St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-18
Gen. Grant, Realizing His Serious Condi-
tion, Writes Two Letters Of
Importance.
Being Summoned by DR.. Douglas, Dr.
Sands Starts From New York
at Midnight.
ALI Intruders Kept from the Grounos
by an Old Soldier in UNI
form.
How the Day Was Passed py tho
Observation-Disclosures ana In
cidentS.
The Sick General

chair on the piazza of the DreXel cottage
here soon after his arrival yesterday, the
thermometer marked SO. Mr.. DreXel
said that was an excessive heat Tor the
locality. Clouds and rain at sunset
beat the mercury down to overcoat temper
ature. On through the night until
5 o'clock gusty winds swept the rain in
sheets. but the sun came up over the Green
mountains this morning and found no
clouds. At 10 o'clock the thermometer be-
fore the generals window marked 90 de-
grees. DIR. Douglas felt encouraged when
he came out at 9 o'clock. Col. Fred Grant
said of his father this morning: He had
considerable rest last night, and this morn
ing his voice has improved so that
we can understand him when he
tries to whisper. When I went to his room
a little while ago, he whispered very
family that he found his voice little
stronger to-day. but that he should not try
to use it, hoping that with caution it
WOULD GROW STRONG
enough so that he could talk again; but, y
added Col. Grant, ''the failure of fathers
voice is owing to debility, and he is grow
ing weaker all the while. The change
of air he feels just now, but as L said,
his weakness constantly grows on MIN. !"
The swelling on the generals throat IS not
abated to-day. and his rest last night was
aided by morphine, without which the doc
tor said he could not have slept. A little
white tent, with small flags fiuttering from
it. is pitched close to the generals cottage.
1t is occupied by S. Willets, an
old soldier in uniform, who has
been employed to protect the gen.
eraI from intrusion by strangers.
During his morning airing upon the piazza
of his cottage Gen. Grant slowly and with
the aid of his cane walked around the
house. Quite often he paused, with his
eyes.bent to the floor, as though
INTENSELY THINKING,
again gazing away toward the eastward,
where the Green mountains were within
his view. But while out OF doors he
most of the time sat motionless, with one
hand pressing handkerchief to his mouth
to protect his throat from the cool air that
followed the rain of Tuesday night. The
other hand grasped the cane which the gen
eral now at all times carries. The sick
mans face was less strained in its appear
ance than it was when he
concluded his journey. About midday
his throat was cleared. The gen.
eral then stretched himself upon
his bed and the doctor and nurse went away
to gain needed rest After his rest, about
8 o'clock, and while his physician and nurse
were asleep, the general drew his silk cap
over his skull cap, signed Harrison to his
side and walked down the cottage step.
He walked slowly along the pathway over
an easy slope to the brow of the mountain,
a hundred yards away. Several times he
PAUSED TO REST,
and at length sat down on rustic seat.
When a chair was placed for his feet, he
removed the handkerchief from his mouth
and essayed to speak, declining support for
his feet, but his voice was not audible, and
the general, recognizing the fact, shook his
head. The fact that mess of frogs had
been caught during the morning at one OF
the little mountain lakes near by was men
toned to the general, and he was
asked if he would attempt to
eat them. Again the general tried to speak,
but the attempt did not result in words that
were audible, and again he declined by
shaking his head. His attention was di-
rected to the monument that marks the sur
render of Burgoyne, twenty miles away,
but the elevation of his head to gaze so far
away seemed painful, and his head bowed
his chin dropped to his breast and his eyes
rested on nearer objects. The neck and
ulS6dS6Q DOTGlOUS dI0 poiii1uA
when he holds his head erect. Five
minutes passed while the general sat on the
bluff, and he then arose by steadying HIM
self with the arm of the settee and his cane,
and directed his steps to the cottage. No
one was more surprised at
THE GENERALS WALK
than DR.. Douglas. He was amazed that
the general should have attempted it, but
NV hi oil 41nor hn
time. when the doctor was asleep, to
steal over and take peep from the bluff.
Later in the afternoon DR.. Douglas, in re-
lferring to the generals condition in connec-
stion with his walk, expressed himself thus:
i|'The disease is following its characteristic
course, which is a course of steadily in
creasing exhaustion. We do not look for a
cure from this change. Nothing can be a
cure, but we hope to prolong his life, and
THAT is the most that can be expected. Under
the eyhilarating effect of this atmosphere and
tof this cool day he has, for instance, walked
loEersthere to the knoll. He might do that
.easily and not be able to do the same to-
smorrow or next day. The course of the dis
lease is, as said, one of increasing debil-
sity." When Gen. Grant reached his cot
itage, after his walk to the brow of the
tnountain this afternoon, he was much eX-
Ehausted and sank into chair in the parlor
f'the cottage. Very soon he
INDICATED BY SIGNS
that he wanted some writing materials,
(which were procured for him, and he then
wrote for nearly half an hour. The result
was two letters, or papers. One was
Lheaded Memoranda for my family" In
Fit the general had written that he thought
she was failing and for certain instructions
that he desired to have carried out he
referred his family to other
and more definite memoranda
prepared by him before leaving New York.
The other note he folded and addressed, to
Dr.. Douglas. He handed both the papers
to Col. Fred Grant, and that addressed to
the physician is understood to have been of
similar importance as that TO the family.
The afternoon wore away with the general
sitting outside of the piazza, after having
written as stated. The sunset found him
still on the piazza, and when dusk deepened
on the east side of the mountain he was
yet sitting silently on the porch at the side
of the front door of the cottage When
lamps were lighted inside and the light
;streamed out into the growing darkness the
sick man was yet outside, though the air
was chilly and
A STIFF BREEZE
was swaying the pine tree tops. Col. Fred
Grant and DR.. Douglas were near at hand
At length, after o'clock, the general went
inside the cottage and DR.. Douglas wrote
and sent message to DR.. Sands in New
lYork. He asked him to come here if pos
sible tonight. At o'clock the general re-
tired. and DR.. Douglas then thought that
his throat and neck appeared better than on
Tuesday night. 1t is possible that the
generals walk this afternoon tested
his waning strength too far, and the reac-
zion has brought to him sense of weak
ness that he himself feels is not to be
UIaJ-- l;,,o,ordad Whofhari bio x,,ool-