CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



GROWING DEBILITY AND THE AUTHOR'S LAST VISIT. 



FOR a year before his death, John's vitality began rapidly 

 to decline. About this time, he took a severe bleeding at 

 the nostril, which was with difficulty stopped before the 

 doctor arrived ; and it was distinctly observable that, after 

 that, his memory was seriously impaired and never again 

 recovered its wonted power. His fainting on the way 

 to church in May, 1880, was a significant premonition of 

 decay, but one which the keen, healthy old veteran was 

 very slow to heed. 



He still continued weaving on till July, when growing 

 debility and irretrievably spoiling a web he was trying to 

 put into his loom at last convinced him, however reluctantly, 

 of the necessity of giving up work. His bed was removed 

 from the rafters above the looms, where he had slept for 

 twenty-eight years, and a covered close bed was erected 

 in the shop ; as it was becoming dangerous for him to 

 climb the rude ladder that led to the upper box where he 

 had lain so long. The door between the shop and the 

 kitchen, which had been built up when John took the place, 

 to secure greater seclusion for himself, was now again 

 opened, that Mrs. Allanach might more easily attend upon 

 him with his increasing needs. The fire in the shop 



