Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-24
DEAD AT THE DAWN
The Sorrowing Harrison fam.
lily Watching and Waiting
FOR The FATAL HOUR or -FOUR
The Sufferer Sinks Rapidly After Md
night and the Physicians Pro-
nounce the End az Hand.


one than any that mas yet occurred, set
IN tnls morning about 10 o'clock. As
the church bells began 70 ring the
watchers by the BEDSIDE became aware
OF the approach ot one OF the sinking
soells which have once or twice pre-
viously brought the patient to the
verge II dissolution. From this re-
lapse there was no rally as on previous
occasions, but the decline of vital force
pereepuDly, though gradually, contln-
ued throughout the day. The presl-
dent. who never lsf. her bedside all
day, Eas joined IN his sad watch by
other near members of the family.
None ventured outside the white house
d04rs eIther tor church or any other
purpose.
The sufferer ay AL the time on her
rgut side, too weak 10 cough, one OF
many Indications that the end could
not be- Tar away. MOuoalsss since the
early morning. except for a slight neT-
Vous twitchlnS, consequent upon the
extreme neryOu. prO.tratiOn, which IN
her case has been more pronounced
than IS customary 10 tuberculOr DIS
ease. Meantime % Vas apparent TO the
physicians that the cavity OF pleuTa
was again nlung with water, which in
tlme Will stop the acton OF the heart,
and that az operation such as that
they performed at Loon Lake, TO re-
lleye the watery pressure. was utterly
out OF the question because Of the en-
feeb!ed condition OF the patient.
Can DO Bat LittIe.
All that could be- done To relieve the
suffering OF the Invalid was done bv
the physicians and nurse, but that was
very htile. Worn out by. a sleepless
night, unable to replenlsh her wasting
strength by even A limited amount of
liquid urshment-one or two beaten
eggs-w.neh sne had heretofore been
able 10 take. The patient lay barely
conscious, except at brief intervals,
through the long hours Of the day. In
the evening Or. Gardner, the attending
physician, said the end might occur at
any moment The probability was
that death would come PAIN essiy by
the stoppage OF the hearts sction, but
a parOxYIsm of coughing Taight precipI-
tate the crisis at any tlEe. Nothing
but the wonderful vitality which Mrs.
HARRISON shared with other members OF
the scott family (ner father. 80 years
old. VINO Is at her bedslde) could have
enabled her 10 survive so long IS she
has done.
Mrs. Harrison's chamber is IN the
southwest port on of the building sep
arafed o0lY by a email room which in
health she used as 4 painting studio
from the corner OF the building near
est the greennouses. IL - lmmediate-
fsef q
tar removed as poss bic from the noises
OF the city and Of the presidential
mansion. Ii : lighted 10y two windows,
which give an uninterrupted and beau
tful view OF the Potomac. across
Grsnd Army place, ,hs scene OF the
late eucain pment.
sinking slowly
The inquiries during the dsy were
incesssnt, but no one, not even the
wife OF Attorney General MIlle-, who
u perhaps Mrs. Harrison's most IntI-
mate friend IN Washington was admit
ted 90 the sex room. None passed the
portlcO but her mald, wlo acts a. nurse
IN the dsy time. relieving the trained
nurse from the Baltimore Home hos
p,tsl, who remains on duty A. night,
aud the attending physician.
x
tons on their return from Chicago this
evening FASTENED 20 make personal en-
Gurfes "a 10 the accuracy OF the alarm
lng news that met them on their
Rrr.vai.
Dr. Gardner again VISITED the White
House AZ l0.15 O'Clock. lie found no
striking change. IN the patients con
dition since MS noon visit, nothing 10
encourage the hope of even a few days
longer prOlongatiOn OF life, and yet
nothing 90 Indicate prospect OF I'M
mediate dissOluttou within q few hours.
The only nourishment thst had been
tmin stored during the day was a
little pepton sed beef. The system was
too wes< 90 longer assmiiste the eggs
when nad been heretofore gwen.
some partisi sleep had been oh
tanned A. other times Mrs. Harrison
showed she vas conscious OF what went
on around hsr. but IN her weak CondI-
ton took no part IN any conversation.
nor did sne IN any way indicate any
desrs 90 utter suy complaints. The
uncompislnng endurance with which
her long illness has been born mas been
one of the most striking and pathetic
features IN the case.
ssadftien At ~ldnixht.
When Dr Gardiner lefs at 1890 he
ssid he would not return unless tele-
ph0ned for. The rooms of Private
Secretary Hsitord aud other officers
in the building vii remain open ali
night, and Inte -ggnce Of any onsuge
for the worse Nil be promptly com
mnn-Csted.
Or. Hamin, the pastor OF the Church
OF tne Covenant where the president
ard Mrs. HARRISON have been sccus
toret to worship during their resi-
dence m Washington, called between y
snd i1 O'Clock this evening accom-
panied nv Nrs. Hsmln. The pastor
wss net invited to the sex chamber.
Mrs. Harrison though herself srpar-
entity zoe embodiment of wurnsniv
strength snd ~ Ut hesith. Inherited
cr her fnotneF's gte. the q sessr Nhtch
hss I'D her low. The fr.t appearance
cf fhe fnslduous 4 isesse ~ Der own case
dates rstS to e. sffscS OF ths grIp fwo
years sK0. soon after her return 20
Washington - VIE 0f the president
t began a. D. uorced mat sha wss nor
sprsr-i>ylv a. sfrnng phv-cs or "a
w asle io meet her s1rtsi duties A.
she had slnwr herself turing her hus-
hsrd'. term "a senator.
Ia sr-fe Of the help received from
Nrs McN 90 snd Nrs kusssl Hsrr son
in carving out tne dutas ~ 0er arin-