The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-09-17
WASHINGTON.
[Faor oua REouLAa ConnrsrOspnrr.l

The Presidents case has been the alb
sorbing topic here for more than two
months, and now that the suffering pa
tient has been removed, the White House
is deserted and still. The question is
sadly asked 4" Will 1t ever be occupied
again by General GarHeld9" cannot
answer it, the Doctors cannot answer 1t,
and the prayers of fifty millions of peo-
pie cannot assure it. The feeling among
those who have known most about the
case is that removal to new scenes and
fresh air was the one last resort, the only
hope, There is also very strong feel
ing that the Doctors have made some
serious mistakes, and that there has been
toe much Doctor in the case from the
beginning This may be true. ] know
nothing as to that and do not feel
like entering the list of critics. 1t is
certain that there has been great anxiety
and untiring effort on the part Of the em-
inent physicians in charge of the case ;
yet If the President does not recover
they must expect to be blamed Even
now the advocates of heroic treatment,
including the medical writers in the
New York Herald are persuading the
public that there is no bope of recovery
because the surgeons did not probe for
the ball at the outset.
Now that the scene of anxious watch.
ing has been transferred for q time to
Long Branch, the eager crowds who
have daily surrounded the entrance To
the White House grounds, waylaying
the correspondents and others as they
came out, have fallen back upon the
telegraph bulletins for their information.
There we're many sad faces in these
crowds during the days when the end
was thought to be near and hope was
dead. There were anxious faces, too,
in the eager throng that gathered at six
o'clock Tuesday morning TO see the de-
parture for the depot. 1t was busy
time at the White House the night be-
fore the removal. Until late hour in
the day it Was not decided to start. The
decision to do so was caused by the
patients own anxiety and pleading. For
several days his mind had been. set upon
it, and he begged almost pitifslly to be
taken away. 1t is a chance" he said,
land think am entitled to it," When
DR.. Bliss tried to pursuade him that he
was then doing so well he had better
wait little, he said, "No, no, don't
want any more delay" and all during
the afternoon he kept asking "Is this
the last day in the White House2" To
have prolonged his anxiety would no
doubt have been more injurious than
the fatigue of the journey.
The conduct of Mrs. Garfield all
through these trying days has been
something to admire. All the ceres
pondents and newspaper writers have
been sounding her praise for some time,
but I have not Joined in very often be-
cause / am not much given to gush, and
I thought she was doing just what any
true woman would do in her place-what
many an humber woman, perhaps, Is
doing every day unnoticed. Yet there is
something heroic in the way this quiet,
self-contained, trusting woman has de-
meaned herself. In the dark days when
hope forsook everybody, and the doctors
stampeded, she said to them, go back
TO your posts, do not give him up.
Intense as is the strain upon her she has
not SO far as is known, given way for Q
moment, She spends nearly all hei
time with the President, and personally
superintends the preparation of his food
He thinks it tastes better when it comes
from her hand.
Among the crowds that have eagerly
sought the daily bulletins, the coloret
citizen has been quite numerous. He il
pretty numerous in Washington any
how. One of them was heard to remark
to another day or two ago while read
ing the latest report We'll, his tenn
perance is good how is his perspira
ton"
Last Monday was the day for making
the quarterly payment of pensions ii
many cities and towns over the country
The New York city agent alone paid ou
s530,000. making over 50 600. 600 pc
year at that agency. Washington ha
no local government of its own, and n
voters. but it has within its limits
goodly number of veterans who "fough
bled and died" and who now draw per
sions. 1t was a striking scene to wi
ness the procession of "maimed, hs
and blind" as they crowded up to r
ceive their little annuity from Unc
Sam. There were among them tho
! who, having emerged from the battl
, field unscathed, still look hale al
, hearty ; others from whom the light
day is forever shut out and who can
= led by some dutiful child or loviI
wife, Some crept slowly along wi
a two heavy canes others with one, whi
many poor fellow minus an arm OF
q leg, smiled contentedly as he clutch
!, the crisp notes or chinked the music
silver from the Golfers of his Uncle Sal
uel Many mothers and widows of fall
"a soldiers were among the number.
! DON PEDRO.