The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-12-12

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JEFFERSON DAVIS.
New ORLEANS, La, Dec. 6.-At 12:45
O'Clock this morning the Hon. JEFFERSON
Davis. ex-President of the Confederate
States, died at the residence OF his life
long friend, }. U, Payne
From the beginning of his fatal illness
Mr.. Davis had insisted that his case was
nearly or quite hopeless, though tho dread
| OF pain or fear OF death never appeared to
| take the slightest hold upon his spirits,
which were brave and even buoyant from
| the beginning Of his attack.
| In vain did the doctors strive to impress
| upon him that his health was improving.
| lie steadily insisted that there was no i'm
| provement, but with Christian resignation
| he was content to accept whatever Provi-
| dence had in store for him. Only once did
| he wayerin his belief that his case showed
| no Improvement, and that was at an early
| hour Yesterday morning, when he play
| fully remarked to Mr.. Payne: 81 am afraid
| that | will be compelled to agree with
| the doctors for once and admit that am
little better"
All day long the favorable symptoms
| continued, and late in the afternoon, as
| late as O'Clock, Mr.. Davis sent such
cheering message to Mrs. Stamps and
Mr.. and Mrs. Farrar that they decided, for
the first time since Mr.. Davis has taken Ill,
to attend the French opera.
At6 O'Clock last evening, without any
assignable cause, Mr.. Davis was seized
with a congestive chill, which seemed to
absolutely crush the vitality out of his
already enfeebled body. So weak was Mr..
Davis that the violence of the assault soon
subsided for the lack of vitality upon which
to prey.
From that moment to the moment of his
death the history of his case was that of
gradual sinking. At O'Clock Mrs. Davis
administered some medicine, but the ex-
President declined to receive the whole
dose. She urged upon him the necessity
of taking the remainder, but putting it
aside, with the gentlest of gestures, he
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 a trace of pain in his look, he re-
mained for hours. Silently clasping and
tenderly caressing his wife's hand, with
undaunted Christian spirit he awaited the
end.
From the moment of the dread assault of
the congestive chill, those gathered around
his bedside, who had been watching, notic-
ing with painful interest every change OF
symptom for the past month, knew well
that the dread messenger was even at the
door. About half past 10 O'Clock AS
sociate Justice Fenner went to the French
Opera house to call to Mr.. Davis's bedside
Mr.. and Mrs. Farrar and Mrs. Stamps. AS
soon as the message reached them they
hurried to the bedside of the dying ex-
President.
By II 80 O'Clock there were assembled in
the death chamber Mrs Davis, Drs. Camille
and Rickham Associate Justice and Mrs.
Fenner, Miss Mamie Smith. grandniece of
the dying ex-President, and MIR. and Mrs.
| +. II. Farrar.
Finding that Mr.. Davis was breathing
somewhat heavily as he lay upon his back,
the doctors assisted him to turn upon 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.
| breathing softly but family. More and
more feeble became his respirations till
| they passed into silence, and then the
| watchers knew that the silver cord had
been loosened 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 SUM-.
Despite the fact that the end had come
slowly and peacefully. and after she had
been face to face for hours with the
dread reality, the blow fell with crushing
force upou the afflicted widow. AS long
as there had been work for either head or
hands she borne up hravely, and not until
the sweet uses for her tender ministration
were lost did she seem to realize the terrible