“Buoy’d above the Terror of Death by the Consciousness of a Life devoted to honorable pursuits and stained with no Action that can give me Remorse, I trust the request I make to your Excellency at this serious period and which is to soften my last moments will not be rejected. “Sympathy towards a Soldier will surely induce Your Excellency and a military Tribunal to adapt the mode of my death to the feelings of a Man of honour. “Let me hope Sir, that if aught in my character impresses you with Esteem towards me, if aught in my misfortunes marks me as the victim of policy and not of resentment, I shall experience the operation of these Feelings in your Breast by being informed that I am not to die on a Gibbet. “I have the honour to be “Your Excellency’s “Most obedient and “most humble Servant “JOHN ANDRÉ “Ad. Gen. to the Brit: :Army. “His Excellency “General Washington “&ca. &ca. &ca.” PRESIDENT MCKINLEY’S LAST PRAYER The last words of great men seem always to possess a peculiar value in the minds of the people; the following is a touching example: In the afternoon of his last day on earth the President began to realize that his life was slipping away, and that the efforts of science could not save him. He asked Dr. Rixey to bring the surgeons in. One by one the surgeons entered and approached the bedside. When they gathered about him, the President opened his eyes and said: “It is useless, gentlemen; I think we ought to have prayer.” The dying man crossed his hands on his breast and half closed his eyes. There was a beautiful smile on his countenance. The surgeons bowed their heads. Tears streamed from the eyes of the white-clad nurses on either side of the bed. The yellow radiance of the sun shone softly in the room. “Our Father which art in Heaven,” said the President in a clear, steady voice. The lips of the surgeons moved. “Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done--” The sobbing of a nurse disturbed the still air. The President opened his eyes and closed them again. “Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.” A long sigh. The sands of life were running swiftly. The sunlight died out; the raindrops dashed against the windows. “Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors: and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Another silence. The surgeons looked at the dying face and the friendly lips. “For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, Amen.” “Amen,” whispered the surgeons. LAST WORDS OF COUNT LEO TOLSTOI