Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-07

dignity of a life such as was closing before
them. The morning had passed five min
utes beyond eight o'clock, and there was
not one of the strained and waiting watch
ers hut who could mark the nearness OF the
life tide to it's final ebbing. DIR. Douglas
noted the nearness of the supreme
moment, and quietly approached the
bedside and bent about it, and, while he
did so, the sorrow OF the gray-haired ply.
stefan seemed closely allied with that OF
the family. DR.. Shrady also drew near. II
was seven minutes after eight o'clock, and
the eyes of the General were closed. hia
breathing grew more hushed as the last
functions of the heart and lungs were
fastened to the closing of the ex-President's
life. A peaceful expression seemed to ID
deepening in the firm and strong lined face:
and it was reflected as a closing comfort
in the sad hearts that beat quickly under
the stress of loving suspense. A minute
more passed and was closing as the General
drew a deeper breath. There was an ex-
halation like that of IL relieved
of long and anxious tension. The
members of the group were impelled
each q step nearer the bed, and
each waited to note the next respiration,
but it did not come; then-it never came.
1llC1C was dUSUlutc oIlllll0SS III lilC IOOLl
IL a hush Of expectancy, SO that no sound
in the pines outside the cottage and the
measured throbbing Of the engine that all
night had waited by the little mountain
depot down the slope.
"It is all Over," quietly spoke DR.. Doug
las, 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
Generals head, after which each of the FAM
lily group pressed to the bedside, one after
the other, and touched their lips upon the
quiet face SO lately stilled.
Soon after Drs. Douglas and Shrady left
the death-bed, they conversed feelingly of
The pulse first had indicated failure, and
the intellect was last to succumb it's clear
ness and conscious tenacity, and that after
midnight last night, though a circumstance
at four O'Clock indicated cogniZance.
DO you want anything, father?" qrles-
toned Colonel Fred Grant at that hour.
"Water," whispered the General huskily.
But when offered water and milk they
gurgled in his throat II were elected, and
that II word of response was the last ut
terance OF General Grant.
DIR. Douglas remarked that the peculiar
ity of General Grants death was explained
by the remarkable vitality that seemed to
present an obstacle to the approach of death.
1t was a gradual passing away Of the vital
forces, and a reflex consciousness, the doc
tor thought, was retained to the last. The
General died from sheer exhaustion and a
perfectly painless sinking away
Within twenty minutes after the death
of General Grant Karl Gerhardt, a Hartford
sculptor, who has been making o study
here of the General, was summoned to the
cottage, at the suggestion of DR.. Newman,
to make a plaster-mask of the dead mans
face. He was highly successful.
Between four and five o'clock . deputa.
ton from Governor Hill called upon Colonel
Fred Grant and rendered the State Capitol
building at Albany for the lying in state of
the Generals remains. The gentlemen
were informed that the plans for the OBJ
sequies were at the tune so indefinite that
nothing could be said in reply, but that
the courtesy was thankfully acknowl-
edged. Soon afterward General Beale
of Washington, one of General Grants
warmest personal friends, called to tender
to Mrs. Grant the use Of his house in Wash
ington during the stay of the family there
in the event of the Generals remains being
taken to that city. Mrs. Grant could not
be seen, but Colonel Grant thanked his
fathers friend for his kindly thought.
Late in the afternoon a squad of uni
formed men from Wheeler Post, G. A. R.,
of Saratoga, came up the mountain to
guard the cottage. A tent was pitched on
the needles beneath the pine trees. Guard
lines were soon established, and at dusk a
patrol of the beats was begun. The guard
Will be temporarily maintained, and thus
mnrll1IV n1lrinIlS nprcOnc will hn 1ya~k fro~,
the cottage.
Or. Sflrady remained here yesterday in
order that DR.. Douglas and himself might,
after quiet had been restored in the house,
hold at the cottage converse with Colonel
Fred Grant on the subject of a post
mortem examination of the remains of
his father. The physicians, therefore,
last evening repaired to the cottage,
and there met the Colonel with the
formal preference of a request that an au-
topsy might be held. They stated that
their purpose was not in the least to confirm
their opinion of the disease, for they had at
al times been united in demonstrating
the case as one of cancer, but the time had
come when the medical staff might step
aside from the patient and invite
II other medical or surgical au-
thorfty to conduct the examina-
ton which should speak for itself. This
both Drs. Douglas and Shrady urged as far
as professional and personal dignity could
permit, but Colonel Grant replied that the
entire family were SO thoroughly united in
their confidence in the diagnosis and treat.
ment OF the physicians that they could not
conceive a necessity for an autopsy.
MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-President Cleye-
land sent the following dispatch to Mrs.
Grant at Mount MacGregor:
Accept this expression of my heartfelt svm.
R5athy In this hour of your great afHictinn
The people of the Nation mourn with vo,1
ana would reach, if they could. with kin1iv
comfort, the depths Of the sorrow which 70
yours alone. and which only the pity Of God
The Thursday meeting of the Cabinet
was called for eleven o'clock, instead of
twelve, the usual hour, to take action on
the death of the ex-President.
With the exception of Secretary Endi.
cott all the members were present at
the meeting of the Cabinet. The
PRESIDENT informed them of General
Grants death, he having been officially M
tltled of the demise by o telegram from
Colonel Fred Grant. President CIeveland
mas requested Adjutant, General Drum to
go to New York and represent him and
consult with Mrs. Grant regarding tho
nav - Al- oo IAO