The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-06-06

and who. like his son, was speeding TO his
bedside, all too late. All through the
long night of his pain the dying statesman
had called and asked for the coming of the
man who was flying eastward with all the
speed steam and steel could bring him,
but it was not to be. The shadow of death
was upon the fathers face when Otto
Gresham saw it. He reached the bedside
100 late. The Secretary of Wal tried to
arrange for a special train from Pitts
burg to bring the young man on, but as
the result proved. no flight could have
been swift enough to cover the distance in
time.
Just before the physicians retired he
ceased speaking. though he appeared to be
conscious. Mrs. Gresham sat at the bed
side smoothing his fevered brow and occa-
sionally reading to him from Bible pas.
sages which he loved. AS the end ap-
preached his pulse became hardly per-
ceptible. Gradually his eyes glazed and
closed. Mrs. Gresham, with noble and
heroic fortitude. continued to read the
words OF the gospel to her departing hus-
band. Her daughter and son-in-law
stood with bowed heads at the side of the
couch. At 1:15 o'clock his breathing ceas-
ed; a peaceful shadow passed over his
pale countenance; his pulse fickered, and
the sOrrowing family were in the pres
ence of death. One of the nurses con-
veyed the news that the end had come to
the physicians in the next room, and they
in turn brought it to the watchers in the
reception room. President Cleveland was
immediately notified.
Pneumonia Causes Death.
Four weeks ago Mr.. Gresham was at
tackled with what was looked upon as a
light attack of pleurisy, but it refused to
yield to treatment, spread from one lung
membrane to the other, and finally devel-
oped into severe pneumonia. His cOndi-
ton after that time was extremely criti-
cal. His heart action became enfeebled,
requiring the constant administration of
the most powerful heart stimulants. One
or the other of his physicians, Drs. John
son and Prentiss, or both, were constant
iy with him.. His pulse reached 16O, and
was so feeble that it could barely be
counted. But for the stimulants, he would
have died. Nitro glycerine and s%trychnine
were given continuously, hypodermically,
together with digitalis and whisky. lie
was able to take no nourishment save in
a liquid form-principally milk punches
and the whole effort of the physicians
was directed toward sustaining and
strengthening him. The right pleuralic
cavity was filled with the effused fluid,
and the lungs compressed so as to make
breathing impossible.
Mrs. Gresham's devotion to her husband
during his illness was of the most tender,
patient and faithful character. Although
physically slight. she displayed, so said
one who was in the sick chamber several
lines a day throughout the Secretary's
illness, remarkable endurance and nerve.
For four weeks she hardly had her clothes
or. Night and day she was at the bed
side, snatching an hour or two of sleep
when she could on a lounge in her room.
She seemed determined to fight off death.
If he dies" she said many times, IL lose
an With patience and devotion she
ministered to his every want, giving every
thing her personal attention, and trying
to cheer and brighten him when he was
peeyish and fretful. The utmost persua-