Though there are different versions of it, one account of Sir Walter Raleigh’s last moments has him testing the edge of the executioner’s axe that will shortly be used against him, and commenting thus: “'Tis a sharp remedy, but a sure one for all ills”
“I wonder why he shot me.”
–Huey Long
That reminds me of the last words jokingly attributed to Edward II:
“I always said Roger Mortimer was a pain in the --.”
My brother-in-law swears that his grandfather’s last words were “Don’t use Tobin Brothers”. Tobin Brothers is a funeral directors here.
Gertrude Stein: “What is the answer?” Upon receiving no reply: “In that case, what is the question?”
Captain Lawrence Oates (A member of the Scott Antarctic expedition. After developing frostbite, he worried that he was slowing down the others and wandered off into a blizzard to die): “I am just going outside and I may be some time.”
On his death bed for a couple of weeks and after sleeping for many, many hours, my father-in-law awoke, tried to get out of bed and mumbled, “I’ve been trying to die all god-damn day. I must be one tough sonofabitch. Where’s the off switch?”
He never said another word before passing.
According to wiki, “i told u i was hardcore”.
Also, it appears that they reference a memorial site that his mom set up, which seems to have been taken over by “shroomery”. Odd.
That’s one of my favorites. Although, from memory, the full line is “From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee! For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee!”
(Melville, Moby Dick)
There was once a MAD magazine cartoon based on this theme, and I’ve heard (but can’t find a cite) that publisher William M. Gaines re-enacted the gag by tagging his wife as he lay dying.
BobLibDem: My dad’s first name is Lawrence, and in his version of the story, St. Lawrence’s exhortation is “Don’t turn me over, I’m not quite done yet.” However, a search supports your version of the quote (which, at any rate, seems too good to be true).