Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-24

his own Gnger-tips. Respiration was
very rapid and was succession Of
shallow-panting inhalations, but hap
PLY the approaching end was
becoming clear Of the rafting fulness
Of the throat and lungs, and as the res
pirations grew quicker and more rnpid
at the close they also became less la
bored and almost noiseless. This fact
was in its results a comfort TO the
watchers by the bedside, to whom was
spared the scene Of an agonizing or other
than peaceful death. The wife almost
constantly stroked the face, forehead,
and hands Of the dying General, and at
times, as the passionate longing to pre-
vent the event so near would rise within
her, Mrs. Grant pressed both his hands,
and, leaning forward, tenderly kissed
the face Of the sinking man.
soLDIERLY SON.
Colonel Fred. Grant sat silently but
with evident feeling, though his bear
ing was that Of soldierly son at the
death-bed Of his hero father. U. S.
Grant, Jr., was deeply moved, but
Jesse bore the scene steadily, and the
ladies, while watching with wet cheeks,
were silent, As befitted the dignity Of
the life such as was closing before
them. The morning had passed five
minutes beyond s o'clock, and there
was not one Of the strained and
waiting watchers but who could
| mark the nearness of the life-tide
70 its final ebbing. DR.. Douglas
noted the nearness Of the supreme
moment and quietly approached the
bedside and bent over it, and while he
did so the sorrow of the gray-haired
physician seemed closely allied with
that Of the family. DR.. Shrady also
drew near. II was seven minutes after
8 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 hastened to the
closing of the ex-President's life. The
peaceful expression seemed to be deep
ening in the firm and strong-lined face,
and it was reflected as closing com
fort in the sad hearts that beat quickly
under the stress Of loving suspense.
THE LAST BREATH.
a minute more passed and was clos
ing as the General drew deeper breath. !
There was eXhalation like that of one |
relieved Of long and anxious tension.
The members Of the group were i'm
PEELED each to step nearer the bed, and
each awaited another respiration but |
1t never came. There was absolute
stiffness in the room and hush Of ex-
pcctant suspense, and no sound broke
the silence save the singing Of birds in
the pines outside the cottage and the
measured throbbiDg Of the engine that
all night had waited by the little noun
tain depot down the slope.
d" 1t is all over" quietly spoke DR..
Douglas, and there came then heavily |
to each witness the realization that
General Grant was dead. Then the
doctors withdrew, the nurse closed the
eyelids and composed the dead Gene
RAILS head, after which each Of the
family group pressed to the bedside,
one after the other, and touched their
lips upon the quiet face so lately stilled.
DR.. Shrady passed out on the piazza,
and as he did so met DR.. Newman
Fastening upstairs.
He is dead" remarked the Doctor
quietly.
The fact Of his having been absent
from the side of the dying man and
his family at the last moment was
cause Of severe and sad regret to the
clergyman, who had waited all night a
the cottage. He had been summoned
from his breakfast moment too late.
and reached the cottage only in time to
minister to the family sorrow and
gaze upon the scarcely -hushed lips Of
the dead General, to whom DR.. New
mans love had bound him in such
close ties and relations. Those who
saw and knew. and all who learned of
the clergyman's absence from the death
bed, quickly speak the impulse Of
hearty sympathy.
WATER THE LAST WORD.
Soon after Drs. Douglas and Shrady
left the death-bed they cOnversed feel
ingly of the latter hours Of General
Grants life. The pulse first had indi-
Gated failure, and the intellect was the
last to suecumb its elearness and con
Scious tenscity, and that after midnight
last night, though the circumstances
at o'clock indicated cognizance.
"Do you want anything, father,
questioned Colonel Fred. at that hour.
" Water" whispered the General
huskily; but when offered the water
and milk they gurcled in his throat and
were elected, and that one word of re-
spOnse was the last utterance of Gene
raj Grant.
DR.. Douglas remarked that the pecu-
liarity Of General Grants death was
explained by the remarkable vitality
that seemed to present an obstacle to
the approach Of death. 1t was grad
ual passing away of the vital forces,
and reflex consciousness, the Doctor
thought, was retained to the last. The
General died of sheer exhaustion and
perfectly painless, sinking away.
Yes interjected DR.. Shrady
quietly, 4" the General dreaded pain.
When he felt he had begun sinking lie
asked that be should not be permitted
to suffer. The promise was made, and
il has been kept. Since ne commenced
to sink Tuesday night he was free from
pain"
Towards the last no food was taken,
but when a wet cloth was pressed to
his lips he would suck from it the
water to moisten his mouth. During
the Generals last night DIR. Shrady
was constantly within call DR.. Doug
las was all night at the cottage, and
DIR. Sands slept at the hotel.
A PLASTER MASK.
Within twenty minutes after the
death of General Grant, Karl Ger
hsgdt, the Hartford sculptor, who
aas been making a study here Of
the General. was summoned to the cot
tage at the suggestion Of DR.. Newman
10 make n DlaSter mask of the dead |