The Portland daily press., 1881-07-11
THE PRESIDENT CHEERFUL.

Interesting statements OF Gen. Swain
and Col Rockwell.
WASHINGTON, July 9.-In response to the
questions of a reporter to-dayGen. Swain said:
The President is assimilating his food well.
This afternoon we have given him some
chicken broth in addition to his milk aud
Medford rum. He does not like rum
me too much?"
"Is he cheerful?n was asked.
Gen. Swain answered: "He is not laughing
out loud just now. but tell you he is going to
7 pull through. He is very comfortable and
very weak. If he passes 12 o'clock tomorrow
as we'll as he has been doing we shall think his
chances are very good. have always thought
he would pull through, but they frightened me
so for day or so that did not say it very
loud"
"Does he still persist in talking, General?''
"No, he is becoming more tractable in that
respect. But he is as calm and philosophical
as he is at Cabinet meeting. He puts him
self in the third person and reasons out his
condition. He does not use many words, but
the few he does are compact, pithy and forei-
BILE: We think at this hour that everything
looks very favorable indie ed''
Col Rockwell was recently in the Presidents
room when the following colloquy occurred.
The President-'Is it true, Rockwell, that
the Catholics ale saying mass for me?"
Rockwell-"It is trne?"
The President-"Is it voluntary or ordered?"
Rockwell -"Both.''
The President-(who seemed very much
granddaughter | get up must make some
recognition of this"
Judge Advocate Swain Believes the
President will Recover.
WASHINGTON, July 1o.-Judge Advocate
General Swain who is an intimate friend of
President Garfield and has been almost con-
stantly in attendance upon him since he W as
wounded in conversation this evening said the
Presidents condition is very encouraging in.
deed. He said in referring to the Presidents
the patient invariably takes it without any
effort and as rule appears to relish it. An
exception to this rule however occurred this
afternoon in the following manner: The
President asked for drink, whereopn Major
Swain handed him some milk is which the
physicians had added small quantity of old
rum. The President after drinking it lookdd
| at Major Swain with distasteful expression
and said, Swain that's rum dose, isn't it?''
| The President continuestU take chicken broth
internal pain from the would but experience
| considerable soreness of the muscles. No one
excepting Mrs. Garfield and the attendants
has been admitted to the sick chamber to-day,
it having been the desire to keep the President
perfectly quiet. Early this afternoon Major
Swain says the President desired to see one
of the bulletins which he had heard some one
speak of as having been issued. The last bull
letin was brought from the Secretarys office
aud hauded to him. After persuing it he re-
marked smiltngly that he did not think it
necessary to post his name before the country
every few hours.
Major Swain 4hinks that with to-day the
greater part of the danger will pass and that
unless something nnfavorable occurs of which
there is at present no indication the President
will gradually improve and that his ultimate
recovery wilt be merely question of time.
His recovery" the Major continued, "Will
opinion he is now on the sunny side of life
again.