Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-07-11

left alone. Mrs. Garfield could stay there
but few minutes: for seven long hours
she had been Fastening to Washington,
unable to receive nourishment, and suf-
fering such agony as only those who love
can know. She grew faint; the Presi
dent noticed it and insisted that she go
down stairs for supper. Mrs, Garfield
consented, and escorted by Col. Rockwell
she went to the family dining room about
Z: 60 p. m.
A STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT.
The party had hardly commenced their
meal when messenger ran hastily down
the private stairs and into the dining room
without ceremony, announcing that the
surgeons had said that the President was
dying rapidly and that they must come
quickly. The party rose at once and hur
ried to Gen. Garfield's room where they
found that whilst he was sinking rapidly
he had yet his full consciousness, as he
had had all day, but he seemed to be rap
idly nearing death. At O'Clock he was
still lower in condition, and a few mo-
ments later still his pulse beat at the rate
of 153 a minute. The anxious group of
physicians looked every minute, every
second, expecting to see the sufferer
breathe his last.
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
This low condition continued for some
time without change, a circumstance
which astonished the surgeons, and as
the condition continued until toward nine
O'Clock they became hopeful. At ten
O'Clock the pulse had gradually receded
to 12S, and at last for the first time since
the shooting the President fell into an
easy sleep; at 10: Is p. m. the pulse was
! at 12l, and was so much stronger that his
attendants declared it to represent a re-
duction of at least 10 less than at 10 p. m.
The temperature of the body was also
much reduced, and it then became evident
to the most sceptical of his mdeical at
tendants that the wonderful physique and
nerve power of the President might pos
| sibly bring him out of the valley of the
| shadow of death.
During Saturday night there was no
material change. The President slept
some and was cheerful and hopeful. Dur
| ing the day Sunday he remained in appar
antly the same condition, but as the night
drew on his symptoms grew worse and
there was great alarm. So bad was his
condition through the night that the sur
| geons almost despaired of his recovery,
and some of them declared that he could
live at best but a few hours. Edward
| Thornton stated that he could not live.
| During the day Monday he appeared to
hold his own, but a condition of partial
insanity and some new symptoms of a
bad character gave fresh cause of alarm.
The heat was intense, the President
was very much wearied by being compell-
ed to lie on one side, and the condition
was imminently critical. The wounded
man remarked about an hour before sun
set, 'Doctor / feel better than at any
time since l was wounded" Secretary
Blaine was Respondent, however, and
said: s'He is entirely calm and coura-
geous and accepts whatever fate God may
design for him with perfect resignation
and with sublime Christian faith A
bulletin at o'clock confirmed the gravest
apprehensions and it was generally he
lieved by all that the President had but a
few hours, at most, on earth. A little
later one came from the Presidents room
with hope beaming on his face, the symp-
toms having slightly changed for the bet
ter, and the sorrowing hearts were
cheered Dy the report.
OF all who have had to do with the sad
case, it has been remarked that the Pres
ident and his devoted wife have shown
the most heroic courage. Secretary
Blaine has shown remarkable will power,
and through the trying ordeal has allow
ed his feelings to overcome him but once,
while in the Presidents room. He has
slept scarcely moment since Friday
night, and looks pale and exhausted.
A dispatch to Boston Journal, dated
Tuesday morning, :35, was as follows
|
sleeping. DR.. Bliss says that he is hav-
ing the best sleep that he has had since
he was wounded. If there is any change
it is for the better. DR.. Bliss says he is
beginning to have good hope again. II
he passes the night safely there will be
great hopes"
At 2 :15 a. m. 'sThe President is sleep.
ing naturally. His physicians think he
will awake in an improved condition"
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BAD SYMPTOMS.
Tuesday, to the great joy of the
cabinet and the lingering thousands, il
was announced late last night that the
Presidents bad symptoms seemed to bt
passing away. People who stayed VI
waiting anxiously for the latest intelli
) gence went to their homes, happy in th'
assurance that the President would liv,
until morning. The cabinet also retired
early. Gen. Sherman was one of the frs
to make the cheering announcement. HI
was heard to say to the Presidents son
) sYour father is better" and in a momen
| the news spread into the streets. Th'
house was closed early, and at L o'clocl
there was no indication of the anxiety
! Within the President slept well, bette
than they had hoped, and when he awok'
he said that he was hungry. The phys
icians thought the symptom as encourag
ing as the earlier symptoms had beel
discouraging.
He had passed a most comfortable day
The pulse, temperature and respiration
while still very bad, were SO much bette
, than they were last night that the physi
; clans hoped they would continue to 81