The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-06-12

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SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD.
pathetic. From all parts of the Dominion
and from the sovereign herself came ten
der messages of coincidence and anxious
inquiries as to the aged statesman's condi-
ton. To all of the inquiries but one an
swer could be given-the end might be de-
layed but was inevitable The beginning
The Last Feeble Rally.
The premier had slept the greater part
of the night and throughout the day he
slept at intervals. The Friday aftern DON
bulletin from the physicians at the bedside
announced that the premier's strength
was rapidly diminishing and then all hope
fled. AS the afternoon slowly waned pro-
found stiffness reigned at Earnscliffe.
The scene there after nightfall was i'm
pressive in its solemnity. Up to midnight
anxious groups gathered upon the lawn
and spoke in whispers of the dying
patients condition. At 9 o'clock Sir Johns
heart failed in it's work and he sank so
low that for some time he seemed to have
ceased to live. He rallied feebly and
fought his way back to the weakest hold
ON life a man could have. His stupendous
vitality was making grand struggle.
Watching the Vital Spark Die Out.
At midnight the callers had all departed
and the correspondents were left to watch
the night out alone. The hours wore
slowly on. The light of a new day
brought with it nothing to relieve the
anxious suspense. The was no change in
the patients condition. He was uncon-
scious. His limbs were numb, and there
was nothing to mark that life was not ex-
tinct but the feeble flutterings of the pulse
and the almost imperceptible breathing.
The family had been gathered about the
bedside all night. Lady Macdonald, al
most worn out by her long vigil, was
there. and the premier's son, Hugh John
Macdonald, had kept his place at his
fathers side.
Thirty Hours of Unconsciousness.
There was no bulletin from the physi-
clans Saturday morning. Nothing could
be said beyond what had already been
given out. 1t was matter of time-per-
haps moments, perhaps hours The mar
velous vitality which was staying the
hand of death was slowly, but surely
ebbing. The scenes of the morning and
the afternoon were but counterparts of
Friday. At 2 O'Clock the physicians
concurred in the opinion that the premier
could not live until 8. o'clock, and again
did they err. The dying premier had been
perfectly unconscious for nearly thirty
hours, and still the spark of life fingered
on. The action of the patients heart at
times during the evening was so feeble
A hot - lob haI 70 ha
The Angel of Death at Hand.
Once the family gathered at the bedside
under the impression that the end had
come, but it proved to be another of the
dreaded sinking spells which in succession
had left the aged statesman with less and
less vitality. Such an unequal struggle
could not much longer be sustained. Even
tide found the members of the family gath
cred about the bedside of the dying states
man waiting patiently for dissolution.
Outside in the dusk were gathered the cor
respondents and small groups of anxious
friends. The patient lay unconscious.
Nature no longer asserted ITSELF life's
fires were burning low, flickered and
smouldered as though the soul would
leave it's tenement at each successive break.
At 10 o'clock it was evident that the end
was near at hand. The household was
summoned to the death chamber. Lady
Macdonald stood by the side of her hus-
band, and around her gathered the mem
bers of the family. Her face showed
traces of weary watching and the long
suspense. She bore up bravely. Death
came peacefully to the aged premier, at
10:15 He was. unconscious to the last.
The pulse fiuttered, the breath came
shorter and the pulse was still. When the
of Sir Johns death was
made the bells of the city were tolled to
convey the intelligence to the thousands
who were anxiously awaiting this signal
that their beloved premier was no more.
When the final blow had really fallen,
Lady Macdonald, who had made so long
and so brave vigil at the side of her dy-
ing husband, was Frustrated, nature as
serted itself and she was taken from the
room in fainting condition.