Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-06-16
Illness of Mr., Blaine.

DhrueS anu DOctor DllsS immediately
summoned. They say the attack was
caused by overwork and the excessive
heat of the weather.
From ii o'clock in the morning till
four in the afternoon Mr.. Blaine lay un
conscious, breathing irregularly, his
wife and physicians and other friends
remaining at his bedside all that time.
The physicians said he was suffering
from hyper excitement of the brain and
the nervous system, superinduced by
recent events in which he was promi-
nent actor. The symptoms were agrava-
ted by the weather which was oppres-
sive. Several weeks ago Mr. Blaine was
confined to the house some days by a
slow type of malarial fever, but appear
ed before the sub, judiciary committee
investigation to meet the charges against
him before he had fully recovered. Sec
rotary Bristow called at the house as
soon as he heard of Mr.. Blaine's illness,
as did also Secretaries Fish, Robson,
Chandler, Postmaster General Jewell,
General Sherman, Senators Ferry and
Paddock, General Garfield, and many
democrats. About four o'clock Mr..
Blaine's consciousness gradually return
ed, when he recognized his wife and in
quired of her what was the matter She
replied that he was i'll, and after that he
| for the first time turned over in his bed
unaided. His breathing now was much
better and his pulse stronger.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Further particulars indicate that Mr..
Blaine's illness was of serious nature
and for awhile excited the gravest APP
prehensions. 1t appears that in the
morning he informed his wife that he
felt much better than he had for many
days and prepared to start for church.
Mrs. Blaine attempted to dissuade him
from doing SO on the ground that the
great excitement that he had undergone,
and the feeble condition in which the
malarial fever had left him, made rest
essential and imperative. Mr.. Blaine
declined to heed her admonitions and ac-
companied her to church. His family
attends Dr. Rankin's Church Presby-
terrain. The family party consisted of
Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine, Miss Dodge and
two young daughters of Mr.. Blaine. The
distance traversed was about half mile
six long squares.
THE ATTACK.
Mr.. Blaine made no complaint of the
heat during the walk, but upon arriving
at the church he raised his handkerchief
to his eyes in an unaccustomed manner
and said, "Oh my God, my head"
These words being uttered, he sank sense
less upon the steps of the church, and
was removedi in an unconscious condition,
with the exception of one lucid moment
and so continued for more than five
hours.
A passing omnibus was hailed and he
was conveyed to his home. His breath
ing was SO labored that at times it ap-
preached gasp, and at one time was so
painful that he was thought to be dy-
ing.
RETURN OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
Near five o'clock Mrs Blaine again
spoke to her husband, asking him if he
knew her. He answered "yes, mama,"
this being the term of endearment by
which his wife in the family is known.
Soon after he recognized Miss Dodge
and little later, with brief word, one
or two journalists present. During the
afternoon electric batteries were applied
along the spinal column to stimulate the
nervous activity. At about six o'clock
Mr.. Blaine fell into fitful slumber, in
which he continued with broken inter-
walls OF semi-consciousness until about
nine o'clock. During the evening he
recognized his wife and called once for
Abbie, meaning Miss Dodge, but he
seemed to fail to recognize his own broth
err.
TELEGRAPH ARRANGEMENTS
In the library room, adjacent to the
one in which Blaine lay, telegraph in
strument had been placed, connected
Immediately with all parts of the coun-
try. AT the instrument during the en-.
tire afternoon, and very soon after Mr..
Blaine had been brought to the house,
an operator sat constantly at work, re-
naming until late at night, dispatching
and receiving the manifold messages of
anxiety and interest with which the
wires were burdened and in the one
room the strong, great man lay stricken
with sickness unto death-in the other
the instrument was ticking with more
regularity than the ex-Speaker's pulse,
but the electric messages that came over
the wires were as impotent to revive him
as were the electric batteries which were
placed along the centre of his nerve
life.
A HERoINE.-A lady living nearly
half mile distant saw tho Eort III