The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-30
NO. Is

eral. 1t was about the time of last night
crisis. All were fearful, yet all were self
contained. The prayer was offered, briefly
soothingly. The. Generals breath was yet
quick. 1t soon became softer. The fan:
kept going. The breathing grew les:
labored. There was fiutter of the eye
lids. They opened, and the General looked
quietly about him. There was no sobbing
to sadden him, but all was quiet and peace
full. Cool air encircled him. He drew il
into his lungs with deeper draughts Ten
der faces looked down upon him. He re-
turned their glances with reviving love
and so just at the hour that he passed the
crisis of the night before and in the same
manner, he dropped gently asleep. The
General slept for an hour. His power OF
whispering came back when he awoke and
answered few questions. He lay on the
| right side. His left hip panied him from
the old injury and he rubbed it frequently.
At II o'clock he was awake and conscious,
respiration had increased to Al, pulse very
weak. The doctors were then looking for
a change for the worse between l and A
o'clock. His hands and arms were quite
cold his feet less cold than earlier in the
evening.
| THE LAST SCENES.
Shortly before 8o'clock Thursday MORN
ing, while the family we're preparing for
breakfast, and the doctors were discussing
the patients chances on the piazza of the
cottage. Henry, the nurse, who was with
the General, stepped hurriedly out of the
sickroom and going to where the doctors
were standing, informed them in a whis-
per that he thought the end was near. The
doctors hastily went to the room and at q
glance took in the situation.
THE FAMILY SUMMONED.
They quickly ordered the nurse to sum-
mon the members of the family to the
sick room at once. Mrs. Grant, Mr.. Jesse
Grant and wife. U. S. Grant. jr., and wife,
and Mrs. Colonel Grant instantly answered
the summons and were soon at the side of
the sick bed. Mrs. Sartoris. noticing the
doctors hurriedly going to the room, fol-
lowed them and was the first member of
the family present. Colonel Fred Grant
was now the only member of the family
absent, having strolled off around the
grounds. Servants were sent in search of
him, but he entered the sick room of his
own accord before any one had succeeded
in bringing him the news of his fathers
approaching dissolution. Colonel Grant
took seat at the right hand side of the
bed of the dying man, placing his left arm
on the pillow above his fathers head.
Close by the bedside sat Mrs. Grant, in
tensely agitated with her emotions, but
bravely suppressing them and appearing
calm. She leaned slightly upon the bed,
rising upon one elbow and gazing with eyes
blinded with tears into the Generals face.
There was, however, mo sign of recognition
in his pallid face. He was breathing fast,
and with slightly gasping aspirations
Mrs. Sartoris leaned upon the shoulder OF
her mother, and witnessed with pent up
emotions the ebb of life in which she had
constituted an element of pride. The scene
was a quiet one. The General was peace
fully and painlessly passing into another
world. At little distance behind Mrs.
Grant and Mrs. Sartoris stood the three
physicians, Douglas, Mace ready and Sands,
silent spectators of scene which but for
their efforts would doubtless have occurred
months ago. Jesse Grant and U. S.
Grant, jr., stood opposite their mother at
the other side OF the bed. Near by, at
the foot of the cot and close to Jesse, was
Mr.. n. E. Dawson, the Generals conf
dental secretary and stenographer. At
the foot of the bed stood Mrs. U. s.
Grant. jr., and by her side Mrs. Colonel
Fred Grant and Mrs. Jesse Grant. These
three gazed directly down into the face
of the General, while their eyes became
suffused with tears. The sad expression
Of their faces plainly reflected the anguish
of their feelings. Now and then they
stole glance at Mrs. Grant, who, with
bowed head, was intently watching the
face Of her dying husband. Not a word
was spoken, and the stiffness of the room
added to the impressiveness of the sad
scene.
Mrs. Grant several times affectionately
stroked the face, forehead and arms of her
dying husband, and seemed utterly beside
herself with despair at the thought of her
approaching separation by death from the
man with whom she had passed so many
pleasant years of welded happiness. DR..
Douglas several times felt the pulse of the
patient who was now quietly passing away
but this had dwindled to point beyond
detection.
NO PAIN FELT.
The respiration grew momentarily more
and more quickened, but his face reflected
no pain, and although at first his breathing
seemed labored, it gradually became weak
er and with little effort.
Toward the end, as if by sudden inn
pulse, Mrs. Grant arose from her seat be-
side the death bed and Selling both of the
Generals hands within her own, pressed
them, and leaning. over, kissed him
fervently on the forehead. At this few
convulsive sobs were heard coming from
the direction of where U. S, Grant, jr.,
stood, but these were speedily repressed,
and a solemn stiffness again came over the
room.
For few moments every one present
seemed battling with their..feelings as they
sat or stood around watching the fast APP
preaching end. DR.. Douglas intently
watched the patients face, noting every
change or expression that passed over it.
AS time wore on the breathing of the pa
tient became more and more faint, until
only slight heaving Of the chest was no.
ticeable. His eyeballs began to take set
expression, while the lids gradually began
to close.
An expression of supreme happiness
stole over his face and then with two or
three deep-drawn gasps, the General
passed away as quietly and as sweetly as
though he had fallen asleep. The family,
who had been sitting quietly, now drew
closer to the bed and listened breathlessly
for some further signs of life, but none
came. DR.. Douglas was the first to break
the stiffness. In a half broken voice he
said just loud enough to be heard: "Well,
his sufferings have at last come to an end.