Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-25
MRS. HARRISON is DEAD,
The Long Vigil at the White
House Is Over.
Death Has Bereft the President
Of His Noble Wife.
The Gentle Spirit Took Its Flight
Early This Morning.
Without Sign of Pain the Sufferer
Sank to Kest-The President Alone
In His Chamber With His
Grief and God.
By the Associated Press:

i
is no more. At :40p. m. came the end.
For the second time in the history OF
the White House presidents wife died
within its walls. Mrs. Harrison met
death with the patience and resignation
of devout Christian, and her last days
were comparatively free from pain. For
"a hours the president and his family
had been almost constantly at her bed
side awaiting the end.
Last night was without special Incl
I dent, but late and early, though fire.
quently he could have slept, but he slept
little. if at all-the president was in and
out of the sick chamber, and was never
easy for any length of time.
HER LAST DAY ON EARTH.
Today was clear and crisp and cool,
and perhaps the inspiring sunshine and
the dryness of the atmosphere some
what helped the invalid and acted as a
stimulant. Whenever she awoke from
her troubled and unsatisfactory sleep,
she was conscious. She could still recog-
nize her surroundings, and glance of
recognition greeted the physician when
he entered the sickroom this morning
Attorney General Miller called early
and saw Private Secretary Halford; so
did Baron De Struve, TIE Russian min
lster; Minister Grip, of Sweden; Rev.
DR.. Hamlin, the family pastor; Assist
ant Secretary Grant and Indian Com
missioner Morgan.
DR.. Gardner was at the patients bed
side nearly the entire forenoon. He went
away two or three times to attend other
professional duties, but at no one time
was he absent more than half an hour.
When asked about her condition he
frankly admitted that death was very
near, and that, remarkable as Mrs.
Harrison's vitality was, he did not see
how she could live more than few
hours.
HER LAST LOVING WORDS.
Mrs. Harrison at noon was still con,
| scious. A little before that, the presi.
dent, leaning over her, asked if she
wanted anything. With her old time
smile, that the approach of death only
made more tender and trustful, she an
swered low, but very distinctly: "No,
my dear"
At o'clock, as he left the house, DIR.
Gardner said he did not think more
than five or six hours of life remained
for Mrs. Harrison. He said most of the
time she was in sleepy, semi.conscious
condition, from which she occasionally
rallied. During these spells OF wakeful-
ness, she recognized those around her,
and sometimes responded feebly, but
clearly and intelligently, to the inquir-
les made. The doctor said his efforts
were directed solely to making the pa
tient as comfortable as possible in her
dying hours. She could not take nour-
ishment of any kind, and frequent ap-
plications of stimulating moisture to
her parched lips was the only treatment
that afforded any relief.
CHANGE FOR THE WORSE.
The doctor returned about noon and
found the patient even weaker than be-
fore, almost completely Frustrated, and
unable longer to speak or cough. Ap-
parently she was conscious. There was
little change during the afternoon, but
every change was for the worse, and the
watchers were fearful that death would
ensue about sundown.
Many messages of coincidence were
received at the White House during the
day. From O'Clock until we'll into the
evening the President and all the mem
bers of his family remained INCREASINGLY
at Mrs. Harrisons's bedside. AS the
day waned. and the sun sank behind the
western hills, the anxieties of the watch
ers became more and more intense.
The shadows deepened; the sun sank to
rest; night came, and yet the end was
not.
A PREMATURE BULLETIN,
The telegraph instruments in the
eastern part Of the building were stead
lily ticking all day, bringing from far
and near Inquiries from friends Of the
family. But after O'Clock they ticked
to Indianapolis bulletin of Mrs. Har-
rison's death. The premature report
spread rapidly over the country. from
west to east, and there began to flow in
upon the wires messages of coincidence
ford promptly authorized a denial
but it did not overtake the original
story, and the messages continued tC
arrive in numbers.
ANOTHER SINKING SPELL.
| Just after O'Clock, Mrs. Harrison
suffered another sinking spell, anG
messages we're sent by Halford to ths
absent cabinet officers, asking them tt
return to Washington Immediately
But the sick woman still had sufficien
reserve of strength to rally once more
and repulse the attack of the dread
victor who lowered at the threshold
Soon after O'Clock the physician an.
nounced that the patient might be ex
pected to live until midnight. Ever
this small grain of comfort was received
with gratitude by the anxious and grief
stricken husband and family.
THE SLOWLY EBBINa TIDE.
1t could hardly be said the patien
was unconscious during the evenin
hours, for she betrayed some signs q
understanding the attempts made t
relieve her last moments by PARTIAL
opening her parched lips to receive tn
stimulating fluid applied to them fror
time to time, but not drop could sh
swallow, and the power of speech ha
apparently left her frame forever. I
addition, the physician's experience