The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-12-01
vICE-pREsIDExT WILSON.

vICE-PREsIDExT WILSON.
SafIen i'm Mourning
As briefly announced in u last
issue, on Monday morning The coun'
try was startled by kilograms from
Washington announcing the death OF
Henry Wilson, Vice President of the
United States, 10 bis room at the
Capitol, where be was suddenly
stricken down two weeks ago. His
physicians thought he vas improS-
ing, and expected him TO be able to
leave for Massachusetts this week.
On Monday morning be suddenly
took worse and died about 81 o'clock.
Washington dispatches give the iol-
lowing particulars:
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22-Las,
night the Vice President went to bed
at an early hour and slept tolerably
well during the night, and in his
waking intervals asked for water
About midnight be got up and walk
ed around his room; then, going to
his table, took up a little book OF
poems entitled The Changed Cross
with the motto Not as | will, but as
Thou wilt and read three verses
from it, one o. which is as follows:
Help rs. o Lord. with patient love.
To Tear each others faults,
To suffer with true m~eekDess;
Held Us each others Joys and grie.s
To share hut le. Us turn
To Thee alone in weakness
This volume belonged to his wife
ond contained a photograph Of her
and their son, both deceased. He
treasured it beyond value, and made
it a companion, from which be seem
ed 10 derive much comfort. After
reading the verses be spoke with
gratitude Of the kindness Of his friends
during his sickness aud of the wide
spread sympathy in his behalf. He
then returned to bed in a happy
mood and slept. Mr.. Wilson passed
a quiet night till about 3 O'Clock,
when be awakened and complained
of a pain 10 his chest. An anodyne
was administered, aud be relapsed
into a calm, peaceful slumber from,
which he did not arouse till 7
this morning, when he woke up, re-
marking that be felt better and
brighter than at any time previously.
He said that be was going to ride
out to-day, as his physician, DR.. Bax-
ter, advised him to do SO if the
weather was fair.
The death Of Senator Ferry, of
! Connecticut, was announced to him,
when, after some complimentary re-
ma. Ks about Mr.. Ferry's services. be
added: THAT makes eighty-three
dead with whom | have sat in the
Senate; what a record | don't think
any man now living can say the
same, unless perhaps it is Hamlin
Of Main. If | live to the end Of my
present term ! shall be the sixth in
the history Of the country who have
served so long a term"
About 20 minutes after Z o'clock,
be said be would get up and take
breakfast. He then called for bitter
water (Which had heretofore been
prescribed), and having drank it be
laid with his left side Oh the pillow
as if with sudden exhaustion, breath
ing heavily, but uttering no words,
and in a few minutes died without
a struggle. His death coming but a
few moments after all these evidences
Of remarkable improvement as to
rapid recovery, could not It 6rs. be
realized by his attendants, and it
was not until the arrival Of DR.. c. Nj.
Ford, who resides in the neighbor-
hood and was sent for, that the mel
ancholly fact found any credence. In
a short time there were thousands of
mournful hearts. AT the Senate
chamber, where the dead statesman
lay, all was quiet. Friends came in
softly, and heard from the lips of
those who waited upon the Vice
President the particulars of his last
moments, and how be passed away
without q near friend by his bedside
and without any warning
A post-mortem examination by
physicians gave appoplexy as The
cause Of the Vice Presidents death.
The s~uddenness Of the death
makes the funeral arrangements un-
certain.
The President at once issued an
official order, ordering the various
departments and public buildings to
be draped in morning, and directing
the Secretaries of War and Navy to
issue orders that appropriate honors
be rendered to the memory of one
whose virtues and services will long
be borne in recollection by a grateful
nation.
Henry Wilson belonged to that
rapidly diminishing company Of men
who stood in the front of affairs dur
ing the most memorable period in the
history of the Republic. Lincoln,
Stanton, Chase, Seward, bis own
colleague in the Senate, Summer, had
disappeared before him from the stage
of civic activity. One after another
military leaders on either side of the
great conflict bad died. He was
born at Pennington, n. Hampshire,
Oct. Is, 1912. His parents were
very poor. When ten years old he
was bound out to a farmer and serv-
ed until Il years ofage. When his
apprenticeship ended he was the
owner Of a yolk of oxen and six
sheep which he sold for eighty-tour
dollars. "A dollar" be once said,
would Y every penny | spent
from the time | was born until | was
t~wenty-one years of age"
At the close of his apprenticeship, in
1888, putting all his worldly goods
into a pack OF his back, he walked to
Natick, Mass, which has since been
his residence. There be hired him
self to a shoemaker, remaining for
two years and learning the trade.
With a little money he saved be
then returned 10 New Hampshire,
and studied in several academies, but
a person with whom be had entrusted
his money failed in business. com
pelling him to return to Natick and
resume his trade.
In the Presidential campaign of
1910. Mr.. Wilson secured public
recognition by his advocacy of Har-
rison's election, making over sixty
cnaaohos Hn was euepessiveiv