The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-11-12

NtHt8E.- FHE1r &NFE~. A4f@Gf OE&Fkk4N
y ere ! 4 writer OF books would teach
1aeu 70 die. would at the same time
teach them 20 live
Death holds q solemn mystery n
store for each individual. and the
ann in which II IS met especially
by those who have Won fame and
han0r On This earth. holds a potent
fascination Tor all humanity
The grim messenger had small fear
for the a~ucients. who LOOKED upon thIs
world and the next IN the calm spirit
Of their philosophy.
A~uaxagoras. the great Ionian phil5-
sopher and friend Of Pericles. Was
banishtd from Athens to die isolated
from the life and things he loved. but
he said proudly To those who would
comfort the last hours u his life lit
Is not | who have lost Athens. IL Is
the Athenians who have lost me Ills
last words were for the youthful fol-
lowers Of his school OF philosophy and
were:-"Give the boys a holiday"
Cesare Borgia. the craftiest and
cruelest man of a corrupt age. hated
and feared by all and polluted b.
every ioul crime in the calendar. was
killed at a siege OF the Castle OF Blanc
in 1907. and his dying words were, Il
die un~prepared."
Plato died thanking providence ana
the guiding fortune Of his life. first,
that he was born a man and a GTecian
4 anu SEt0IAu, lHdl he EapiHlird - ltNt
in the OF Socrates.
Sir Walter Raleigh. courtier, ex-
plorer and d~iscoverer IF tobacco, was
condemned to the scaffold. He oun
ed the steps firmly and with q trace
OF his courtly grace ran his finger over
the keen edge Of the executioner's axe
and smilingly said, IT'S a sharp medi-
cine. but a sure remedy for all ills"
Louis XIV. called Louis le Grand.
the greatest Bourbon ruler. was kingly
even IN death. To the weeping cour-
tiers Who waited and watched by his
royal bedside he said reproachfully:-
why weep ye? DID We think should
live forever" and later murmured.
Il had thought dying had been
harder"
Marie Antoinette. the outraged
Queen of the Revolution. subjected to
indignities and horrors unprecedented
in the history of any nation, never lost
her dignity as Queen or her womanly
sympathies. and almost her last
words were ones of courtesy. To the
executioner, on whose foot she had
accidentally trodden while descending
the steps to the guillotine, she said,
politely:
Excuse me. sir: I did not do it in
tentionaIly," a~fterward adding. Make
haste
The bill for her burial still lies on
exhibition, and reads as follows: The
Widow Capet-For the coffin, 6 livres;
for grave and gravediggers, % livres, :
amountin in all to $500, which was
the last sight draft" drawn in the
name of Marie Antoinette on the treas
ury Of France.
Empress Josephine's last words and
prayers were for Napoleon. Gazing
~intently upon his portrait, which she
carried ever with her, she prayed: 20
God, watch over Napoleon While he
remains in the desert of this, world.
Alas though he hath committed great
faults. hath he not expiated by great
s~ufferings? Just God, Thou who hast
looked into his heart. hast seen with
how ardent a desire for useful and
durable improvements he was ami
mated. deign to approve my last petit
ton. and may this image Of my hus-
band bear witness that my latest wish,
NV latest prayer were for him and my
children, L'isle d'Elbe-NapoleOn-
Marie LOUISE"
Queen Elizabeth lay on 5he floor
refusing to be comforted, her attend
ants bracing her restless body with pill
lows, the only service she would per-
nit. The great Queen vas tortured
with doubts and fears as to who
should be her successor. To the Sug-
gestion of one of her courtiers that
Lord Beauchamp. heir to the Suffolk
claim should succeed to England's
throne. she shrieked hoarsely with her
old time temper: Il will have no
rogue's son in my seat and died, cry
ing almost with her last anguished
breath: All my possessions for a mo-
ment Of time!"
Maria Theresa, the great Austrian
Empress, in response to her physi-
clans suggestion that she take a sleep
ing draft. said haughtily: 4 Will not
sleep; ] wish to meet death wake"
Napoleon's last words were of his
former glories. ''Tete d'armee," he
murmered over and over again.
Charles IL, the Merry Monarch of
England, thought of his former mis-
tress, Nell GWyn, and his last request
was: Don't let poor Nellie starve."
Anne Boleyn, sentenced to be be-
headed by the inhuman Henry VIII,
mounted the scaffold with true cOur-
age. and clasping her tiny hands about
her neck as she knelt to lap her head
upon the block. said to the execu-
toner's: 1T is small, very small, in
deed"
Albert. Prince of Saxe-Coburg. Of
Gotha, husband Of Queen Victoria,
died in 1851 with these last words on
his lips: Il have had wealth, rank and
power. but if these We're all l had had
how wretched l should be-
General Washington suffered much
toward the last, and to his physician
he said: i died hard. but l am not
afraid to go" Later. speaking with
great difficulty. he said: 4 am just go
ing. Have me decently buried, but dc
not let my body be put into the vault
in less than two days after l am dead
Do you understand me-" And when
DR.. Carik nodded in assent he muir
INJURED: 1t is Well"
Andrew died sunday. June
S. 1915. servants and slaves, as vel
as friends and relatives. t~hronged the
sorrowing house. sobbing and wringing
their hands, and to comfort them the
grand old warrior said: I go but a
short time before you and l want &c
meet you. white and black, in heaven
later repeating white and black
Major John Andre, the young British
soldier who was concerned in Arnold's
reasonable attempt and hanged as q
spy. died with great fortitude and
courage for one so young and full OF
; the pride of life. AT the execution he
{ raised the handkerchief which bound
: his eyes, and bowling politely to Gen
eral Green and his officers, said a.
request of you. gentlemen. is that
while | acknowledge the propriety Of
my sentence, you Will bear me Wiz
ness that / die like a brave man
rrL1, in on ,-n1p--0np 9S he SuI19rar