Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-07-30

passed into the first hour of the day, he
saw its light and sunrise and through the
early morning hours he still survived.
The advent of July 23d, however,
marked change in General Grants CON
dition which was significant The chill
at the extremities was increasing, and the
use of hot applications to keep warmth
in the extremities and vital parts was re.
sorted to. They were of some avail, but
artificial warmth was without power to
reach the cause or stay the results of dis
solution, which began Tuesday even
ing and had been progressing steadily
though gradually. Hopodermics of brandy
We're frequently given to stimulate the
tagging physical powers, but later this
failed to effect the patient whose
vitality and whose physical forces
were SO far spent as to furnish nc
footing for rebound; indeed the efforts Of
of the medical men were being made
because none could stand by inactive
and without the trial of an expedient that
might prolong life an hour or u minute
The physicians believed that the patient
might reach the extreme ebb Of his
strength at o'clock this morning, and
the approach of the hour was anticipated
with intense anxiety at the cottage. II
passed, however, and the general lying
upon his back and propped by two pillows
lay upon the cot in the parlor, was YET
living but growing weaker. The newt.
able close Of the generals long illness
seemed more and more imminent. The
feeble pulse beats had worn themselves
by this rapidity to fiuttering throb that
could not be gauged beneath the fingers
of the physician. The body was being
worn out by its own life currents, SC
rapid was its coursing through the veins.
Repeatedly the brandy was entered be.
meath the skin of the generals arm, but
despite its waning influence, the respira.
tions had quiekened from A to the
minute, during the evening to point Of
labored breathing that was painful to
friends who grouped and bent near the
sick man.
Two o'clock had been passed and the
evidences of nearing death were multi
plying. The increasing respirations were
not alone more rapid but more shallow.
The lungs and the heart were giving
away. So weak Ind General Grant grown
at 8 o'clock that, though he frequently
tried to do SO, he was unable any
longer to clear the gathering mucus
4
manned, and as o'clock drew ON and the
daylight came, point had been reached
when expeetoration was impossible. There
was not left enough of strength and from
4 O'Clock on there was in the throat the
significant rattle of mucus that was fill
ing the lungs and clogging the throat.
| At three o'clock the general asked for
water and after that it is not remembered
/ Int l,. ,,At 4,
| the breathing was quickened and reached
so TO the minute. An hour later the
respiration had reached 60 and between
$ and o'clock the finger mills
had become blue and the hands further
evidenced the progress of numbness at the
extremities and Mt every breath the mucus
clogging in the throat was growing more
noticeable.
THE LAST SAD SCENES AROUND THE DEATH
BED.
| MT. McGREaoR, July 23.-A few
minutes before o'clock Drs. Douglas,
| Shrady and Sands stood on the cottage
yeranda talking about the condition OF
General Grant and discussing the probn-
| bilities of his death and the limit of life
left the sick nan. Mrs. Sartoris and
| Stenographer Dawson were convers-
ing 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 death. The medical men
hastily entered the room where the sick
man was lying and aDproached his side.
Instantly upon scanning the patients face,
DIR. Douglas ordered the family to be
summoned to the bedside. Haste was
made and Mrs. Grant, Jesse Grant
and wife, U. $. Grant, Jr.,
and wife and Mrs Colonel Grant We're
quickly beside the doctors ut the sick
mans cot. Mrs. Sartoris and MIR. Dnw-
son hild followed the doctors in from the
| piazza, and the entire family was present,
except Colonel Fred. Grant A hasty
summons was sent for him, but he entered
the sick room while the messenger was
searching for him.
The colonel scented himself Mt the head
of the bed with his left arm resting upon
the pillow above the head of the general,
who was breathing rapidly and with
slightly Pasping respirations Mrs. Grant,
calm but with intense agitation bravely
suppressed, took seat close by the bed
side. She leaned slightly upon the cot
resting upon her right elbow and gazing
with tear-blinded eyes into the generals
face. She found there, however, nc
token of recognition for the sick man
was peacefully and painlessly passing
i away into another life. Mrs. Sartoris
came behind her mother and, leaning
over her shoulder, so witnessed the close
of u life in which she had constituted q
strong element of pride. Directly behind
Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sartoris and at 0
L
las, Shrady and Sands, spectators of 4
closing life their efforts and counsel had
SO prolonged. On the opposite side ol
the bed from his mother and directly be
fore her stood Jesse Grant and U. s
Grant, J., and near the corner of tht
cot on the same side MS Jesse and near tc
each was Mr.. N. H. Dawson, the generals
stenogrnpher and confidential secretary
AT the foot of the bed and gazing directly
down into the generals face was Mrs
Col Fred. Grant, Mrs. U. S. Grant, Jr,
and Mrs. Jesse Grant, while somewha
removed from the family circle Henry
the nurse, and Harrison Tyrrel
the generals body servant, wer,
respectively watching the closing
life of the patient and their master
DIR. Newman had repaired to the hotel tt
breakfast and was not present. Th'
generals little grandchildren, U. y
Grant, Jr., and Nellie, were sleeping TIL
sleep of childhood in the nursery upstairs
Otherwise tho entire family and house
hold were gathered MT the bedside of tn
diving man. The members of tn
group had been summoned not II momeli
, sooner tllnn wils prlslent. The doctor
, noted on entering the room and pressing
, to the bedside that already the pnrplis
tinpe, which is one of pnture's signals .
+, final dissolution, had settled beneath til
finger nails. The hand that DIR. Dougla
, lifted was fast growing colder than il la
, been through the night. The pulse ha
! iluttered beyond the point where the ply
stefan could distinguish il from the pulls
beats iii his own finger tips. The resp
ration was very rapid, ,and was II succosslu
a of shallow painting inhalntions. AT til
= close the respirations became less lahore
. | and almost nuiseluss. This fuct was i
7 its results comfort to the watchers b
the bedside by whom was shared til
!, scene OF an agonizing or other than
q peaceful death. The wife almost col
a stantly stroked the face, forhead an
hands of the dying general, and i
times, as the passionate longing to prt
vent the event SO near would rise with
n her, Mrs. Grant pressed both his hand
n and leaning forward tenderly kissed I'll
i face of the sinking man.
4 Colonel Fred Grant sat silently br
4 with evident feeling, though his bearin
4 was that of n soldiery son Mt the deatl
n bed of a hero father. u. s. Grant, Jr
"a was deeply moved, but Jesse bore "a
q scene steadily, and the ladies', whi
% watching with wet cheeks, were silent, I