Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-07-24

spared the scene of an sgonizing or other
than peaceful death. The wife almost
constantly stroked the face, forehead and
hands Of the dying General, and at times,
as the passionate longing to prevent the
event 50 near would rise within her, Mrs.
Grant pressed both his hands, and leaning
forward, tenderly kissed the face of the sink
ing man. Colonel Fred Grant sat silently,
but with evident feeling, though his bear
ing was that Of soldierly son at the
6eath bed of hero father U. s. Grant,
Jr, was deeply moved, but Jessie bore the
scene steadily, and the ladies, while watch
ing with wet cheeks, were silent, as be6tted
the dignity Of life such as was closing be-
fore them. The morning had passed five
minutes beyond 8 o'clock, and there was
not one OF the strained and waiting watch
ers but who could mark the nearness of the
life tide to its final ebbing. DR.. Douglass
noted the nearness of the suprere moment
and quietly approached the. bedside and
bent above il, and while he did 90, the sor-
row of the gray haired physician seemed
closely allied with that of the family. DR..
Shrady also drew near.
II was ScNcu hllcE Q " ClOSni onN
the eyes Of the General were closing. His
breathing grew more hushed as the last
functions of the heart and lungs were has
tened to the closing OF the ex.Presidents
life. A peaceful expression seemed to be
deepening in the firm and strong lined face,
and it was reflected as q closing comfort in
the sad hearts that beat quickly under the
stress of loving suspense.
Peacefully Dying.
A minute more passed and was closing as
the General drew a deeper breath. There
was an exbalstion like that of one relieved
of long and anxious tension. The members
of the group wereimpelled each step near
er the bed and each waited to note the next
respiration, but it did not come then-it
never came. There was absolute stiffness
in the room, and a hush of expectsnt sus-
pense; no sound broke the silence save the
singing Of birds in the pines outside the cot
tage, and the measured throbbing OF the en-
CINE that sll night had waited by the little
mountain depot down the slope.
The End.
"Itis all over" quickly spoke DR.. Doug
las, and there came then heavily to each
witness the realization that Gen. Grant was
dead.
Then the doctors withdrew, the nurse
closed the eyelids and composed the dead
Generals head, after which each Of the
family group pressed to the bedside, one at-
ter the other, and touched their lips upon
the quiet face 80 lately stilled.
DR.. Shrsdy passed out upon the piazza,
al eE be did so he met DR.. Newman hast
ening up the steps.
He is dead, remarked DR.. Shrady, qui
etly. The fact of having been absent from
the side of the dying man and his family
at the last WAS cause Of sorrow and sad
regret to the clergyman who had waited all
night at the cottage. He had been sum-
moned from his breakfast
A Moment Too Late,
and reached the cottage only in time to
minister to the family sorrow and gaze upon
the scarcely hushed lips Of the dead General,
to whom DR.. Newmsn's love had bound
him in such close ties and relations. Those
who saw and knew, and all who learned Of
the clergyman absencs from the desthbed,
quickly spoke the impulse of hearty sympa-
thy.