Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-07-28
Gen Grants Last Hours.


DR.. Douglas ordered the family to be
summoned TO the bedside Haste was
made. and Mrs. Grant, Mr.. Jesse and
wife, U. S. Grant, Jr, and wife and
Mrs. Col. Grant were quietly beside
the doctors at the sick mans cot. Mrs.
Sartoris and Mr.. Dawson had follow
ed the doctors inf from the piazza, aud
the entire family was present except
Col. Fred Grant. Hasty summons
were sent for him, but he entered the
sick room while the messenger was
searching for him. The Colonel seat
ed at the head of the bed, with his
left arm resting upon the pillow
above the head of the General, who
was breathing rapidly and with slight
ly gasping respirations. Mrs. Grant
calm, but with intense agitation brave
ly suppressed, took seat close by the
bedside. She leaned slightly on the
cot, resting upon her elbow and
gazed
WITH TEAR-BLINDED EYES
into the Generals face. She found
there, however, no token of recOgni-
ton, for the sick man was peacefully
and painlessly passing into another
life. Mrs. Sartoris came behind her
mother, and, leaning over her Shout
der, so witnessed the close of life in
which she had constituted strong
element of pride. Directly behind
Mrs. Grant and Mr.. Sartoris, and at
little distance removed, stood Drs.
Douglas, Shrady and Sands, specta-
tors of closing life their efforts and
counsel had so prolonged. On the OPP
posite side of the bed from his moth
er and directly before her stood Jesse
Grant and U. S. Grant Jr., and near
the corner of the cot OIL the same side
as Jesse and near to each, was Mr.. n.
E. Dawson, the general stenographer
and confidential secretary. At the
foot of the bed and gazing directly
down into the Generals face was Mrs
Col. Fred Grant, Mrs. L. S. Grant,
Jr., and Mrs. Jesse Grant, while some
what removed from the family circle.
Henry, the nurse, and Harrison Ten
ell, the Generals body servant, were
respectively watching the
CLOSING OF THE LIFE
of the patient and their master. DR..
Newman had repaired TO The hotel TO
breakfast and was not present. The
Generals little grandchildren, L. S.
Grant, Jr., and Nellie, were sleeping
the sleep of childhood in the nursery
room above, otherwise the entire fam
lily and household were gathered
around the bedside of the dying man,
The members of the group had been
summoned not moment sooner than
was prudent. The doctors noted on
entering the room, and pressing to
the bedside, that already the purplish
linge, which is one of natures signals
for final dissolution, had settled be-
meath the finger nails. The hand that
DR.. Douglas lifted was fast growing
colder than it had been through the
night. The pulse had fluttered be-
yond the point where the physicians
could distinguish it from the pulse
beats in his own finger tips. The res
piration was very rapid and was a
succession of shallow paintings, but
happily the approaching end was be-
coming clear of the rafting fullness
of the throat and lungs, and the
RESERVATIONS GREW QUICKER
and more rapid at the close, they also
became less labored and almost noise
less. This fact was, in its results,
comfort TO the watchers by the bed
side, to whom was spared the scene
of agonizing 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 so near would rise within her,
Mrs. Grant pressed both his hands
and, leaning forward, tenderly kissed
the face of the sinking man. Col.
Fred Grant sat silently but with evil
dent feeling, though his bearing was
that of a soldierly son at the DEATH
bed of hero father. U. S. Grant, Jr.,
was deeply moved, but Jesse bore the
scene steadily; and the ladies, while
watching with wet cheeks, were ST.
lent, as betitted the dignity of life
such as was closing before them. The
morning had passed five minutes be-
yond s 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. DIR.
Douglas noted the nearness of
THE SUPREME MOMENT,
and quietly approached the bedside
and bent above it, and while he did
SO, the gray haired physician seemed
closely allied with that of the family.
DIR. Shrady also drew near. 1t was
7 minutes alters o'clock, and the eyes
of the General were closing. His
breathing 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