River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-08-10
GEORGE SANDS DEATH.


Grace Greenwood, in q letter from
Paris TO the New York Times, gives an
account of Nine. George Sands death.
compiled from French sources After
stating that he received the details he
gives from the daughter Of Nine.
Dudevant, Nine. Clesenger, and from
one of the physicians, one French
chronicler says that at first one would
hardly have been justified i'm declaring
that the hour of the great septuagen.
arian had come. She could have lived
"A long time still, and her robust con-
| stitutiOn would doubtless have tr.
umphed over the disease which car.
ried her off had il been combated i'm
time. But George Sand was in all
that which concerned physical suffer.
ing singularly stOical and reserved.
| For more than month she endured in
absolute silence her increasing pain
and weakness, continuing to work
when all the world slept, and to lead
| that regularly irregular existence
which must finish by undermining the
iirmest health. On the 30th of MAY
her brave will and her physical forces
gave way together, and she took to her
bed. So utterly ignorant were her
family and guests of her condition
that they were all away at wedding
in the neighborhOOd, and she was
alone with her servants. She sent for
her neighbor, who was also her good
friend, DR.. Papet, one of the four
physicians who from that day never
quilted her, succeeding each other ut
her bedside with an absolute flial de-
yotion. IN. Papet discovered with
terror a paralysis Of the bowels, and
knew from that moment that the life
of his dear patient was lost. without
communicating this conviction to
Maurice Sand and his wife. who had re- |
turned home in the meantime, he ae- /
knOwledged the gravity of the malady |
and expressed a desire for assistance |
and consultation. In the morning 9TH I
CT physicians were called in, and one.
IN. pean, brought from Paris. Dr.
FaVre, my informant, a guest at Nom
ant, was also in constant attendance.
nhappily, science, like affection,
proved powerless before a disease in
durable by reason Of neglect TO treat
ito even reveal it i'm its first stages.
| Nothing could bc done, and it may be
said that George Sand endured an
eight days agony, long and fearful
martyrdOm, of which she felt from the
| first the fatal issue One day while
writing on her couch She moaned out:
80, can you not make me die sooner p
! Another time she said s.My God,
this is death ! have not called for
4 IL, but do not regret life. These
cries were perhaps her sole complaints.
/ If SO they may be called. She knew
how TO endure her fortunes without
complaining. and she retained to the
last the calm reserve and intrOversiOn
SO peculiar 10 her. Those who were
admitted 20 her intimacy knew how
little communicative she was. She
died without talking of herself, as she
had lived. During the rare Tespites
from pain allowed her, she would turn
on her children, and on the friends
grouped around her bed, her grand
expressive eyes and try 10 smile. On
the morning of the day before her
death she asked for her little grand.
daughters, Aurorc, and Gabrielle. the
children OF Maurice Sand. She had
for them tender and doting fondness.
The eldest Aurore, whom she called
"lolo, was the object of her nccs.
SAINT and passionate worship, he had
constituted herself the. instructriee of
the child, attending wholly to her ed.
ucation. When they had brought the
two little girls to her bedside. "Oh.
my darlngS, she said. chow love
you - She fixed ON them tender
vearnlng ga2e--a gaze hungry and
profound, which seemed 60 say: II
will look VI you well, for soon shall
see you no more.
On "Wednesday the weather was
dark and stormy with high winds
the patient suffered more than on pre.
cedlng days, ana when the evening
came, the doctor who watched beside
her felt that the end was near Nlau.
rice sand coming into her chamber.
she perceived him. and said TO
away, my son, go away ~ She had
that modesty of death which impcllcd
the old Roman to cover his face when
/ he felt his end approaching. She
feared for others the CHASTITY sight Of
the last struggle. AZ 3 O'Clock on the
morning of Thursday, Dr. Fayrc per.
ceiyed under the lluger.nailso of the sui.
fcrcr violet tinge, and knew that she
would suffer no more. Then the cir.
culati0n grew slow. ana the delicate
hands cold. These sad indications
were necessary 10 fix the term 90 that
/ long agony, for there was mo- struggle.
and she preserved to the last instant
/ her perfect consciousness. \ short
time before SHE expired SHE said or
| rather sighed, "Ahoye all let them re-.
fraln from destroying the verdurc.
They Thought nj the moment that her
mind was wandering but it was an
| error. llor children have since rs.
membered that near the wall which
\ separates the garden OF NOhaut from
the cemetery IS a little rising ground
on which pines have been planted |
| These trees extend their branches
over the wall and cast shadow ON
the corner Of the cemetery whore She |
was to be- laid, beside her father. her |
mother, and her little children. Doubt. |
Z A.