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NEW YORK TIMES
April 16, 1885

ULYSSES S. GRANT SPENDING A PLEASANT DAY. GENERAL GRANT SHOWS UNEXPECTED IMPROVEMENT.

General Grant passed the best day he has in at least a fortnight. He went to sleep with only a small injection of morphine, and was out of it influence for most of the night. From 9 o'clock Monday night until 4 o'clock yesterday morning, hardly a noise came from the sick room except the patient's heavy breathing.

It was daylight before the General was fairly awake. Beyond the soreness that always follows his sleep, his throat was without pain. He said he had not felt so refreshed for a long time. Leaving his chair he walked into the library. The nurse arranged his chair for him and he seated himself in the library. The General was fully dressed in his coat and waistcoat, which had hung in the closet untouched since he had become dangerously sick. The family greeting were naturally very happy. His color was good, his eyes clear and the huskiness of his voice, which has been annoying feature of the disease, was in great part removed. The General, seemed as if he enjoyed hearing himself again in natural resonance of tone, and was inclined to use his voice rather freely.

After taking a bowl of broth for breakfast, the General lay for awhile on the lounge in the library where Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sartoris joined him. The other ladies of the family sauntered in, as did Colonel Fred. It was a most cheerful gathering, in which the General listened to the light gossip with great pleasure and occasional comment. His mind was at least for the time lifted out of the rut into which it had lately fallen. The doctors had only given him a six minims of morphine in the past 24 hours and his appearance and manner showed it.

Dr. Shrady left the house after breakfast and said; "It has often been asked if changes in the weather affect the General. They do not, because the temperature in the sick room is closely watched, and it does not vary a degree from 70 day or night. Beyond improvement in color and expression, the appearance of the throat from the outside is the most conspicuous indicator of his condition. A lump in the throat shows quite large from the outside when he is in bad shape. It was very large three or four days ago. Now it is quite small. There is no truth that his head is in bandages. He wears nothing on his head except his house cap and his neck is usually bound with a white handkerchief. On rousing he usually wants a cup of coffee which rarely fails to do him good. During the rest of the day his nourishment consists chiefly of condensed beef and the whites of eggs whipped in milk. He has certainly enjoyed the morning's food.

For the first time in more than a fortnight Mrs. Grant came out of the house. She spent an hour in he park with Mrs. Sartoris in the carriage. Dr. Shrady said that in addition to the stated diet, the General had lately taken a fancy to clam broth, in which he often indulged. During the afternoon the General remained in he library most of the time and the ladies kept him company. He walked about a little, read some and looked at the newspapers/ He also did a little writing. At dinner time, Colonel Grant said, referring to the day, "It has been one of improvement, of actual gaining in strength. He has walked about more than for two weeks.

This morning he was in a playful humor and sent a bulletin to mother. Father pickled up a writing pad and wrote as follows: 'The doctors tell me I am better. I am better. I am better than I have been in two weeks. U.S. Grant.' Then he called Harrison and sent this, his first original bulletin, around to mother's room. In a little while she came out, a trifle mystified. She came into the library and sat there. He looked up and greeted her quietly. She burst out laughing. He kept a serious face, except that his mouth twitched slightly. The little joke amused him as much as it did her. I fancy."

In the evening the General and his family were enjoying themselves. The General sat in his chair and chatted freely. He was in a very cheery mood. At times he walked about the room in a manner which reminded the family of earlier days. To those who watched him, he seemed stronger than he had been in weeks, and his manner denoted that he was feeling much better than usual. The fact that he was in everyday garb and seemed to enjoy the change added to the feeling of satisfaction. U.S. Grant, Jr., went home at 10:carrying a large steel engraving, which contained his father's autograph. He expressed much satisfaction as the marked improvement in his father's condition.

The house was not closed until 11:15. General Grant was asleep at that hour.

 

 

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