River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-30


ing had passed five minutes beyond
o'clock and there was not one of the
strained and waiting watchers but who
could mark the nearness of the life tide
to its final ebbing. DR. Douglas noted
the nearness of
THE SUPREME MOMENT
and quietly approached the bedside and
bent above it, and while he did so the
sorrow of the grey-haired physician
seemed closely allied with that of the
family. Dir. Shrady also drew near
1t was seven minutes after s o'clock
and the eyes of the general were clos
ing. His breath 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 ex-
preston seemed to be deepening in
the firm and strong-lined face and it
was reflected as 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 exhalation like that Of
one relieved of long and anxious ten
sion. The members of the group were
impeled each to step nearer the bed
and each waited to note the next res
piration. but il did not come then; it
never came. There was absolute still
ness in the room, and hush of expect
ant surprise. No sound broke silence,
save the singing of birds in the pines
outside the cottage and the measured
breaking of the engine that all night
had awaited by the little mountain
depot down the slope.
''IT Is ALL OVER"
quietly spoke DR.. Douglas and then it
came heavily to each witness the reali-
cation that Gen. Grant was dead. Then
the doctors withdrew, the nurse closed
the eyelids and composed the dead gen
erals head. after which each Of the
family group pressed to the bedside one
after the other and touched their lips up
on the face so lately stilled. DR.. Shrady
passed out upon the piazza and as he
did so he met Dir. Newman fastening
up the steps.
she IS DEAD,
remarked DR. Shrady quietly. The
fact Of having been absent from the
side of the dying man and his family
at the last, was a cause of sorrow and
regret to the clergyman who had await
ed all night at the cottage. He had
been summoned from his breakfast
A MOMENT TOO LATE,
and reached the cottage only in time to
minister to the family sorrow, and gaze
npon the scarcely hushed lips of the
general, to whom DR.. Newman's love
had bound him in such close relations.
THE DOCTORS MOURN.
Soon after Drs. Douglas and Shrady
left the deathbed they conversed feel
ingly of the latter hours of Gen, Grant 5
life The pulse first had indicated fail
ure, and the intellect was last to sue
cumb its clearness and conscious te-
nacity. which occurred afte, midnight,
last night, thoJgh circumstances at
three o'clock indicated cognizance.
do you want anything, questioned
Col. Fred at that hour.
water" whispered the general hus-
kily
But when offered water and milk they
gurgIed in his throat and were elected,
axd that one wold of response was the
last utterance of Gen Grant. DR..
Douglas remarked that the peculiarly
of Gen. 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 reflex
consciou. ness the doctor thought, was
retained to the last. The general died
Of sheer exhaustion and a perfectly
painless sinking away
Yes interiected DR.. Shrady,
quietly, The general dreaded pain
when he felt he had began sinking,
and he asked that he should not be
permitted to suffer. The promise was
made and it has been kept. Since he
commenced to sink on Tuesday night
he was free from pain.
TOWARD THE LAST
no food was taken, but when wet
cloth was pressed to his lips he would
suck from it the water to moisten his
mouth. During the generals last
night, Dr. Shrady was constantly
within call DR.. Douglas was all
night at the cottage, and DIR. Sands
slept at the hotel after midnight.
Within twenty minutes after the death
of General Grant, Karl Gerhardt,
Hartford sculptor, who has been
making study of the general. was
summoned to the cottage at tbs
suggestion of DR. Newman, to make
plaster mask of the dead mans face.
He was highly successful.
His Last Day.
Mr.. McGREGoR, July 22.-The early
morning hours at the Grant cottage
were cool and refreshing on the veran-
da, whereon the incandescent electric
lights were burning all night. The