Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser., 1842-11-12

Burr lNGTON, IOWA, sAi iURnAY. NOVEMBER
DEATu OF WASHINGTON.

Dfs \ " VIZ W ts~lVI WIN ~.
TIL" following vivid and touching sketch
Of the last moments o. the Father Of his
Country is from letter in the New York
tmerican:
| Passing the great hall orna,n.ntcd with
pictures nf English hunting scenes, we as
cenied the oaken staircase, with its car.
we'd and an,iqua'ed baluStradp. We stood
a, the duor-wc pressed he hand!c-,he
room aud the bed where. he died were be-
fore us. No'hing in the lofty drama of
his ex!s,epce snrpasse, The grandeur III
that final scene. The cold, which he had
taken from exposure in overseeing some
part Of h;s grounds, and which resisted
the earliest domestic remedies Tint were
applied, advanced, in the course of two
short days, into that fr,ghtiul form O: the
disease 'oi' the thrmt-iaryng,As. 1t be.
cnne necessary for him Ia take to his
bed. His valued friend. DR.. Cra,k, was
instantly summoned. and, assisted By the
beS, medical skill OF the surrounding
country, exhausted all the means OF his
nrt-but without atforling him relief.
| lie patiently submitted though in grea!
distress. 10 the various remedies propo.
81 d; butt: became ev den,. from the gloom
settling upon The coualenances OF the me-
dlcal gentlemen. that he cnsc was hope
less. Advancing iusi,llously, the disease
bad fastened itself wit. deadly certainty
Looking with perfect calmnejs on the
suhb,n4 ,.rnua atonnd blm he said
"Gs,eye not MY friends; II is IA | antlci.
pateu rotn the first; the debt which We
all owe is nov abou 10 be paid: arr re-
signed 10 h' -vcn,' Requesting Mrs.
ashngtoi, 10 bring hiD two wills from
his ascru olre. he directed Que 10 be burnt,
and placed the other IN her hands, Us his
last viii aud testament; and then gave
snmt final Instructions to Mr.. Lear, his
secretary and relation, rs TO the ADJUST
men OF h,s business affairs H.. soon al
ter b,calne greatly dislres ed; and as, in
The patoxy >,nS. which became more l,re-
qutni and violent. Mr.. Lear who was ex
euded on he bed by his side, assisted him
to turn, he. with kindness. but with a!t!;
Guilty. articulated: IL lear give you
great trouble sir; hut perhaps it is du-
ty We all owe one to another: trust you
Wilt ltSClSC VIZ utlCutlOu WuCi Ou
s. all require it
As the night waned. the fatal syYp-
toms became more imminent. His breath
became more laborrd and sutFocatlng. and
his v.Jce snon after failed him. Per-
ceiving his end approaching. he s,raigh.
tentd Himself to his full length; he fold
ed his own hands in the necessary atti
,ude upon his chest; placing his tinger
upon the pulse of his left wrist, and thus
calmly prepared aud watching his own
dissolution, he awaited the Summons Of
his Maker. The las, faint hope Of his
friends had disappeared. Mrs. Wash
ing,on, Supplied with g'iel, sat at rho foot
Of the he'd, hev eyes fixed s,eadlastly up
on hun; Dr.. ra'k. in ,ieep gloom, stocd
with his face buried IN his hands; ;fethe
fire; his faithful black servant, Christie
pher, the tears unconlrol,el s1ricklin2
down his face on one side,- took the las,
look OF his dyi ing master; while Nr. Lear,
in speechless grie;, with folded hands,
bent over his pillow on the other. Nrught
broke The Stiffness OF his last no ,ents.
bu, the suppressed sphs o the affectioaa,e
servants collected on tho staircase; the
tick Of the large clock in the hall, as it
measured of. with painful sslistiaGtnr s.,
the last Aee;ine moments ot his exis-
ience; and the lnw moan oi the winter
VIM as II swept ,hroug" the ca0css
snow covered trees; the tailoring aud
wear,ed spirit drew nearer and nearer to
its goal-lhr b.ood ianguidiy ceursed
slower aud more slowly through its chan
neIs-.'h noble heart stopped-Struggetl
--nu,teved- the right hand
slowly Slid from 'he wrist. upon which us
tinger had been placed, tel! ut NE side.
land the msnIyg eftigy Of Washing,dn
was all that re,naineJ, extended upon the
death couch