The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1889-12-11
..eRS0N DAVIS DEAD.
But HIS Memory VIII Live
While The Southland Stands.

Davis closed his eyes in death at fif.
Teen minutes before l o'clock this
morning surrounded 10y ull his friends
and relatives who were within call
From the beginning of his fatal i'll.
ness, MIR. Davis had insisted that his
case was quite hopeless, though dread
oi pait: or fear of death never apDear-
cd to take the slightest hold upon his
spirits, which were brave and even
huoyant from beginning of the attack.
In vain did the doctor strive to i'm
press upon him that his health was
Improving. Hesteadi!y Insisted that
there was no improvement, but.
WITH CHRISTIAN RESIGNATION,
he was content to accept whatever
Providence had in store for him. Only
once did he waver in his belief that
his case showed no improvement, and
that was at an early hour yesterday
morning, when he pIayfully remarked
to Mr.. Payne 81 am afraid that /
shall be compelled to agree with the
doctors for once, and admit that I am
but little better.
AT 6 o'clock last evening, without
any assignable cause, Mr.. Davis WAS
SEIZED WITH A CONGEsTIvE { I'll,
which seemed to absolutely rush vital.
ity out Of his already enfeebled body :;
so weak was Mr.. Davis that the vio-
lence Of the assault soon subsided for
lack ofvitality upon which to prey.
From that moment to the morning
of his death the history of his case
was
GRADUAL SINKING.
AT Z o'clock Mrs. Davis administer.
ed some medicine, but the ex-Presi-
dent declined to receive the whole
dose. she urged upon him the neces-
slty of taking the remainder, but put
ting it aside, ho whispered,
"PRAY EXCUSE ME-"
These were his last words. Gradually
he grew weaker and weaker, but never
for an instant seemed TO lose conscious
ness. Lying peacefully upon his bed
and without trace of pain in his
look, he remained for hours. Silent>
ly clasping and tenderly caressing his
wife's hand, with undaupted Christian
spirit he awaited the end.
From the moment Of the dread as
ssult of the congestive chill those gath.
cred around his bedside who bad been
watching and noting with painful in
teres' every change Of symptom for
the past month, knew well that
the dread messenger was even at the
door.
IN THE CHAMBER OF DEATH.
BY half-past IL o'clock there were
assembled in the death chamber Mrs.
Davis, Messrs Chaille and Bjckham,
Hts6tisSe Rr-tice ss-I Nh. Seasc-,
Mrs Mamie Smith. niece of the dying
President, and Mr.. and Mrs. +. H..
Farrsr. Finding that Mr.. Davis was
breathing somewhat heavily az he lay
upon his hack, the doctors assisted
him to turn on his right side. With
his cheek resting upon his right hand,
like sleeping infant, and with his
left hand dropping across his chest,
he lay for some fifteen minutes breath
ing softly but family. More and
more feeble became his respiration, till
they passed into silence, and then the
watchers knew that the silver cord
had been loosed and the golden bowl
broken"
THE FATHER OF THE CoNFEDERACY.
had passed away "as calmly as to a
nights repose, or flowers at set of
sun"
Despite the fact that the end had
come slowly and peacefully, and after
she had been face to face for hours
with the dead reality, the blow fell
with crushing force upon
THE AFFLICTED WIDOW.
AS long as there had been work for
either head or hands, she had borne
up bravely, and not until The sweet
uses for her tender ministrations were
lost did she seem to realize the terri,
BILE blow that had fallen upon her.
Knowing OF predisposi,ion to heart
affection, the doctors were at once
gravely alarmed for her. They
promptly administered composing
draughts, and at late hour this NOR.
ming she was resting quietly.
It's believed that the foundation
of the exPresident's las. illnees was
malaria, complicated with acute bron
cbitis. Careful nursing and skilled