Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-09-23
4 TOUCHING ACCOUNT
OF q Grief-Stricken Mothers Utter
Despair.
Special to Cleveland Leader.

VA u U11C1sStA1CAOA AAAVSAASA OVSSA
Despair.
Special to Cleveland Leader.
"Who shall break the news to
Mother Garfield was the query
this morning at the home of her som
in-law, NJ G.. Larabee, at Solon.
Mother Garfield watched anxiously
for the 6 o'clock bulletin Monday
evening, feeling that if it was favora-
BILE she might hope on. Worn out
by anxious days and sleepless.nights,
her strength became SO exhausted
that the administration of stimulants
was found to be necessary. Though
hoping against hope, she could not
realize her son to be in immediate
danger. He will ive," she said but
yesterday )" God makes so few men
like him that He will not take them
away when they are living lives of
usefulness, while there are SO many
men who are of no use to anyone who
lives. I cannot believe my God will
take my James away when he is SO
much needed"
Shortly after 8 o'clock this morn
ing Mrs. Garfield arose, and, after
dressing, spent some time reading her
Bible, as customary, and then went
into the oining~room, where her
breakfast was being prepared, re>
freshed by night of rest. She was
more cheerful than for several days.
Mr.. Larabee, unable to conceal his
emotion, left the room.
The mother of the dead President
walked about, looking out of the win
dows. Finally she turned to her
daughter Mary, saying, Is there
any news yet this morning, Mary 2
Mrs. Larabee's heart failed. She
could nos blast the hope expressed in
that voice and exhibited in that dear
old face. "Eat your breakfast,
mother; it is ready now" she said.
"But I want to hear from my
James first" said the loving mother.
The telegram that was SO soon
to bring grief and anguish to her
hopeful heart lay Oh the shelf, and
seeing it, she took and was about to
read, saying, "Here it is, now +; l
must read it before l eat.
Her granddaughter, Ellen Larabee,
fearing that so sudden shock would
be fatal, took the dispatch from her
hand and said: 81 will read it to
you, grandma; are you prepared
for-for bad news 2"
"Why, no. said grandma, Il am
not prepared for bad news, and there
isn't any bad news this morning, is
there?"
eyes, grandma"
"Oh, Nelly, he is not, he cannot be
dead ?"
"Grandma, his spirit passed away
last night.
"Oh, it cannot be, it must not be
cannot have it SO, I cannot have il
so. My James, my James dead
No, cannot believe you; let me SEE
the dispatch
She took it and read, dropped the
message on the floor and fell back
ward into a chair, moaning anG
wringing her hands, bitter tears
coming down her cheeks. For some
time she gave way, but at length
subdued her feeling in measure.
Mother Garfield" -"To- morrow
will be 80 years old, but I will no
see the beginning of another year
James is gone, and I shall not b,
long after him
After this she succeeded somewha
in controlling her emotions, until th'
arrival of James Palmer, the hus
band of a granddaughter now dead
and daughter of Mrs. Larabee
When he entered she again burs
into tears, between sobs repeated
over and over, and said, in her an
guish Of soul:
"He is gone! he is gone! Oh,
cannot have it so.
When the morning paper arrived
although advised by her daughte.
not to read it, she insisted on it, ane
eagerly scanned the dispatches for ,
while. Then, throwing it down, sh,
exclaimed: 81 cannot read it an,
more Then she went to her room
and laid down, but soon arose ant
requested granddaughter to reat
to her further She listened will
blinded eyes and breaking heart
making noble efforts to restrain he1
emotions.
During the afternoon somebod,
remarked to her: at seems yer,
still to day."
"Still 2" responded she, Yes, bu
it is the stiffness of death
Mr.. Larabee, the President
brother-in-law, said he had known
James A. Garfield since he was thre,
years old, and added: zone thing
gives me slight comfort to-day. Ny
belief that he was a sincere ani
earnest Christian if ever there wal
one; that partly assuages my sorrow
for that is the kind of q man We
need at the head of our Government,
and rather hard one to find now a
! dayS.