The times., 1899-12-14
THE DEATH OF WASHINGTON.

Nature had endowed him with superb
physique and sound constitution. In his
prime he stood six feet and one inch in
height, weighed from 21O to 900 pounds.
and possessed the agility OF a panther and
the strength OF a lion. Temperate diet,
outdoor exercise and labor, and regularity
of habit had developed and preserved his
physical powers to a remarkable degree,
They had never been impaired to the
slightest extent by any vicious habit No
vice had ever been able TO fix itself upon
the fibre of his inhexibIe character. He had
come nearly to the allotted three score
years and ten," erect of form, with the
glow of health upon his cheeks, with nat
uraI force unabated and eye undimmed.
That fateful Friday morning after break
fast Washington went out to make some
improvements in front of his home.
drizzling rain turned first TO sleet and
then to snow. He therefore took up some
indoor task until dinner was called. At
about o'clock in the afternoon he COM
planned of chiIliness and nausea, but con-
tinued his labor. In the evening he came
TO the supper table as usual, but only drank
a cup of tea.
After supper he retired to his library
with Col. Tobias Lear, his private secretary
and superintendent of his private affairs.
They remained together until near mid
! night during which time the soreness in
ais throat and his hoarseness grew worse.
To a suggestion of Colonel Lear he replied:
| mo, you know I never take anything for
a cold; let il go as it came" When he re-
| tired to his bedroom his wife upbraided him
for remaining up so late, especially when he
was not we'll. He returned this memorable
! reply: Il came as soon as my business was
accomplished You know that through a
| long life 1t has been my UNMARRIED rule never
| to put off till tomorrow the duties which
should be performed today"
He went to bed, not to sleep, but to
spend the remainder of the night in fever
ish restIessness. His wife wanted to call
the servants and send for a doctor, but he
would not consent lest she herself should
take cold; neither would he permit the
rest of anyone TO be disturbed till morn
ing When daylight came a messenger was
sent in haste for DR.. Craik. Meantime the
overseer was called in, who opened a vein
and let out a small quantity of blood. But
| this brought the sufferer no relief. Dr.
Craik soon arrived and Drs. Dick Of Alex
andria, and Brown, of Port Tobacco, were
called in consultation. All day the strug-
gle continued, but in spite of all that could
be done the disease steadily gained upon
its victim Before the sun went down all
hope had gone. Washington, though in
great pain, uttered no word Of complaint,
but endured with patience the sufferings
that were to be unto death.
Owing to the swollen and infamed con-
dition of his throat, any effort to speak
was attended with great pain, while it was
very difficult for him to make himself IN
derstood. He therefore spoke but little.
What few words he did utter were listened
to eagerly, and were treasured up in the
grateful memories of those to whom they
were spoken One of his old servants,
| while gently smoothing out his pillow,
! asked him some question, to which he re
piled, Il am very i'll" To DR.. Craik he
said, Il am dying, sir; but l am not afraid
10 ole. lie was lN6 most sen pOS7S'SSSO
person in the room. Frequently he eX-
pressed regret that he should be the cause
of trouble and anxiety to others. His mind
was perfectly clear and he knew that the
end was at hand He called his wife to
him and told her to go to his desk, look in
his private drawer, and bring him two pa
pers she would find there. He looked them
over and then handed them back to her,
saying: These are my wills; preserve this
one and burn the other" Then, speaking
to Colonel Lear, he said; ''At length 1 am
going. Have me decently buried and do
not let my body be put in the vault in less
than three days after l am dead" He was
evidently keeping close watch upon the
sands of his life He was seen to feel for
his pulse Then he asked what time it was.
Being told that it was some minutes after
10 o'clock. he composed his body at length,
folded his hands over his bosom, closed his
eyes and fell asleep never to awake.