The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-16
BY BARBARA BUNDsCHU

Locust Valley, N. Y, April 16- (UP)- Franklin Roosevelt's last conscious moments were spent hard at work against a deadline he set himself, according to the artist who was sketching him for a por- trait.
 Mrs. Elizabeth Shoumatoff, 8 handsome, middle-aged artist who had painted MT. Roosevelt's like ness once before, recounted every detail of his last conscious hour when she returned to the home of her daughter here yesterday.
 The late president, at work over some papers, noticed the butler laying the table for luncheon.
 we've got about IS minutes more to york; Mrs. Shoumatof quoted him as saying.
 Those were the last words she remembered. The president kept hard at work, and was stricken about IS minutes later, she said.
 Thursday morning." Mrs. Shou- matoff said, T was told that at 12 o'clock the president would be ready for the sitting of the por- trait that had started the day be- fore.
 When I arrived the president was in the room. Two of his cousins were sitting on the sofa. He was busy with a secretary, signing pa- pers. The room was the dining room-sitting room-study of the lit tie White House.
 Tt was to be life size portrait
 T had the easel brought in and tried to get it in an inconspicuous way but the president right away noticed us and greeted me in his usual charming manner.
 He couldnd't have looked better. He had on a dark gray suit and be- cause I had asked for something red in the portrait, he wore a Har- yard red tie. It had to be the right blend with his navy Aape which was to be one feature of the portrait.
 The room was filled with papers. MT. Hassett (William B. Hassett, presidential secretary was. with the president. The papers were all oyer the dining tables and chairs. s,ln- derstand you cannot blot the sigma ture of the president. It has to dry. They were lal drying there. MT. Hassett said: I'm waiting for my laundry to dry The president burst out laughing There was general amusement.
 T was settled with my easel. The President instantly got into position. On the table before him was some matter to read. I began talking about a subject which was in my mind-I had just mailed letter with a new stamp. the Florida stamp. I asked if he krew I was interested in stamps and ] asked If he had ever been interested iu their design and if he had ever supervised their drawing and composition. He said he certainly did, in every de- tail and was extremely interested in every phase of the stamps. said I thought tho they were unusually Oeauti- z T started painting about 12:30. There was some conversation be- tween me and his cousins about his pose. The President was sitting to one side of the fireplace, in brown leather armchair. There was table in front of him on which were the papers he was reading. was painting a full face portrait and the table was between me and the President.
 By now the butler was setting the table for lunch. The President looked up and said:
 :" "We've got about IS more min utes more to work
 Those were the last words I heard the president say. In those last IS minutes he did work. His head was a little bent. did not dare to ask him to look up. He was extremely absorbed in what he was reading at the moment. He really wanted to finish what he was doing.
 T didn't notice that he paled or flushed. He just leaned back in the chair which had high back. He raised his left hand and pressed it to his left temple and forehead. Then he sort of reclined back in the chair as if he had tainted.
 T did not hear him say, I have terrific headache He may have said it to someone else.
 His two cousins and the butler rushed immediately to the presi- dents side. left the room to call the Secret Service men who called the doctor" .
 Mrs. Shoumatoff said she left Warm Springs with her photogra- pher. Nicholas Robbins, within