Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-25
MRS. HARRISON DEAD
She Passes Peacefully Away
at TAO A. M.
CONSCIOUS UP TO THE LAST.
Death Was Tho Outcome Of an Attack Of 0rII
In 1890 and 1891 Wonderful Vitality
Of The suherer--The Family
Al Present.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.--Mra. HAITI
son is no more. AT l;40A m. came thu
end. For the second time in the
history OF the White House the presi.
dcnt's wife died while In ita walls. Mrs.
Harrison met death with tho patience
and resignation Of a deyout Christian,
and her last days wore comparatively
free from pain.
WASHINGTON, Oct 2i,--Last night
passed slowly for the grief-strieken
watchers ut the White House where
Mrs. Harrison lay slowly passing away.
The patient was restless and nervous
with small fluctuations in condition
that did not range far on either side Of
tho general average OF extreme dopres-
sion and exhaustion. The terrible
uorvous strain ON those who watched
withouto hope and in desparing resig-
nation was very apparent.
A messenger was dispatched TO the
home OF DIR. Gardner, aud the physician
quickly responded, He reached the
White House at Z o'clock. He found
the patient IN condition TO warrant
tho gravest approximations and 80 hope
less was his report the president do
aired him TO remain in the White House
for n time.
Al QococlS 1t appeared tho struggle
for life was To DO prolonged some hours
az least and tho doctor Left the White
House after giving the family n small
grain OF comfort 10 be found In the
statement that Mrs. Harrison might
live until evening
She was lying on her back and whom.
ever sho awoke from the troubled and
unsatisfactory sleep she was conscious
She could still recognize surrounding
and cast glance OF recognition toward
the physician when he entered the sich
room this morning.
The fatal cough waspresent but nat
urally In the feeble state OF the invalid
was not pronounced. When tho doctor
was asked about her condition no frankly
admitted death was very near and that
remarkable as Mrs. Harrison'e vitality
was he did not seen how she could livd
more than fow hours.
Mrs Harrison at noon was stlll con-
scious. A little before that the presi-
| dent, leaning over her, asked II shd
wished for anything. She answered
low, but very distinctly: mo, dear.n
At o'clock, as he left the house, DIR.
| Gardner said he did not think more
thnn five or six hours OF her life re'
mninod for Mrs. Harrison.
During spells OF wakeiullness she
recognized those round her and some.
timos responded feebly but clearly aud
intolligently TO inquirlea made. Doctor
snid his efforts were devoted solely to
making his patient as comfortable al
possible IN her dying hours
There was little change during the,
afternoon, but every change was for tho
worst and the Watchers were fearful
death would ensuo about shutdown.
I,ant,t 4 nfglnnlr until wall iutn th0
evening the president and all the NOM
bors OF the family remained unceas-
ingly at Mrs. Harrisonls bedside As
day waned the anxiety OF the watchers
became more and more intense.
Just after o'clock Mrs Harrison
suffered another sinking spell and mes
sagos were sent by Halford 10 absent
cabinet officers, asking them 20 return
TO Washington Immediately. But the
sick woman still had sufficient reserve
strength 10 rally once more. DIR. Card
nor mado eight calls during the day
and when he came on tho last ho sent
his carriage home and prepared 10 re-
main until the end.
Soon after 8 o'clock he announced
that tho patient might DO expected 10
live until after midnight. Even this
small grain OF comfort was received
with gratitude by the anxious and
griof-striclsen family and husband.
SKETCH or ILLNESS,
Mrs. Harrison's illness was an attacl;
OF grip during tho winter OF 1690-91,
which left her with cough last
ing several weeks. While al
Cape May Point in the
summer OF 1891, sho contracted
cold, which caused a return OF this
cough, and II listed during the entire
summer. She was we'll enough how.
ever during the winter to attend TO the
exacting social functions devolying on
tho mistress OF the White House,
but In January, 1892, the cough, which
never entirely left her commenced
again 10 trouble her considerably. In
the following March sho had second
attack OF grip, followed this time By
catarrhal pneumonia, lasting nine
days. Coughing spells increased Ia
severity until al last they were accom-.
panied by bloody expectorations and
about the first OF May shs
suffered homoThage Of the
lungs, which. although not very
sovere' caused great prostration. Pleu
risy came accompanied by efiusion Of
fbro-serous huid completely filling tho
cavity Of pleura on the right ride, neo-
essitating spiratlna or tapping three
times.
At the time Mrs. Harrison was 70.
moved TO Washington, September ~
her right lung was entirely consoi
dated.