Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-06-21
GARFiELD'S WIDOW.
HOW SHE LIVES AT MENTOR-DR.
BLISS ILLNESS.

Uncle Sam as Creditor-The Alibi Gods
of Medicine-Ohio and Temperance.
John Sherman and AIlison-Something
About Jennie Chamberlain, the Beauty.
Especial Correspondence.I
CLEVELAND. May 23.-Mrs James A.
Garfield is living very quietly at Mentor,
which are to shortly take place in her
family Friends of hers tell me that she
has not changed to any degree since Pres
herself to her family, and she is well sat
prospectu j. Stanley Brown, who will
marry Miss Mollie Garfield. has shown
himself to be a man Of sterling ability
and worth. and Miss Mason. who is to be
Harry Garfeld's bride. comes of one of
the good families of the Western Reserve.
The Mentor homestead has been enlarged,
and it is now one of the pleasant ramb-
ling country seats in the United States.
1t is within an hour Of Cleveland, on the
Lake Shore railroad, and the Garfield es-
tate is within short distance Of very
pretty depot. Mrs. Garfield likes it so
well that she has long since decided to
sell her Cleveland home. and this. | am
told, is now in the market. | understand
she still holds her Washington house, on
the corner Of Franklin park and | street,
and this is the house which Garfield
bought when he was In congress. 1t is
three story square pressed brick, worth
about $25, 900. and is on the edge Of fash
ionable Washington, and not far from
tie home of John Sherman.
Speaking of Mrs. Garfield calls atten-
tion to the severe illness of DR. Bliss, who
was the chief of Presidents Garfeld,s
physicians DR. Bliss failing health
dates from the day of Garfeld's assassi-
nation and the seeds Of his present frou-
BILE were sown in the care and watching
which he devoted to the presidents bed
side From the time Garfield was shot to
his death Bliss was with him almost day
and night. He gave up practice amount
ing to from SO, 900 to $50, 1000 year and
for those weary months let himself out
body and soul to the government and its
president. He was the watchguard Of
the bedchamber. and was the moving
spirit of the wonderful means which kept
Garfield alive for months After his
death he found himself broken down He
was forced to take a vacation, and he
came back at the end of six months some
what better. He soon failed again. how
ever. and for the past two years he has
been unable to attend. to his practice, and
the result is that instead of being the
leading doctor of the capital. and the
easy possessor of an income of 10000 q
year. he is poor and his health is broken.
His fate is that of all men who have
done work for Uncle Sam without having
written contract before the work was
performed.
DR.. Bliss put in bill for his services in
the Garfield case for less than he could
have made during the time in his easy
outside practice. Uncle Sam gave him |
one-ffth of what he asked for and told |
him to whistle for the rest. He might |
have made up the money loss easily if his |
health had not been broken. He did re- |
gain much of his old practice. but his |
constitution could not stand the strain, |
and it is now question of life or death.
| saw him in the Capitol at Washington |
not long ago. and | was surprised at the
change in him. Before Garfield was shot
he was apparently in his very prime. Tall,
straight and black eyed, he had the face
of gentleman-scholar. His hair was
black. and his well combed jet side whis-
kers made him one of the most admired
men of Washington A good talker, q
good liver and the most noted doctor Of
the capital, he was one of the leading
public men of the United States, and was
the life of many an elegant crowd. He
was man of ideas, thinker and gen.
tlemSn welcomed everywhere. He lived
In fine style and he drove one of the finest
teams Of Washington city. Fond of music
and the theater. he was in the very thick
Of the life at the capital, and with his big
reputation and income he seemed to have
nothing more to wish for.
Then came Garfelds sickness. and every
little whipper snapper OF a country doctor
IN the United States began to abuse and
:riticise him. The worry Of the sick room
and of the nation was added to by the
barking of the Trays. Blanches and Sweet
hearts of his profession, and he broke
lown under the strain. Then the nation
refused to pay his bill. and the result is
Is have stated.
It is easy to criticise. and the alibi gods
,xist in every profession. These alibi
rods. as Gath" calls them, are the men
Who never do anything great themselves,
'ut who can tell you just how the great
| 4
,etter they would have done if they had
md it is perhaps well for the world that
hey are not.
These alibi gods of medicine sprang up
II over the country while Garfield was
ick, and they helped to ruin Bliss. They
anne to the front during the illness, of
ten. Grant, and blighted the life Of Dr..
one Of the kindest and ablest
+ physicians who ever managed case
+ that kind. l heard one of them whis-
er that ConHing was murdered by his
octors, and they hovered over the corpse
+ Chief Justice Waite and embittered
he sorrow of his widow by their unjust /,
uspicions. They are croaking today !,
bout the illness Of the emperor Of Ger ..
many, and they win keep on croaking !,
yer the diseases Of great men until some :
ay the God of disease will lay his hand
pom them and they will die from taking .
be medicine which they would prescribe :
Or others. - |:
Cleveland is growing like green bay !
rec. 1t has at least 250,000 people now !.
nd claims more. It has tens of million
Tres, and monev seems to breed here like
australian rabbits. The town is growing :.
loral, too, as well as rich, and it's 1900 =
aloons are now closed on Sunday. The :
aloon men here have decided to observe :
he Sunday closing law, which has just !
one into operation in Ohio. and this is in =
eference to the growth of the temperance :
cement in Ohio. Ohio is the third state ?
i the Union. and it has pronounced views =
pom the liquor traffic. The Dow law
lakes each saloon in the state pay IL
,nse of $3.50 year, and as there are !
bout two thousand saloons in Cincinnati