Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-15
HIS LAST HOURS.

On the morning of Wednesday De-
cember II, 1899, the clounds began to
gather which never cleared until after
Washington was dead That night
circle round the moon, which some I'M
wise people in those days held to be a
portent of evil and others, only
weather. wise, held to betoken rain
was in fact a portent of the storm
which was to drench Washington with
its chilly waters, and 50 led to his I'M
timely death
His last days present picture Of his
whole life devoted to duty. The
morning Of Thursday, the 18th, began
with business. During the early hours
he wrote a letter TO Alexander Hamil-
ton which is, in fact, the foundation Of
the West Point Military Academy. The
war with France had shown the need
of trained officers to succeed those of
the Revolution, who were dying out,
and he spent the first two business
hours of that day in briefing his views
on the subject. fhe sun had not yet
risen high over the Mount Vernon hills
when he mounted his horse for the last
time and started to make his usual
morning survey of his estate. Before
he returned snow had fallen, then Civ
ing way to hail, which in turn had been
succeeded by a cold vain, lie contin-
~ Al 4, -.
overcoat which was not a macintosh
closer about his neck, and returned to
the mansion shortly after three O'Clock.
| II was now dinner time and, divesling
himself of his overcoat, he took din
ner with his wet hair which he wore
rather long clingng to his neck AZ
terward he franked some letters but
ordered that they be kept over until
after the storm so that his servant
might not be obliged to ride to Alexan-
1 dria in the rain He passed that even
ing as usual
When he looked out OF the window
on Friday morning the 18th. the trees
land the earth were covered with snow,
which had fallen to considerable
| depth during the night He discov
/ 1T breakfast th9t he had a sore throat;
/ but as the weather cleared in the af-
/ rernoou he went into the open air for
1 the last time and marked on the
| ground between the mansion and The
Potomac some old trees which he de-
sired 70 be cut down before the spring
AT supper he was quite hoarse and
more than once he laughed himself at
/ his own voice Tie sat with Mrs WISH
ington and his private secretary Mr.
/ Tobias Lear in the parlor reading the
newspapers which had been brought
from the pos;ofrice at Alexandria
Among them was a copy of new pa
per The Alexandria Advertiser. which
had been issued two weeks before in
THAT town He had been a subscribe
to two other papers issued in Alexau-
dria-The Columbian Mirror and Alex
Igndria established In l792,
land The Times and District OF Column
I bia Advertiser established in 1877
Before Washington retired To bed his
IauNious private secretary noticing
that his hoarseness had increased as
the evening wore on, urged him to
take some preparation for relief No
said Washington "let It go as it came,
! never take anything for a cold Be
tween two and three o'clock in the
morning he evidently feared for h's
life. and awoke Mrs. Washington She
frightened at the hCarse ranCor OF his
voice wished 20 rise and call a servant
This he would not allow her 10 do. b.
ing entirely indispoSed 10 give any u
necessary trouble and fearing lest the
chill Of the night air for they had nc
TIRE IN the room might injure his del
,gate health 1t was the custom OF n,
servant woman 10 enter the room al
dayhreak and make the FIRE in the oper
) fireplace The morning was dark when
she came in and Mrs Washington 81
, once sent her u call the private ssere-
tary Mr. Lear When he came the
gray dawn was shining in the window
pt the mansion and the day Of WASH.
lngton's death had begun The great
hsel could hardly speak bnt III reply
to an urgent request from Mn La,
-h,t ~ 6s,,,13 se,a fnr uhyS{Ftar VI