The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-07-24
General Ulysses s. Grant Dies at 7:45 A.
M. Yesterday.

Dawson had followed the doctors In from the |
piazza and 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 seated himself Ut the head of the |
bed with his left arm resting upon the pillow |
above the head OF the general, who was breath |
ing rapidly and with slightly gasping respira- |
tons. Mis-. Grant, calm, but with intense |
agitation bravely suppressed. took II seat close
by the bedside. She leaned slightly upon the |
cot, resting uponher right elbow and gULvd
with tear-blinded eyes into the generals lace. |
She found there. however, no token of recog- |
milton, for the sick man was peacefully and
painlessly passing into another life Mrs.
Sartoris came behind her mother. and leaning
over her shoulder so witnessed the close of u
life in which she had constituted strong eie- |
ment of pride. Directly behind Mrs. Grant
and Mrs. Sartoris, ana AT u little distance re-
moved, stood Drs. Douglass, Shrady ana
Sands, spectators Of u closing life their efforts
and counsel had So prolonged On the oppo-
site side Of the bed from their mother and di-
rectly before her stood Jesse Grant and u. ).
Grant, Jr., and near the corner of the cot on
| the same side as Jesse and near To each. was
\. T.. Dawson, the Generals stenographer and
confidential secretary Al the foot of the bed
and gazing directly down into the generals
face was Mrs. Col. Fred Grant, Mrs. U. ).
Grant, Jr and Mrs. Jesse Grant, while some
what removed from the family circle, Henry,
| the nurse, and Harrison Smell, the general
| body servant, were watching the closing life
CT the patient. DIR. Newman had repaired TO
the hotel Ia breakfast The generals little
grandchildren, u. ). Grant, Jr.. and Nellie,
were sleeping in the nursing room above.
| Otherwise the entire family and household
were gathered at the bedside OF the dy-
ing man. The members Of the group
had been summoned not moment
| sooner than was prudent. The doctors noted
on entering the room and pressing tn the bed
side, that already the purplish tinge, which is
one of natures signs of dissolution, settled
beneath the Generals finger nails. The hand
that DIR. Douglas lifted WAS fast growing cold
er than il had been throughout the night The
pulse had tuttered beyond the point where the
physicians could distinguish il from the pulse
beats In his own finger. His respiration was
very rapid. ana was succession of shallow,
painting inhalations, but happily the approach
ing end was becoming clear Of the rattling full
ness of the throat and lungs ana AS the respr,
alton grew quicker ami more rapid nj the
close, they also became less labored and almost
noiselcss. This fact was comfort To the
watchers by the bedside, to whom was spared
the scene of an agonizing or other than IA
peaceful death. The wife almost constantly
stroked the face. forehead and hands of the dy-
ing General, ana AT times as the passionate
longing 10 prevent the event near would
rise within her, Mrs. Grant pressed both his
hands and leaning forward tenderly kissed the
face.
Col. Fred Grant sat silently. His bearing
was that Of u soldiers sor at the death bed OF a
hero father. u. \. Grant, Jr, was deeply
| moved, but Jesse bore the scene steadily, and
| the ladies while watching with wet cheeks
were silent as beiltted the dignity of life such
rs was closing before them. The morning had
passed five minutes beyond eight o'clock, and
there was not one Of the strained ami waiting
watchers, but who could mark the nearness of
the life tide To its final ebbng DIR. Douglas
noted the nearnes5 Of the supreme moment
and quietly approached the bedside and bent
| above Il, AMI while he did So the sorrow of the
gray haired physician seemed closely allied
with that of the family. DIR. Shrady also drew
near il was seven minutes after O'Clock, and
the eyes Of the General was closing. His
breathing grew more hushed as the last funct-
ions Of the heart and lungs were hastcned TO
the closing of life. A peaceful expression
seemed To be deepening in the firm and strong
lined face, and 1t was II reflection of closing
comfort in the sad hearts. A minute more
passed and was closing as the General drew u
deeper breath. There was an exalIation like
that Of one relieved of long and anxious ten
sion. The members of the group were impell-
cd each To step nearer the bed, and each
waited To catch the next respiration, but
IL did not come. II never came There was
absolute stiffness in the room, and n hush of
expcctant suspense No sound broke the sill
ence, save the singing of birds In the pines out
side the cottage. and the measured throbbing
of the engine that had awaited all night by the
little mountain depot down the slope 1t is
all over" quietly spoke Mr.. Douglass, and
there came heavily 10 each witness the rcaliza-
ton that General Grant was dead Then the
doctors Withdrew. The nurse closed the eye
lids and composed the dead Generals head.
Each of the family group pressed To the bed
side one after the other and touched their lips
upon the quiet face SO lately stilled.
DIR. bhrady passed out upon the piazza, and
as he did so, he met DIR. Newman Fastening up
the steps. "He Is dead" remarked DR. Shrady
quietly. The fact Of having been absent from
the side of the dying man and his family ut
tue iust was cdtist Oh sOTrOW uHu regret To
the clergyman who had awaited all night at the
cottage.
The pulse first had indicated failure aud the
intellect succumbed in clearness and consci |
Gus tcnacty after midnight last night, though |
II circumstance at three O'Clock indicated |
cogniZancc. "Do you want any thing, father" |
questioned Col. Fred at that hour, water" |
whispered the General huskily. But when Of
fered water and milk they gurgled Ia his throat
aud elected and that one word of response
was the last utterance of General Grant. I,r. |
Douglass remarked that the peculiarly of |
Gen. Grants death was explained by the re |
markable vitality that seemed To present AN |
obstacle 10 the approach of death. ID was u |
gradual passing away of the vital forces. and |
II reflex consciousness the doctor thought was |
retained To the last. The General died Of sheer |
exhaustion and perfectly painless sinking
away"
eyes" INTERCEPTED DIR Shrady, quietly, "the
General dreaded pain when he felt he had be-
gun sinking, and he asked that he should not
be permitted To suffer. The promise was
made. and II has been kept. Since he com.
menced 10 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
During the Generals last night Dr. Shrady wns
constantly within call. DIR. Douglas was all
night at the cottage, and Dr. Sands slept at the
hotel after midnight