Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-06

Washington. July 3.-Never since the llth
| of April. 1865, when the citizens of the entire
nation were looking for the momentsry death
| of the martyred Lincoln. has the White
| House been the scene of such a terrible
deathwatch as il was last night Whether
| he President lives or dies. the night of the
| I'd of July will will forever mark an era in
| the history of the Executive Mansion. and
| fle incidents of that night. when the life of
President Garfield hung trembling in the
| balance. will be read with interest so long as
| the English language is read or spoken. The
full particulars of that night of anxious
watching and fearful forebodiugs will proba-
| by never be written. The actors in the scene
| were too busy and too much excited by their
| tears TO remember half the little incidents
which go to make up the tragic story: but
some dim pictIre of the terrible life drama
which was enacted in the Presidents cham
her while the whole world was awaiting with
| breathless anxiety its elimination. NAV be
lrawn at this time, while the actors of it
still hold its prominent features fresh in their
| memory. The Times's correspondent has
seen and conyersed with most of the ladies
and gentlemen who passed the night in the
White House, hoping and fearing alternately
| for the life of the chief executive of great
nation. and the stories which they relate
| a scene which all Americans will look upon
with intense interest. serve still more forcibly
| to depict the character of President Garfield,
and to place him before the world as hus-
band and father as he never could have been
known but for the attempt made upon his life
yesterday by the assassin Guiteau.
From the time of the shooting in the Balti-
more and Potomac depot yesterday morning
| until very nearly midnight hut little. if any =,
hopes of saving the Presidents life were en-
| tertaincd by the physicians who attended
| him. 1t is safe to say that hut for the re-
| markablv abstemious course of life which he
! had pursued from hoyhood up he never
| would have rallied from the shock. His one
| thought. when it became possible for him to
| hink calmly at all after being removed to his
chamber in the Executive Mansion. was for
| his wife and children. He feared the effect
of the terrible news upon Mrs. Garfield. and
| he was anxious to have her and their daugh-
| ter Mollie with him, that he might reassurc
| them. if pos ,ible, and look upon them for the
| ast time if il decreed that he should die.
| iIe was very weak at this time and to all ap-
pearances sinking fast. He was told by Mrs.
James. wife of the Postmast General and
Mrs. Hunt, who were doing all that syma
| thetic women could do to make him comfort
able. that Mrs. Garfield would he with him
| nv 6 o'clock Every moment seemed an age
| o the fast sinking father and husband. He
| turned restlesslv in his bed and asked the
| time of day continually. 1t was evident that
his anxiety to meet Mrs. Garfield was aggra-
waiting the effect of the wounds which he
had received, but nothing could be done.
Six o'clock came. and W ith it, instead of Mrs
Garfield, the news that the engine of her
train had broken down Il miles outside of
Washington. This news was carefully kept
from the suffering President. and a fresh en-
zine started off to take the place of the dis
bled one. 1t brought Mrs. Garfield, Mollie
Garfield, Gen. Swain. and Mrs. Rockwell to
the city. at the rate of GO miles an hour, and
| AT so the party drove up the private en-
trance in the rear of the White House.
Here the almost heart-kroken wife was met
hy her son, James A. Garfield, .Jr.. Mrs.
James. and Attorney General MacVeagb
She placed her hands in those of Mrs. James
! and directing a piercing inquiry into her
eyes, exclaimed interrogatively "Well?"
''Oh everything is going on beautifully" a"
said Mrs. James in reply, "only he must not
be excited. You must be very calm when
YOU meet him" Mrs. Garfield had nerved
herself for the ordeal and she answered sim
ply, but with great irmness II can do it,
The party then went sadly up the stairs,
Young James A. Garfield with his arm about
his mothers waist. Arriving in the library.
every body but Mrs Garfield paused, and the
doctors withdrew with bowed heads from the
Presidents chamber. Mrs. Garfield passed
| quickly in, and the door was closed. OF that
| solemn meeting between husband and wife
| no record will ever be given. The two were
alone together. without witnesses. At the
| end of about - minutes the door
| opened. and Mrs. Garfield came slowly
| out. There were no tears in her eyes, and
| she walked with firm step and took
her seat in the library. She was very brave
| and bore up pobly under the great blow
| which had fallen upon her. As she left the
room Mrs. James passed in. The President
was smiling and lac beckoned with his finger
to the lady to approach. She leaned over
| the President and he said ''Have you met
| Crete:" Mr.. Garfeld's Christian name is
| Lucretia. and Crete is the pet name by which
| the President always speaks of her. 'Yes.
/ have met her said MIS-. James. "And
| how does she act how does she bear it!''
was the next eager question. ''She bore it
| like the true wife of soldier" answered
Mrs. James. .'Ah, the dear little woman,
exclaimed the President. II would rather die
than that this shoYld cause a relapse TO her. =
Soon after Miss Molly entered the room.
| She too. was very brave. and forced herself
| TO assume n cAlnntFs WHICH sDe cDulu not
feel. Advancing steadily toward her father
as he lay On what was supposed to be his
death bed. she said ''Oh. papa, I'm so glad
to get back to you. but ] am so sorry to see
you in this way" Then she kissed him, and
the President putting his arm abou: her neck,
exlamed Mollic, your brave, good little
girl" ..Well, I'm not going to talk with you
now" said the siout-bearted little girl. as
she tenderly removed his arm fro her neck ;
''wait till you get well, !" and with these part
ing words she kissed him again and left the
room, followed by beaming smile from the
President
| From the moment Of Mrs. Garfield's visit
to him the President seemed to gain IN
strength and spirits. and if he RECEIVERS the
doctors say that it will he due greatly to the
presence of his devoted wife. After Mollie
had left him he turned over. and with one
hand clasped firmly in one of Mrs. Jamess,
and his head resting upon her other hand, he
fell into gentle sleep. In half an hour,
however. he awoke and complained of 4
pain in his feet. Ii did not last long. and he
dozed off again, still holding the hand Of
Mrs. James. This time he slept little oveI
half an hour, and when he awoke he said to
NYS. James, "Do you know where Mrs