The Autobiography of a Super-TrampDavies, W. H. (William Henry)
General
The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp
Davies, W. H. (William Henry)
Davies, W. H. (William Henry), 1871-1940; Poets, English -- 20th century -- Biography; Tramps -- Biography
HOSPITALITY
I bore this accident with an outward fortitude that was far from the
true state of my feelings. The doctor, seeing the even development of
my body, asked me if I was an athlete. Although I could scarcely claim
to be one, I had been able, without any training, and at any time, to
jump over a height of five feet; had also been a swimmer, and, when
occasion offered, had donned the gloves. Thinking of my present
helplessness caused me many a bitter moment, but I managed to impress
all comers with a false indifference.
What a kind-hearted race of people are these Canadians! Here was I, an
entire stranger among them, and yet every hour people were making
enquiries, and interesting themselves on my behalf, bringing and
sending books, grapes, bananas, and other delicacies for a sick man.
When a second operation was deemed necessary, the leg to be amputated
at the knee, the whole town was concerned, and the doctors had to give
strict injunctions not to admit such a number of kind hearted
visitors. At this time I was so weak of body, that it was hopeless to
expect recovery from this second operation. This was soon made
apparent to me by the doctor's question, as to whether I had any
message to send to my people, hinting that there was a slight
possibility of dying under the chloroform. A minister of the gospel
was also there, and his sympathetic face certainly made the dying seem
probable. Now, I have heard a great deal of dying men having a
foresight of things to be, but, I confess, that I was never more calm
in all my life than at this moment when death seemed so certain. I did
not for one instant believe or expect that these eyes would again open
to the light, after I had been in this low vital condition, deadened
and darkened for over two hours, whilst my body was being cut and sawn
like so much wood or stone. And yet I felt no terror of death. I had
been taken in a sleigh from the station to the hospital, over a mile
or more of snow; and the one thought that worried me most, when I was
supposed to be face to face with death, was whether the town lay
north, south, east or west from the hospital, and this, I believe, was
the last question I asked. After hearing an answer, I drew in the
chloroform in long breaths, thinking to assist the doctors in their
work. In spite of this, I have a faint recollection of struggling with
all my might against its effects, previous to losing consciousness;
but I was greatly surprised on being afterwards told that I had, when
in that condition, used more foul language in ten minutes' delirium
than had probably been used in twenty-four hours by the whole
population of Canada. It was explained to me that such language was
not unusual in cases of this kind, which consoled me not a little, but
I could not help wondering if the matron had been present, and if she
had confided in her daughter. The latter was a young girl of sixteen
years, or thereabouts, and was so womanly and considerate that her
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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