me things aloud in spite of his hoarseness. At
nine o'clock Mrs. Washington went to the room of her granddaughter
Nelly, whose first child had recently been born. The two gentlemen
continued to read the papers, and Washington seemed cheerful. Once he
became excited over some political event, and used some of the strong
words he could command on occasion. Before they went to bed, Lear
advised the General to take something for his cold.

"No," said Washington; "you know I never take anything for a cold. Let
it go as it came."

During the night, however, he had a chill, and awoke Mrs. Washington,
telling her that he felt ill. She wished to get up, but he would not
allow her to do this, lest she should take cold. When the servant came
into the room to make a fire at daylight, Mrs. Washington sent for Lear,
and got up herself. The General was now breathing with difficulty, and
could scarcely speak. Lear sent for Dr. Craik, and meantime Washington
told him to send for Mr. Rawlins, an overseer, to bleed him. Rawlins
came soon after sunrise, and trembled at the prospect of opening a vein
on the great man's arm. "Don't be afraid," said Washington; and when the
vein had been opened, he added, "the orifice is not large enough." Mrs.
Washington did not approve of the bleeding before the doctor came, but
Washington said, "More, more." It was a universal remedy in those days,
but it brought no relief to the sufferer.

During the day three doctors arrived. Washington was bled three times;
blisters were applied to the throat and the feet; all that medical
science could do in that day was tried, but without success. The disease
was an acute laryngitis, and could have been relieved only by
tracheotomy, which was not practical in the South, though it had been
tried in Philadelphia at an earlier date. About half-past four in the
afternoon the sick man asked Mrs. Washington to go downstairs and fetch
two wills from his desk. He looked at them, and asked her to burn one of
them, which she did. Lear now came to his bedside and took his hand.

"I find I am going," Washington said to him. "My breath cannot last
long. I believed from the first that the disorder would prove fatal. Do
you arrange and record all my late military letters and papers. Arrange
my accounts and settle my books, as you know more about them than anyone
else, and let Mr. Rawlins finish recording my other letters which he has
begun."

Washington asked Lear whether he th