The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-03
LAST
Closing Scenes in the Life of Two orsa
Men.

SAosA0k 0c000B IN tho Lille OF Two 0foAl
Men.
Every Other Saturday.
The last scene of all in fiction and BIZ
ography is generally the most affecting
and often themost characteristic. One
might make a curious collection of ex-
tracts to show how frequently those
who are just crossing the river recur,
at the moment of Inconsistencies, to
striking events in former years, or to
occupations which have taken a strong
hold of the sufferer when in active life.
The last word of Napoleon we're re-
markable for this, and we have
lately been struck by the account
OF the death of that great mag
i~strate, Chief Justice Parsons, of Mas
sachusetts, in the memoir by his son,
the late Professor Parsons. Of the Har-
ward Law School: "His thoughts when
he could no longer control them went
back to his duties and to his business,
and responded unconsciously to his con
dition, as death drew zeal to close hi;
earthly career. When he spoke it was
as a Judge, giving answers, directions,
etc. At last, after a suspense Of ali
speech so long that we thought we
should never hear his voice again, he
suddenly revived, and, with perfect dis
tinctness, spoke for the last time on
earth that formula which he had used
hundreds of times: Gentleman of the
jury, the case is closed and in your
hands. You will please retire and agree
upon your verdict"
Almost the same thing is said in the
biography of Lord Chief Justice Ten
terden. We quote from his Life by
Lord Campbell: can access OF fever
supervening, he was put to bed, from
which he rose. He became de-
lirious and talked incoherently. After
wards he seemed to recover his COM
posure, and, raising his head flom the
pillow, was heard to say, in a slow and
solemn tone, as when he used to con-
clude his summing up in cases Of great
Importance: And now, gentlemen of
the Jury, you will consider Of your YER
dict The were his last words. When
hehad uttered them his head sunk
down, and in few minutes he expired
without q groan."
In connection with the above it affords
us pleasure to print q communication
from an accomplished scholar, whose ac-
curacy in matters of history is only
equaled by the elegant simplicity Of
his style:
II met, the other day, q little article
on the difficulty of getting correctly at
the last words of great men, and refer
ring particularly to William Pitt. It
brought to my mind Daniel Webster.
The evening before he died his physician
repeated to him the words, Thy rod and
Thy staff they comfort me- and Mr..
Webster replied, as if in sympathy, but
too weak to complete the sentence,
"Ihy rod and Thy staff"-the fact
the fact want Here the matter
rested as at first reported, and,
| think, us publicly repeated by
Mr.. Everett. The true account,
as it came to me very directly,
is as follows: Mr.. Webster asked
whether he was likely to live till morn
ing. His physician, DR.. Jeffreys. not
willing to give direct answer, repeated
from the Twenty-third Psalm: Thy
rod and thy staff etc. Mr.. Webster
saw the evasion, and if a clear and
rather eve tone said: THY rod and
thy staff!-the fact, the fact, I want
i. e., he wanted an answer to his ques-
tion.'
"This reminds me of the last, or near
" the last, words of his distinguished
friend, Jeremiah Mason. His daughter
said, in q suppressed voice: He is
dying Mr.. Mason asked what she was
saying. Nothing, father she replied.
Precisely what words did you use to
say nothing?' was the question then
put by the great lawyer and cross-ex-
aminer. In both these instances the
clear, penetrating intellect Of the advo-
cate continued to the last.