Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-16
AT THE EMPeRoR's oEATH-BEp.


| An Affecting Scene Between Unser Frit,
and bismarck.
LONDON, June 16.-The story Of the I'm
peror's last day of life Is thus briefly told
When Prince Bismarck took what proved Il
be his final leave of his imperial master
Thursday afternoon the emperor with q
great effort placed the hands of the empress In
those OF the chancellor, his eyes the while un
mistakably expressing an appeal TO the man OF
blood and iron to protect and uphold the
rights of the devoted wife and prospective
widow.
Prince Bismarck signifed in words his in.
terpretation of the emperor's otherwise ex-
pressed desires He bowed low to the en-
peror, then to the empress, and kissing the
hand OF the kaiser, promised to faithfully
obey his mute injunction.
At midnight the emperor was assisted from
his bed and placed in a chair. The change
brought slight relief to the patient whose
respiration was labored and pulse huttering
The members Of the emperor's family. with
the exception of the empress, then retired for
a brief sleep, leaving the faithful wife per-
forming at her hush and's bedside the weary
vigil prompted by love and duty. Mean
while the doctors, with the excep ton of DR.
Howell, who sat in a chair at the left of the
bed, paced up and down the large front
room communicating with the study in
which the emperor was lying. Dr. Howell
repeatedly examined the pulse of the sick
man, and at o'clock was asked by his
majesty through the medium OF a note writ
ten on the leaf of pad "How is my pulse {;
are you satisfied with it,"
From this hour there was a gradual de-
crease of the emperor's strength until 3
o'clock, when marked change for the worse
set in. The patients face blanchsd. and his
eyes seemed to recede In their sockets until
they appeared to be but half their normal
size The condition of the empe-
ror alarmed his watchers, and the
members of the imperial family were
summoned Prince Henry was the first to
appear, closely followed by the crown prince,
soon to become emperor. Both princes sta
toned themselves at the bedside, most of the
other members of the family, who came soon
after them, standing near the door.
The moribund emperor rallied slightly
after the arrival of his children,
and maintained his Improvement un
til O'Clock, when the final
decline set in From that hour to the end
the sinking was gradual and steady. Last
nights dispatches do not confirm the re-
ported efforts of his majesty to speak and
write during his last hour of life. At II
o'clock all of the dying mans family were
present at the bedside. The crown prince
stood near the head of the bed, his form
erect and his gaze never once withdrawn
from the face of his father. His counter
ance was sorrowful, yet stern, and his man
ner betok ened full appreciation of the burden
of responsibility which was rapidly heing
transferred to him to bear while he should
live.
After the administration of the sacrament
to the dying emperor, the chaplains offered
prayer. All present were intensely affected.
When the final moment arrived and DIR.
Mackenzie announced the end the empress
knelt and kissed the forehead of her dead
husband. The other members of the family
advanced to the bedside, kissed the emperor's
hand and slowly retired, each one expressing
grief by unrestrained sobs.
The empress bore up bravely. She fingered
for awhile after the others had withdrawn.
She shed tears, perhaps, less copiously than
did her children, but the convusive sobs which |
shook her frame and awakened the compassion |
of all near betokened an agony of pent up
suffering which none could share or relieve. |