During the day the illness of Sir John Macdonald was mentioned in the British House of Commons, and was the occasion of several graceful tributes to the abilities and virtues of the dying Premier. Right Hon. W. H. Smith, First Lord of the Treasury, said: "Sir John Macdonald is a man who, however his party conduct may be viewed, has earned the respect and admiration of all who know the services he has rendered to the Dominion and the Empire. There can be but one feeling, of deep sorrow, that a life so valuable seems about to end." Sir William Vernon Harcourt, Mr. Staveley Hill, and Hon. Joseph Chamberlain joined in the tribute to Sir John Macdonald, whose death, they all said, would be an international loss. The House generally showed keen sympathy with Canada.

Wednesday passed much as the other days had done since the blow which was ultimately to result in death had fallen. The Premier's marvellous vitality was that which occasioned the most comment. There was a demand from outside, especially from physicians who followed the case with greater intelligence but not with greater anxiety than the people at large, that the patient's pulse and respiration should be given. This wish was complied with. The morning bulletin showed the respiration to be 28; "pulse irritable, 120." After the afternoon consultation it was announced that the patient's condition was lower than at the same hour on the previous day; in the evening the pulse was 120, respiration 30. Just before midnight the bulletin announced, "the patient, on the whole, exhibits less strength. Respiration, 28; pulse, 100, flabby, compressible and very irregular." The following was one of the many newspaper despatches sent from Ottawa on Wednesday:

"The condition of the Premier is not generally understood. The repeated announcement that he is conscious and able to take nourishment has led to the impression here and elsewhere that there are grounds for believing he can recover. But the degree of consciousness is so slight and the volume of nourishment so small that these announcements should be accepted with wide qualification. Beyond the signals which he is able to give upon matters affecting his immediate physical comfort,

Sir John has not since Friday last communicated a single idea to anyone about him. That he knows those who are about him is probably true, but that he is able to appreciate either his circumstances or general surroundings is to be doubted. And yet, it is only natural that the fact of his survival to this hour should lead to the general notion that he must be getting better. A close analysis of the bulletins, however, shows that there has been a steady lowering of the nervous forces. That Sir John has not succumbed ere this is entirely due to the fact that his hold on life was stronger than his medical attendants believed it to be. The doctors could not say in advance how long he could endure the terrific strain to which he was subjected, and in judging his chances of living they merely measured his strength by the common standard. If, however, Sir John has been a remarkable man these fifty years and more, he has not ceased to be so when the hand of death closed about his heartstrings. Everyone now sees what inestimable stores of vital force the 'Old Man' has had to sustain him through all his wonderful career of restless activity and hard mental work."

Thursday saw the weary watch continued but with little more reason for hope than before. The patient had passed the night without change, taking nourishment as usual and sleeping a good deal. The hope of the country went up with a bound when, at their forenoon consultation, the doctors issued this bulletin :—

EARNSCLIFFE, June 4, 1891, 11.15 a.m.

Sir John Macdonald passed a fairly comfortable night and partook of nourishment at intervals. The cerebral symptoms are slightly improved at the time of our consultation, owing, doubtless, to the fact that having lived six days since his seizure partial absorption has had time to take place. The heart's action, however, is extremely feeble and very irregular, and its failure is at present the chief danger.

One of the doctors explained, however, that this simply meant that there was less hope, the trouble merely changing from the head to the heart. In the evening, the bulletin told

of "continuous weakness," and at night he was "slightly more conscious of his surroundings," but the heart's action was weaker.

As the week drew to its close so did the life of the great and beloved Premier. Dr. Geo. Ross, of Montreal, had been called in at the special desire of many friends of Sir John's family, and he arrived at noon. The result of the consultation of the four physicians was this hopelessly depressing bulletin :

EARNSCLIFFE, June 5th, 2.45 p.m.

At our consultation to-day we found Sir John Macdonald altogether in a somewhat alarming state. His strength, which has gradually failed him during the past week, shows a marked decline since yesterday. He shows still a slight flickering of consciousness. Respiration, 38; pulse, 120, more feeble and irregular than heretofore. His hours of life are steadily waning. R. W. POWELL, M.D. J. A. GRANT, M.D. H. P. WRIGHT, M.D. G. Ross, M.D.

(Signed)

Then followed this announcement, increasing, if possible, the gloom and despair among the people:

EARNSCLIFFE, June 6th, 7 p.m.

Sir John's end is fast approaching; has been unconscious since (Signed) R. W. POWELL, M.D.

4 p. m.

From this time on it was deemed simply a matter of hours to the anxious watchers expecting at any time the approach of death. At nine o'clock the physicians noticed a change and notified the family, who gathered round the bedside, conscious that the end was now at hand. His irregular and laboured breathing, which had been for hours a series of gasps and had now reached the rate of fifty-six a minute, ceased, and in its place there came a deep, regular and ordinary respiration. For another hour the terrible waiting and suspense continued. At last, without a struggle, his heart stopped beating, the breath of life left the body. Sir John Macdonald died at fifteen minutes past ten o'clock, on the night of June the sixth, 1891, aged seventy-six years and five months.

NE

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE FUNERAL.

EVER in the history of Canada has the country been so profoundly stirred by the death of any man as by the death of him who had so long and so ably guided its course. Messages of condolence poured in from all parts of the world. The highest dignitaries in the realm, including Her Majesty the Queen, hastened to pay their tribute of respect to the memory of the dead.

The body was at once embalmed and clothed in the uniform of an Imperial Privy Councillor-the decorations he had received from the Sovereign he had served so long and so faithfully shining upon his breast. The arrangements for the funeral must have been extensive in any case, for all Canada desired to participate in it. But practically a double funeral had to be arranged for, because of the dead Premier's wish that he should be buried in the family plot, at Kingston, beside his parents, his sisters and his brother.

On Tuesday morning, at daybreak, the remains were removed to the Senate Chamber, where they lay in state until the next day, during which time thousands of people, including the most distinguished people from all parts of the country, visited the place to take a last look at the well-known features of Canada's great statesman. Many floral tributes were brought and laid beside the coffin. At night the body was watched by relays of Conservative Members of Parliament. When Wednesday morning came, the preparations for the great funeral pageant were early begun. Until noon, however, the surging crowds of mourners were allowed to enter the chamber and take a last look at the dead.