was soldier for his country.
He was wounded at the battle of Get
tvsburg and fell into the hands of
Jewish doctor, who amputated his arm
and leg, but he died five days after
the operation. In his Bible was let
ter which stated that he had prayed
for the conversion of the doctor.
When | heard this lady's testimony
I could sit still no longer. | left my
seat. crossed the room and taking
|