The Russellville Democrat., 1889-12-12

JEFFERSON DAVIS DEAD.
Full of Years and Honor He
joins the Silent Majority.

From the beginning of his fatal
illness Mr.. Davis had insisted that
bis case was nearly or quite hopeless,
though the dread of pain or fear Of
death never appeared to take the
slightest hold upon his spirits. which
were brave and even buoyant frsm
the beginning of his attack.
In vain did the doctors strive to
impress upon him that his health
was improving. He steadily insisted
that there was no Improvement, but,
with Christian resignation, he was
content to accept whatever Provi-
dence had in store for him. Only
once did he waver in his belief that
his case showed improvement. and
that was at an early hour yesterday
when he playfully remark
ed to Payne:
II am afraid that ! shall be com
PEELED to agree with the doctors for
once, and admit that / am little
better"
All day long the favorable symp,
toms continued, and late In the
as late as 4 o'clock, Mrs.
Davis sent such cheering message
to Mrs. Stamps and Mr.. and Mrs.
Farrar that they decided. for the
first time since Mr.. Davis has been
taken i'll, to attend the French opera.
At 6 o'clock last evening, without
any assignable cause, Mr.. Davis was
seized with congestive chill, which
seemed to absolutely crush the vital
itv out of his already enfeebled body.
SO weak was Mr.. Davis that the NO
lence of the assault soon subsidized,
for lack of vitality upon which to
prey.
From that moment to his death,
the history OF his case was that Of
gradual sinking. AT 7 o'clock Mrs.
Davis administered some medicine,
but the ex President declined to re
ceive the whole dose. She urged
upon him the necessity oftaking the
remainder, but, putting it aside with
the gentlest of gestures, he whisper.
ed: "Pray, excuse me-"
These were his last words. Grad
ually he grew weaker and weaker,
but never for an instant seemed tc
lose consciousness. Lying peaceful
" upon his bed, and without trace
Of pain in his look, he remained for
hours, silently clasping and tenderly
caressing his wife's hand, and with
undaunted Christian spirit, he await
ed the end.
From the moment of the dread as
sanlt of the congestive chill, those
gathered around his bedside, who
had been watching and noting with
painful interest every change OF
symptom for the past month, knew
we'll that the dread messenger was
even at the door. About haif-past
10 o'clock Associate Justic Fenner
went to the French Opera House to
call to Mr.. Davis bedside Mr.. and
Mrs. Farrar and Mrs. Stamps. As
soon as the message reached them,
they hurried to the house where the
ex-P President was dying. By 1l:3O
o'clock there were assembled in the
death chamber Mrs. Davis, Drs.
Chaillle and Bickham, Associate
Justic and Mrs. Fenner, Miss Nan
ME Smith, grandneice Of the dying
ex- President, and Mr.. and Mrs. e.
H. Farrar.
Finding that Mr.. Dayis was
somewhat heavily, as he
lay upon his back, the doctors as
sisted him to turn upon his right
side. With his cheek resting upon
his right hand, like a sleeping IN
FAINT, and with his left hand droop
ing across his chest, he lay for some
fifteen minutes, breathing softly but
More and more feeble be
came his respirations, till they pass
sd into silence, and then the watch
ers knew that the silver chord had
been loosed and the golden bowl
broken.
The Father of the Csnfederacy had
passed away,
GAS calmly as to nights repose
On flowers at set of SUM-"
Despite the fact that the end had
come slowly and peacefully, after
the had been face to face for hours
With the dread reality, the blow fell
With crushing force upon the afflict
ID widow. AS long as there had been
work for either head or hands, she
lad borne up bravely, and not until
he sweet uses Of her tender min
strations were lost did she seem to
-ealize the terrible force of the blow
hat had fallen upon her.
Knowing of predisposition to
ieart affection the doctors we're at
,nce gravely alarmed about her, aud
hey promptly administered a com
posing draught, and at late hour
his morning she was resting quietly.
1t Is believed the foundation OF the
* Presidents last illness was mala-
ia, complicated with acute bron
,hitls. Careful nursing and skilled
medical attention had mastered the
after, but it is supposed that the
chill, which was the i'm
cause of death, was attrib-
table to return of the malaria.
After death the face of the deceas-
ID, though looking slightly emaciat-
ID, showed no trace Of suffering, more
nearly resembling that Of peaceful
deeper than Of the dead.
Biographical.