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NEW YORK TIMES
June 18, 1885

ULYSSES S. GRANT MUCH WORSE. A SERIOUS RELAPSE INDUCED BY A LONG WALK.

The fears of General Grant's family and Dr. Douglas that a walk which the General took this afternoon might injure him were fully confirmed in the evening. Confirmation came in a saddening way. It was noticed by everyone that after the walk the General moved about a great deal, changing his seat on the porch and going in and out of the house restlessly. The family pretended to give little notice of it, fearing to excite him. After he had gone in once or twice, staying but a moment each time, he went into the sitting room and was looking for something. Now he tried to speak, but could not. After great difficulty he made his wish understood. He wanted pen and ink, then he began writing with unaccustomed speed and vigor. Then he went to porch with two notes in his hand.

The General passed the two notes to Colonel Fred and then went into his own room. The Colonel opened one of the notes. It was addressed, "Memoranda to my family." Colonel Grant opened it with trembling hands, dreading its contents. It was a brief and simple death message. The second note was addressed to Dr. Douglas. It too conveyed the General's belief that the end was near. The Colonel did not tell the family about the contents in the note until evening. Then he called them into the sitting for and read it to them. All were much excited about it. Mrs. Grant was almost prostrated. To her it was a greater blow than to any, for she alone had been blind to the true situation of affairs. She had thought the General was really getting strong. Mrs. Sartoris bore up bravely, and devoted herself to restraining the grief of her mother lest the General should overhear her sobbing. Then she went to the sick room.

The General sat in his chair as though patiently awaiting the end. There was not sign or fear - only weariness. Scarcely anything was said. At 8 o'clock the morphine was hypodermically administered. The doctor spoke a few words of encouragement but there was no response beyond a tremulous moving of the lips. The General closed his eyes. The danger now is that the General may die of sudden exhaustion due to the failure of the heart's action. The family has been forewarned of this. Last night was not a good one for General Grant, although he retired early and rose late. His nerves were too much excited, to say nothing of his physical troubles, for a good rest. He had tried to take a late afternoon nap, but with all his exercise of will - he could not command sleep. At bedtime his condition demanded a sedative and the doctor gave him morphine.

The General arose at 9 o'clock and his pulse had fallen from 80 beats a minute to 76. The throat was still angry and the swollen neck was still quite bad. The voice had become a husky whisper instead of mere aspiration. After a light breakfast the General walked out to the porch. There was a small spot of sun in the 65 degree air, and the General hobbled over to it, dragging a chair after him. He was buttoned closely in a black frock coat, with his neck muffled in a thick scarf. After 30 minutes he went into his bedroom where he stayed 5 hours. Colonel Grant then reported that the General's spirits had been lifted by the trip but that he was weaker.

Dr. Douglas looked in on the sufferer around 1:00. He found the General on the bed, propped up by pillows, calmly resting. A half hour after this, the General grasped his cane, reached over for his tall hat, which he pulled down over his skull cap, and beckoning to Harrison with a nod, he went to the door. When they reached the porch the General gazed for a moment at the distance hills as if measuring the distance and reckoning his strength, and then plodded down the steps. Harrison took his arm. It was 150 yards or more to the top of the hill.

Up that incline General Grant at once proceeded. When 20 yards had passed he stopped for a breathing moment. Then he moved ahead very slowly and with frequent stops until the grand valley view lay before him. Then he sank on a settee for a long rest. He sat there five minutes. Once he moved his lips a few times but it was impossible to hear what he was saying. When he wanted to return to the cottage he rose and turned that way. The General's cane and Harrison's arm did conspicuous service on the road back. Once back on the porch, a chair and a pillow were brought for him.

 

 

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