Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1885-07-24

body servant, were also watching the
close Of the life of the patient. DR..
Newman had repaired to the hotel
to breakfast. The generals little
grand children, U. S. Grant, Jr. and Nellie
were stopping in the nursing room. Other
wise the entire family and household were
gathered at
THE BEDSIDE OF THE DYING MAN. II
The members of the groups had not been
summoned moment sooner than was pru-
dent. The doctors noted, on entering the
room and passing to the bedside, that al
ready apurplish tinge, one Of natures signs
OF dissolution, had settled beneath the gen.
eraPs finger nails. The hand that DR..
Douglas lifted was fast growing colder
than it had been throughout the night.
The pulse had fluttered beyond the point
where physicians could distinguish it from
the pulse beats in his own finger. His res
piration was very rapid and was success
sion of shallow, painting inhalations, but
happily at the approach of the end was be-
coming clear of rattle of the throat and
lungs, and as the respiration grew quicker
and more rapid at the close,
they also became less labored and
almost noiseless. This fact was comfort
to the watchers by the bedside, who were
spared scene Of agonizing or other than
peaceful death. The wife almost constant
ly stroked the face and the forehead and
the hands Of the dying general, and at
times passionate longing to prevent the
event SO near at hand would rise within
her. Mrs. Grant pressed both his hand, and
leaning forward, tenderly kissed his face
Col. Fred Grant sat silently, and his bear
ing was that of a saldier at the death of his
hero father. U. s. Grant, Jr., was deeply
moved, but Jesse bore the scene steadily,
and the ladies, while watching with tear
wet cheeks, were silent, as befitted the dig
nifty of
A LIFE SUCH AS WAS CLOSING.
The morning had passed five minutes be-
yond 8 o'clock, and there was not one of tn e
strained and watching walters but who
could mark the nearness of life's tide to it's
ebbing. DIR. Douglas noted the nearness
of the supreme moment and quietly ap-
preached the. bedside and bent above it.,
and while he did so the sorrow of the gray
haired physician seemed closely allied to
that of the family. DR.. Shrady also drew
near. Nwas seven minutes after 8, and the
eyes Of the general were closing, and his
breathing became more hushed as the fluc-
tuations of the heart and lungs were hast
ened to the closing Of life of peaceful ex-
pressions, deepening in firm and strong
lined facts, and was a reflection of the clos
ing comfort in the sad hearts. A minute
more passed, and the general drew deep
er breath. There was an exaltation like
that Of one. relieved of long and anxious
tension. Members Of the group were i'm
PEELED each a step nearer the bed, and
each waited to catch the next respiration,
but it never came. There was absolute
stiffness and hush Of expectant suspense.
No sounds broke the silence-only the
singing of birds in the pines outside the
cottage and the measured throbbing of the
engine that had waited all night by the lit
tie mountain.
-. "IT IS ALL OVER"
quickly spoke DR.. Douglas, and there came
nearly to each witness a realization that
the general was dead. Then the doctors
withdrew, the nurse closed the eyelids and
composed the dead generals head. Each
of the family group pressed to the bed
side, one after another, and touched their
lips upon the quiet face DR.. Shrady passed
upon the piazza, and as he did so, met DR..
Newman Fastening up the steps.
"He is dead" remarked DR.. Shrady,
quietly. The fact of his having been ab-
sent from the side Of the dying man and
his family at the last was the cause of sor-
row and regret to the clergyman, who had
awaited all night at the cottage He HAD
been summoned from his breakfast and
reached the cottage only in time to minister
to the family sorrow and gaze on the
scarcely hushed lips of the general, to
whom DR.. Newman's love had bound him
in such close ties and relations. Those
who saw and knew and who learned
of the clergyman's absence from
the death bed, quickly shared the impulse
of hearty sympathy. Soon after Doctors
OOu6AuS nAAu oAAouy ACAC GilC uCdJA Ucu
they conversed feelingly Of the latter hours
of the generals life. The pulse had first
indicated q failure and the intellect sue
cumbed in clearness and conscious tenacity,
after midnight last night, although circum-
stances at O'clock indicated cognizance.
ado you want anything, father?n queried
Col. Fred at that hour. G.tg,tH
"Water," whispered the general huskily,
but when offered water and milk they CUR
gled in his throat and were elected, and
that one word of response was the @s
LAST UTTERANcE OF GEN. GRANT.
DR.. Douglas remarked that the peculiari-
ty of General Grants death was explained
by the remarkable vitality that seemed to
present an obstacle to the approach Of
death. 1t was gradual passing away Of
the vital force, and reflex consciousness,
the doctor thought, was retained to the last.
The general died of sheer exhaustion and
had a painless passing away.
Yes" interjected DR.. Shrady, quietly,
"the general dreaded pain when ne felt he
had begun sinking, and he asked that he