The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-06
AN INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.
The Last Days and Death of Andrew
jackson.

1.-THE following interesting account is taken
from a private letter OF Mr.. George z. A. Healy,
the American artist, long residentm Parish
L beg TO give you the statement you request
ed Of my commission from King Louis Phil
ippe in the spring of 1912, at which time |
was occupied in England in the Kings SER
vice. Fl isMajesty sent me to Paris, and
said, "Mr Healy, wish you to paint for my
historical gallery at Versailles portraits of
several OF the great men Of your country. /
learn that Gen. Jackson is extremely iii, and
as Iwish his likeness taken from the life,
lose no time on your way to the Hermitage"
So we'll did l carry out instructions that /
did net stop in Baltimore to visit my only
sister, whom | had not seen for years.
On my arrival was grieved to see the
General so i'll; he lad been unable to lie
down for three months. His answer to the
King request was, Cant sit SIR" Nv re-
ply was, "The King will be very sorry"
Not lor all the Kings in Chrlstendom, sir"
bowed. One OF the gentlemen said, "Mr
Heally. You should have first seen Mrs. Jack
son." This lady was the wife of young Don
elson, VINO took the name of jackson when
adopted by the General. She had gone to
Nashville, twelve miles away. i drove back
to town, found the lady and related the re-
suit OF my visit She said, Il am sorry ia
Their will not sit, but Mr.. Healy, / will see
what can do, and. should he consent, my
husband will call for you at ten O'Clock to-
morrow morning"
never passed so long a night. and the
heat, although but the first of May, was ex.
IRENE: Happily was called for at the hour
| named. l was gracously received by the
General, who apologized that in the sittiLgs
he should be unable to do me justice.
| assured him the greatest justice he could do
| me was to forget that was present. Mrs.
| jackson Informed me that she said much to
| him of the joy his friends would feel to see
his likeness atVersailles. His answer was the
Seaes G &c as h She saa fla ssher Should
like you to sit" at this his tears fell fast and
he exclaimed "My child, will Sit" The
picture was completed within week. They
requested me to copy it for the family on my
return to Paris. / said a copy was rarely so
good as the original: if the General would
allow me to paint second, they should have
the first; this gave satisfaction. When had
to paint my child for me-" | bowed, and
said 1t was my duty at once to 10 to Mr..
Clay. shall never forget his impressive
your duty"
On my return to Nashville, the Hon. John
Bell informed me the last he had heard of
MI. Clay was that he had a bad cold ON board
steamer aground near Louisville, KY, and
1t would be week before he could learn
whether he had continued to st. Louis or
had returned to Ashland. therefore went
back to the Hermitage, Gen. jackson said |:
| Il am glad to see you, sir. and If the. Lord
| spares my life to see my child's portrait fin
ished, l shall rejoice" This was Wednes-
| day; the next Saturday the work wanted one
| sitting,and the General never saw it finished.
On Sunday morning was deeply touched by
a cry or wall that was begun by the servants
| of the house, and taken up up by those with
| out, and like wave after wave passed over
the entire plantation; the words were
Lord, Lord, old master is dead, old mas.
| ter is dead" This was in the morning;
remained in my room until twelve, when l
| heard steps on the stairs. / saw two nepheWs
| of Mrs. jackson, who informed me that
grandfather. as they called him, bad only
| tainted when the servants thought him dead
| Attwenty minutes to six knocked at the
door Of the sick room; the Generals eolored
man, George, opened the door and told me
when young Jackson said, with tears falling
from his eyes, "Come in" mot at such a
moment" l replied. He added, II wish you
to !; he is dying. was surprised to find ten
or twelve persons in the room; all were
weeping; the General was propped up in his
bed. his head held by his great friend, Mai
Lewis. The dying man reused himself from
lethargy, looked at the fearful faces of his
friends, and said: why should you weep
forme? am in the hands of the Lord. who
Is about TO relieve me; you should rejoice,
not weep. These were his last words. His
head dropped, and the falling of the under
Jaw was the only indication that all was
over. On seeing that, his daughter, who
was kneeling, holding one Of his hands,
!his was the only human being ever saw
die. -
After the funeral l finished Mrs. Jackson's
portrait and proceeded to Ashland