812 FINAL JOURNEYS AND WORK. [1887, 



old friend, had died during the summer, and Dr. Gray, 

 from his long connection with the institution, was 

 much interested in the appointment of his successor. 

 He went on in November to Washington to a special 

 meeting of the Kegents, when Professor Langley was 

 appointed; wrote from Washington of the wonderful 

 amount he had done in one day, and hurried back ; 

 liking always, if he could, to surprise those at home 

 by being somewhat earlier than he had promised. He 

 began the Annual Necrology for the " American 

 Journal of Science." He was already at work on the 

 Vitace* for the " Flora." 



He went in to Boston for the family Thanksgiving 

 dinner, though there had seemed some threatening of 

 a cold, but he pronounced himself perfectly comforta- 

 ble. Still there was a quick breathing and some list- 

 lessness, so that he was nursed a little on Friday; 

 though he saw Miss Murfree, who had been brought 

 by Mrs. Houghton to ask him to settle some question 

 about a flower of the Southern Alleghanies, and he 

 entered into the matter with all his old life and eager- 

 ness. That evening he had two slight chills, so that 

 the doctor was summoned the next day, and fearing 

 some chest trouble, as he seemed threatened with one 

 of his bronchial attacks, advised him to keep in bed. 

 On Sunday his pulse and temperature had improved 

 so much that he was allowed to get up and go down 

 stairs at noon, the doctor congratulating him on the 

 success of the treatment. There seemed a weakness 

 of the right hand, which, however, passed away, and 

 he wrote that evening the letter to Dr. Britton, which 

 follows, and when remonstrated with for making the 

 exertion, said "it was important and must be writ- 

 ten." 



