LONGFELLOW’S LAST MOMENTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9418, 20 May 1882, Page 3

LONGFELLOW’S LAST MOMENTS.

The American papers contain long notices of the death of the poet Longfellow, which occurred on the 24th of last month. His illness dated from the Saturday previous. On that day he spent half an hour in gentle exercise on his piazza, nnd, becoming chilly, went in to sit by the fire. But the blood of age was too slow to shake off the effect

of the cold. The same evening at the tea table he complained of having taken cold and feeling ill, and an hour later his family physicians were called. During the night he grew worse and Wag attacked with internal painp, vomit-

ing and fever. Acute peritomtis had; set in, but the pain was partially sub- 1 dued by opiates, and he secured some sleep. On Monday he, was in greater distress, and during the day Ins :sufferings increased. He had'a restless night, and on Tuesday his lungs became affected, the attack developing into bronchitis before night'. This was the most distressing day of the sickness, a severe cough greatly wearing up his strength. It then became evident that his case was hopless, and opiates were freely administered to him from that time until the end came. Wednesday als© was a day of severe suffering, and the intellect of the poet began to fail. He was occasionally delirious, but at night he' fell into a deep sleep. On Thursday his distress was less acute. Most of the time he was in a full stupor, from which he rallied now and then to say something to those about his bedside, He bore his suffering throughout with gentle patience. The last day on earth opened with the poet in a more hopeful mood. 'He was in less pain, and bad been quiet during the night, but to his doctors’experienced eyes his 'strength was nearly gone. ..He soon relapsed into unconsciousness, - from'’ which he roused at longer and longer intervals. During, ...the forenoon : his : physicians detected the ominous sound of the death rattle, and summoned the family to the bedside. About 2 o’clock he began to sink rapidly, and finally, about an hour later, without regaining Consciousness or recognising his family, or without a struggle or pain, peacefully passed away.;