The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-04-25


A bright example for our youth
To shape their lives by love and truth.
Great Cad. with thanks for EIori~s past
ABd A. the hnrOIsenpe Ws easi-
uuT nation guide, inspIrr, iIIuIne.
For Ers,Rsler Eiories yet Ca come;
With InisrnInEled hops aud fear.
We forward Inok-a hundred years.
AT WASHINGTON's DEATR-BED.
The Last Hours sT the Ola Here DE
serIbsd by an Eys-WIt0s~s.
count Of the ! at illness aud death OF
Hen. George Washington was noted
by Tobias Lear on the Sunday fol-
lowing his death, which happened
on Saturday evening, December ~,
IT'S, between the hours Of 10 and II.
On Thursday, December u, the
General rode out to his farms at
about 10 o'clock, aud did not return
home I'LL past 3. Soon after he went
out the weather became very bad,
rain, hail aud snow falling alter
nasely, with . cold wind. When he
came la | carried some letters TO
him to frank, intending To send
them to the post ONCE. He franked
the letters. tat said the weather was
too bad In send . servant Ca the
Office that evening.
1 observed To him that was
afraid he had got wet; he said no,
bIs Rrrst coat had kept him dry.
But his neck appeared to be wet I;
the snsw was hanging on his hair.
He came to- dinner without chang
lug his dress. In the evening he
appeared as well - usual. A heavy
fail Of snow took place ON Friday,
which prevented the General from
riding out - usual. He had taken
cold, undoubtedly from being so
muCn exposed the day before, aud
complained Of having q sore throat I;
he had = hoarseness, which In
creased la the evening, but he made
light Of &c, - he would never take
anything Ia carry of cold, always
observing: Let u 90 IS IL came"
In the evening, the papers having
come from the post office, he sat Ia
the room with Mrs. Washington
and myself reading them Till shout
y o'clock, aud when he met with
anything hich he thought divert
ing ar Interesting he would read Il
aloud. He desired me to read 10
him the debates Of the Virginia
Assembly on tue election Of q SEN
atOr aud governor, which { did. On
his retiring 20 bed he appeared 90 bs
Ia perfect health, except the cold,
which he considered 80 trIfiing; he
had been remarkably cheerful ali
the evening.
About ar o'clock on Saturday
morning he awOke Mrs. Washington
aud Informed her that he was very
unweli aud had an ague. She OBJ
served that he could scarcely speak
and breathed with difficulty, aud
she wished TO get up and call
servant, but the General would not
permit her, lest she should take
cold. A soon - the day appeared,
the woman, Caroline, went into the
room to- make fire, aud the girl
desired that Mr.. Rawllns, one Of the
Overseers, who was used to bleeding
the people, might be sent for to bleed
him before the doctor could arrive.
! WAS sent for sud went to the
Generals chamber, where Mrs.
Washington was up and related to
me his being taken III between 2 aud
8 O'Clock, as before stated.
found him breathing with difii-
Guilty aud hardly able to utter q
word intelligibly. went out
instantly and wrote Q line to DIR.
Flask aud sent % with all speed.
Immediately returned to the
Generals chamber, where I found
him Ia the same situation I had left
him. A mixture of mOlasses, vine
gar aud butter MAS prepared, but he
could not swallow y drop. When
ever he attempted 70 he was dis
tressed, rOuvulsed and almost
sufiocaIed. MIR. Rawlins came In
sOOn after sunrise and prepared to
bleed him. When the the arm was
ready the General, observing that
Ravlins appeared agitated, said
with difficulty, Don't be afraid"
and after the ineisiOn was made he
observed the Oriflee wAs not large
enough. However, the blood ran
pretty freely. Mrs. Washington,
not knowing whether bleeding was
proper In the Generals condition,
begged that much might not be
taken from him, aud desired the TO
stop IT, When I was about 10 unite
the string the General put up his
hand to prevent 10, and a. soon ~ he
could speak saId, "Mure."
Mrs. Washington, still uneasy lest
too much blood should be taken, Il
was stopped after about half q pint
had been taken. Finding that no
relief WHs obtained from bleeding
aud nothing could be swallowed, ]
proposed bathing the throat
externally with sal volatile, which
was done. A piece of flannel vas
then put around Ills neck. His feet
were also soaked 90 warm water, but
90 gave no relief. BY Mrs. Wash
tngtun's request dispatched q
messenger for DIR. Brown, At Port
CTaik arrived aud put y blister Of
IIenersI aud took more blood, aud
had s0Ius vinegar aud hot water set
Ia q teapot for him to draw la the
fumes from the uOEEle. He also had
tea aud vinegar mixed aud used as
. gHrgle, but when he held hack bis
head To let % run down, lt almost
mixture came out Of his mouth
sOme phlegm followed &C.. aud he
would attempt Co. cough, which the
uoStof CuCuuTukCut Out NElnoul
effect. About n o'clock Dr. Dick
Wss sent for. DIR. Craik blsd the
General again; no effect WAs pro-
duced and he continued la the same
state, unable TO swallow AnJ-
thing. DIR. Dick came Ia about
o'clock aud DIR. Brown arrived soon
after, when, after consultation, the
General Vas bled again; the blood
rem slowly appeared very thick, and
did not produce auy synIptOms Of
fAlnting.
At4 O'Clock the General could
swallow . little. Calomel and
tartar emetlc were administered
without effect. About 4:D O'Clock
he desired me To ask Mrs. Washing
toa To come to his bedside, when be
desired her To 20 down To his room
and take from his desk two willis
which she would find there, aud
bring them 10 him, which she did.
Upon looking 81 one, which he
observed was useless, he desired her
10 buru q, which she did, and then
took the other aud put 10 away.
After this Was done ! returned again
"a hla bedside and took hIs hand.
He said 10 me: az hud am EoInR-
INV breath can not Cd ntinue long.
believed from the flrSt attack II
would be fatal. Do you arrange
aud record all my military letters
snd papers; arrange my accounts
aud settle my books, - yOu know
more shout them than any one else,