Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-07-31

Jr, and wife and Mrs Col. Grant were
quickly beside the doctors at the sick mans
cot, and Mrs. Sartoris and Mr.; Dawson had
followed the doctors in from the piazza, and
the entire family was present
AT THE BEDSIDE.
COL Grant seated himself 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 slightly
gasping respirations Mrs Grant, calm, but
with intense agitation bravely suppressed,
took seat close by the bedside She leaned
slightly upon the colonel, resting upon her
right elbow, and gazed, with tear stained
eyes, into the generals face. She found
there, however, no token of recognition, for
the sick man was peacefully and palnlessly
passing into another life. Mrs. Sartoris came
behind her mother, and leaning over her
shoulder, she witnessed the close of a life in
which she had constituted a strong element
Of pride. Directly behind Mrs. Grant and
Mrs Sartoris, and a little distance removed,
stood doctors Douglas, Shrady and Sands
as spectators of q closing life their
efforts and counsel had SO prolonged
On the opposite side of the bed from his
mother and directly before her stood Jesse
Grant and o. S. Grant, Jr., and near the cor
ner of the cot, on the SAINT side as Jesse and
near to each, was N. E, Dawson, the generals
stenographer and confidential secretary. At
the foot Of the bed, and gazing directly down
into the generals face. was Mrs Col. Fred
Grant and Mrs y. s. Grant, Jr, and Mrs.
Jesse Grant, while somewhat removed from
the family circle, Henry, the nurse, and
Harrison Tyrell, the generals body servant,
were respectively watching the closing life
of their patient, their master: DR.. Newman
had repaired to the hotel for breakfast and
was not present The generals little grand
children, U. s. Grant, Jr, and Nellie, were
sleeping the sleep of childhood in the
nursery room above. Otherwise the en-
tire family and household were gath
cred at the bedside of the dying man.
SUMMONED JUST m TIME
The members OF the group had been sum-
moned not moment sooner than was
prudent The doctors noted, on entering
the room and pressing to the bedside, that
already the purplish tinge which was one of
natures signals of final dissolution had
settled beneath the finger nails The hand
that Dr. Douglas lifted was fast growing
colder than it had been through the night
The pulse had fluttered beyond the point
where the physician could distinguish it
from the pulse beat in his own finger tips.
The respiration was very rapid and was q
succession of shallow painting lphalatiOns,
but toward the close they became less labored
and almost noiseless. This fact was in it's
result q comfort to the watchers by the bed
side to whom was spared the scene of an
agonizing or otherwise than q peaceful
death, The wife almost constantly stroked
the face, forehead and hands of the dying
general, and at times, as the passionate long
ing 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 sal silently, but with evident feeling,
though his bearing was that OF q soldierly
son at the deathbed Of hero father. q. s.
Grant. Jr., was deeply moved, but Jesse bore
the scene steadily, and the ladies, while
watching with wet cheeks, were silent as
bedtted the dignity OF a life such as was clos
ing before them The morning had passed
five minutes beyond 8 o'clock and there was
not one of
TIE STRAINED AND WAITING WATCHERS
but who could mark the nearness of the life
tide to It's 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 gray-haired physician seemed closely
allied with that of the family. DR.. Shrady
also drew near. It was seven minutes after
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-presi-
dents life peaceful expression seemed to
he iv, no CTR 1QG
face, and it was reflected as q closing COM
fort in the sad hearts that beat quickly under
the stress Of loving suspense. A minute more
passed and was closing as the general drew q
deeper breath. There was an exhalation
like that Of one relieved OF long and anxious
t tension. The members of the group were
| impelled each to step nearer the bed, and
each waited to note the next respiration,
/ bnt it did not come then; 1t never came,
There was absolute stiffness in the room
and hush OF expectant surprise. No sound
| broke the silence save the singing Of birds in
/ the pines outside the cottage and the meas
ured breaking of the engine that all night
had awaited BY the little mountain depot
down the slope. q.
&. THE END OF ALI.
| st II all over quietly spoke d.. Doug
| las, and then came heavily to each witness
the realization that Gen Grant was dead
Then the doctors withdrew; the nurse
CLOSED the eyeltds and composed the dead
generate head, after which each Of the fam
ily group pressed to the, bedside one after
| the other and touched their lips upon the
face SO lately stillel De. Shrady passed
out upon the piazza, and as he did go he met
Il Dr. Newman fastening up the steps He il
dead, remarked Dr. shrady quietly. The
| fact of having been absent from the side Of
/ the dying man and bis family Of the las,
/ was 8 cause f sorrow and greet g the cler.
HRynaan, who had awaited al night at the
4 cottage ne had bean summoned from hiE
break1ast 8 moment too late. and reached
1.-The cottage only In time 70 minister TO thu
family scrrow md gaze upon the scarcely
lhushed lips g the genera, to whom DE-.
Newman's love had bound him II anch close
onaL s.5Sgss..
IooxS1 nACK
\ Soon aftsr DIM Doug and ehxnd lefl