The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-08-01
THE LAST aOuEyTs,
Scenes Around the Death-Bed of Gen.
Grant

Shradv and Sands stood on the cottage
veranda onversing on the condition OF Gen.
Grant, and discussing the probabilities ol
his DEATH and the limit Of life left the sick
man. Mrs. Sartoris and Stenographer
Dawson we're conveEsing a little distance
away, when Henry, the nurse, stepped
hastily upon the piazza and spoke quietly
to the physicians. He told them he thought
the General was very near to death The
medical men hastily entered the room where
the sick man was lying, and approached his
side. Instantly, upon scanning the patient
lace, DR.. Douglas ordered the family to
be summoned TO the bedside. Haste was
made, and Mrs. Grant, Jesse Grant aad
vile, I. ,. Grant, Jr., and wife, aud Mrs.
Col. Grant were quickly beside the doctors
az the sick mans cot. Mrs. SartOris and
Mr.. Dawson had followed the doctors in
rom the piazza, and the entire family was
present except Col. Fred. Grant. Hasty
summons were sent for him but he entered
the sick room while the messenger was
searching for him. The Colonel seated himself
at the head of the bed, with his left arm rest
ing upon the pillow above the head of the
General, who was breathing rapidly and
with slightly gasping respiratIOns. Mrs.
Grant, calm, but with intense agitation
bravely suppressed, took a seat close by
the bedside. She leaned slightly upon the
with tear blinded eyes into the Generals
lace. She found there, however, no token OF
recognition, for the sick man was peacefully
and palnlesslv passing into another life. Mrs.
SartOris came behind her mother, and,
leaning over her shoulder, so witnessed the
close of life in which she had constituted
a strong element Of pride. Directly behind
Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Ssrtoris. and at u
little distance removed, stood Drs. Douglas,
Shradv and Sands, spectators OF "a closing
HE their efforts and counsel had so pro-
longed. On the opposite side OF the bed
from their mother, and directly before her
stood Jesse Grant and Z. s. Grant, Jr. and
near the corner of the cot, on the same side
as j Jesse, and near to each, was Mr.. n Z.
Dawson, the Generals stenOgrapher and
confidential secretary. At the foot Of the
bed, and gazing directly down into the
Generals face, was Mrs. Col. Fred. Grant
Mrs. L. :. Grant, Jr., and Mrs. Jesse Grant
while somewhat removed from the family
circle, Henry, the nurse, and Harrison
Tyrrel, the Generals body-servant, were
respectively watching the closing life
OF the patient, their master. DR..
Newman had repaired to the hotel to
breakfast, and was not present. The Gen
erals little grandchildren, U. S. Jr., and
Nellie, were sleeping the sleep of childhood
IN the nursery above. Otherwise the en-
tire family and household were gathered at
the bedside of the dying man. The mem
bers OF the group had been summoned not
a moment sooner than was prudent. The
doctors noted on entering the room and
pressing to the bedside, that already the
pUrphsh tinge, which is one Of natUre's sig
nails OF final dissolution, had settled be
meath the tinger-nails. The hand that Dr.
Douglas lifted was fast growing colder than
II had been through the night. The pulse
had tuttered beyond the point where the
Z ! :. i -
pulse-be in his own finger tips. The res
piratlon was very rapid, and was a sue
cessiOn Of shallow painting inhalatiOns but
happily the approaching end was becoming
clear of the rafting fullGess OF the throat
and lungs. As the respiration grew quicker
and more rapid at the close, il also be-
came less labored and almost nOiseless.
This fact was IN its results comfort TO the
watchers by the bedside TO whom was
spared the scene OF an agOnizing or other
than a peaceful th. The wife almost
constantly stroked the face, forehead and
hands 0f the dying General and, at times,
as the passionate longing to prevent the
event 80 near would rise within her Mrs.
Grant pressed both his hands and leaning
forward, tenderly kissed the face Of
the sinking man. Col. Fred. Grant
sat silently, but with evident feeling,
though his bearing was that of a soldierly
5. Grant, Jr., was deeply moved, but Jesse
bore the scene steadily, and the ladies'
while watching with wet cheeks were as
client as bettted the dignity Of life such as
was closing before them. The morning had
passed five minutes beyond S clock, and
there not one of the strained and
waiting watchers but who could mark the
nearness Of the life tide to its final ebbing.
DR.. Douglas noted the nearness OF the
supreme moment, and quietly approached
the bedside and bent above it, and while he
did 20 the sorrow of the gray-haired ply
sician seemed closely allied with that Of the
family. DR.. Shrady also drew near. 1t
was seven minutes after o'clock, and the
eyes OF the General were closing. His
breathing grew more hushed as the last
functions Of the heart and lungs were hast
ened TO the closing of the ex-President's
life. \ peaceful expression seemed to
be deepening in the firm and strOng-iued
face. and it was reflected as closing com
fort in the sad hearts that beat quickly
under the stress Of loving suspense. A min
ute more passed, and was closing, "a the
General drew deeper breath. There was
exhaistiOn ike that of one relieved Of
long and anxious tension. The members Of
the group were impelled each step near
er the bed, and each waited to note
the next respiration; but it did not
come then-it never came. There was
absolute stiffness In the room, and a hush
OF eypectant suspense. No sound broke
the silence save the singing of birds IN the
pines out side the cottage, and the measured
throbbing Of the engine that all night had
waited by the little mountain depot down
the slope 1t is all over, quietly spoke
DR.. Douglas, and there came then heavily
70 each witness the realizatio that Gen.
Grant was dead.
Then the doctors withdrew, the nurse
clCsed the evelids and composed the dead
generals head, after which each Of the
after the other. ard Touched their lips GpOn
the quiet face so lately stilled.
Dr. Sbrady passed out upon the piazza,
and as he did so he met Dr. Newman hasten
ing up the steps. He Is dead, " remarked
Dr. Shrady, quietly. The fact of having
been absent from the side OF the dying
man and his family at the last was
a cause Of sorrow and regret TO the
clergyman, who had waited all night at
the cottage. He had been summoned
from his hrea kfsst moment too late, and
reached the cottage only in time to minister
10 the family sorrow and gaze upon the
scarcely hushed lips OF the dead General, 10
whom Dr. Newman's love had bound him
in such close ties and relations. Those who
saw and knew. and all who learn Of the
clergyman's absence from the desthbed,
quickly speak the impulse Of hearty sym
pathy,
Soon after Drs. Douglas and Shrady left
the death bed they conversed ieeling!y Of the
Iatter hours n Gen. Grant life. The pulse
Erst had indics ted failure, and the intellect
was las. 70 succumb ies clsarne and CON
seious tenacity, and that after midnight
last night though a circumstance at 8
O'Clock, indicated cogniEance. DO you
want anything. fsthsr2" questioned Col.
Fred At that hour. Water " whispered
the General, huskily. But when offered
water and milk they Eurgled in his throat,
and we're elected; and that one word Of re-
sponse was the last utterancs Of Gen
Grant DR.. Douglas remarked that the
popularity OF Gen. Grants death was ex-
blamed by the r-msrkab Die vitality that
seemed 60 present an obstacle to the ap-
proaCh Of death II vas a gradual passing
awav .of the vital forces aud a reflex
consciousness, the doctor thought. wss re-
tanned to the lsst. Tbe General died
Of sheer exhaustion and a perfectly painless
sinking away. Yes iatorjected Dr Shra-