The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16
MRS, HELEN HUNT JACKSON.
Particulars of Her Last Illness-Her Recent
Literary Work.
San Francisco Ca.l.

San Francisco Cd!l.
Helen Hurt Jackson, better known under her
pseudouym of H. H." is lying dangerously sick
at the house of a friend in this city. Four or
five months ago, while in Los Angeles county
Mrs. Jackson had a serious fail which resulted
in fracture Of the knee Suffering severely
from this. she came to this city some four months
ago and put up at the house of an old friend. 1t
may be parenthetlcally stated here that the
name and residence of this friend purposely
omitted from this article to the end that the
patient may not be disturbed by the messages
or visits of we'll meaning, but perhaps
thoughtless, friends. At first it was hoped that
owing to the natural vigor of her constitu-
ton. she would recover from the accident
and get comfortably over the internal fever
which seemed to take violent hold upon her.
She showed then 10 symptoms sufficiently
dangerous to alarm her watchful friends. She
able to partake heartily of her meals. and it
seemed more than probable that Mrs Jackson
would at early day be able to resume her
active habits. But suddenly the fever grew
stronger and the system weaker, the stomach
refused to retain solid food, and growing still
weaker it finally refused to retain light chicken
broths and beef teas. Still no alarm felt.
Mrs Jackson to all appearance, seemed still the
bright. happy. cheerful woman who made, when
we'll, everything so pleasant around her. Though
stretched upon a bed of sickness with violent
fever gnawing into her very vitals, and her body
so debilitated that she could hardly raise herself
and the strength of her digestive organs so ex-
hausted that they refused to receive any nour-
ishment her mind still retained its early vigor
her voice still its hearty cheeriness, her conver
sation still lacking neither jest nor wit
These symptoms increasing it required the
utmost ingenuity of her friends and medical at
PENDANTS TO devise some means by which nour-
ishment could be introduced into the body.
Finally it was resolved that frozen cream should
be tried, and the experiment so far has succeed
ed well. The cream has to be given her in alb
soute!y frozen condition. If, by chance, it
happens to but slightly melt in the spoon before
being swallowed, it is at once rejected. For the
past month this has been her condition. 1t seems
gradual decaying Of all physical power, a
gradual though brave yielding to death. Though
daily losing vitality, Mrs jackson shows upon
her bed of sickness fortitude which is given to
heroes alone 1t is not yet month since she
partly dictated and partly wrote pleasing sketch
to paper in this city, but since then her pen
has rested perhaps never to be again taken up for
public writing. For the past three months she
has not been able to leave her bed. She has,
with the utmost resignation, often said to her
friends that she is prepared for death and wishes
for its coming. Finally her friends, losing hope
fearing that perhaps before they could be well
aware of it death might be upon her. sent for
her husband, Colonel jackson, who is at present
a resident of Denver Col, where he is in bust
ness. He arrived in this city last Sunday.
1t is some two and half years ago that Mrs
Jackson arrived in this city to describe the pic
turesQue features Of the southern part of the
State. Mrs. jackson was wholly in accord with
the work. She decided that she would not
merely make her articles sketchy. but historical.
She was rendered every assistance by the local
savants. They opened to her their libraries, and
in them Mrs. Jackson passed many busy days.
cullng notes, transcribing whole passages hav-
ing pictures taken and making herself perfectly
familiar with the Names manners and customs of
those of the old Spanish families who still
scattered throughout the State. With them
Mrs jackson was soon on a familiar footing,
and there is not one among them who does not
speak in tender and atfectonate terms of her
sunny character and countenance.
1t was her intention, if she recovered from this
illness, to undertake at an early day another
literary venture like that of Ramona" where
we are given most delicious pictures of Califor-
Mas sunny south 1t seemed to her that she
could gain rest anart from her desk.