Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-24
HIS LAST MOMENTS.
An Affecting Scene Mrs. Graut's Calmness
The Bedside Group.

An Affecting Scene Mrs. Grant's Calmness-
The Bedside Group.
lBy telegraph TO the Dispatchl
MI McGREGOR, n. Y, July 23-
$3.50 A. M-After midnight there was
significant change in the condition of
General Grant. Chill at the extremi-
ties increased, and the use Of hot ap-
plications to keep warmth in extrem-
ties was resOrted to.
At o'clock the patient had grown
so weak that he was unable to clear the
mucous from his throat. lie did not
utter word after 3 o'clock, when he
asked for water.
Between and G o'clock his finger
nails had become blue and his hands
gave further evidence Of the progress Of
numbness at the extremities, and at
every breath mucous clogging in his
throat was growing noticeable.
At sos A. NJ. he died peacefully,
surrounded by his family.
AROUND THE DEATH-BED.
A few minutes before o'clock Drs.
Douglas, Shrady, and Sands stood on
the cottage veranda conversing about
the condition of General Grant and dis
cussing the probabilities of his death
and the limit OF life left the sick man.
Mrs. Sartoris and StenOgrapher Daw-
son were conversing a little distance
away, when Henry, the nurse, stepped
hastily upon the piazza and spoke quiet
ly to the physicians. lie told them he
thought the General wes very near to
death. The medical men hastily eG-
tered the room where the sick man was
lying and approached his side. Instant
", upon scanning the patients face,
DIR. Douglas ordered the family TO be
summoned to the bedside. Haste was
made, and Mrs. Grant, Mr.. Jesse Grant
and wife, u. S. GRAFT, Jr., and
wife, and Mrs. Colonel Grant
were quickly beside the doctors.
Mrs. Sartoris and Mr.. Dawson had
followed the doctors in from the piazza,
and the entire family was present eX-
cept Colonel Fred. Grant. A hasty
summons was sent for him, but he en-
tered the sick-room while the messen-
ger was searching for him. The Col
onel seated himself at the head of the
bed, with his left arm resting upon the
pillow about the head Of the General,
who was breathing rapidly and with
shghtly-gasping respirations.
MRS. GRANTS CALMNESS.
I,tt nth tpt,
agitation bravely suppressed, took seat
close by the bedside. She leaned
slightly upon the cot, resting upon her
right elbow, and gazing with tear-blind-
ed eyes into the Generals face. She
found there, however, no token Of re-
ccgnition, for the sick man was peace
fully and psinlessly passing into an
other life. Mrs. Sartoris came behind
her mother, and leaning over her shoul-
der witnessed the close Of life in
which she had constituted a strong
element Of pride. Directly behind
Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Ssrtoris.
and at a little distance removed, stood
Drs. Douglas, Shrady, and Sands,
spectators OF the closing life their efforts
and counsel had so long prolonged. On
the opposite side of the bed from their
mother, and directly before her, stood
Jesse Grant and u. S. Grant, Jr., anu
near the corner OF the cot, on the same
side with Jesse, was Mr.. \. +. Dsw-
son, the Generals stenogrspher and
confidential secretary. At the foot of
the bed, and gazing directly down into
the Generals face, was Mrs. Colonel
Fred. Grapt, Mrs. U. S. Grant, Jr., and
Mrs. Jesse Grant, while someyhst re-
moved from the family circle Nsnry, the
nurse, and Harrison Tyroll. the Gene
rails body-serysnt, were respectively
watching the closing life Of the patient
and their master. DR.. Newman had re-
paired to the hotel to breakfast, aud was
not present, and the Generals little
grandchildren. u. S. Grant, Jr., and
Nellie, were sleeping the sleep Of child
hood in the nursery above stairs.
Otherwise the entire family and house
hold were gathered at the bedside Of |
the dying man.
NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON.
The members Of the group had been
not moment sooner than
vas prudent. The doctors noted on
snteriDg the room and pressing to the
'edside that already the purpIsh tings,
which is one Of natures signals OF final
dissolution, had settled benesth the
The hand that DR.. Doug
ss lifted was fast growing colder than J