Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-27

Washington, Oct 25.-MrS. Harrison
is no more. At $40 a. M. came the end.
For the second time in history the
white house presidents wife died with
in its walls.
Mrs. Harrison met death with the
patience and resignation of a devOut
christian and her last days were com
paratively free from pain. For twenty
four hours the president and family had
been almost constantly at the bedside
awaiting the end. Last night was with
out special incident but late and early,
so frequently he could have slept but
little if ut all, the president was in and
out of the sick chamber and was never
away for any length of time. Yesterday
was clear and crisp and cool and per
haps the inspiring sunshine and dry
neSSOf the atmosphere somewhat help
ed the invalid and acted as stimulant.
Whenever she awoke from her troubled,
unsatisfactory sleep she was conscious.
She could still recognize her surround
ings and n glance of recognition greeted
the physician when he entered the sick
room this morning.
Attorney General Miller called early
and saw Mr.. HalfOrd as did Mr.. De
Strive, the Russian Minister, Minister
Grip, of Sweden, Rev. RI. Hamlin, the
family pastor, Assistant Secretary
Grant and Indian Commissioner Nor
gan.
Dr. Gardner was at the patients bed
side nearly the entire forenoon. He
went away two or three times to, at
tend to other professional duties, but
at no one time was he absent more thar
half an hour. When asked about her
condition he frankly admitted that
death was very near at hand and that
remarkable as Mrs. HarriS0n's vitality
was, he did not see how she could live
more than Il few hours.
Mrs. Harrison at noon was still con-
scious. A little before that the presi-
dent, leaning over her. asked if she
wished for anything. With the old
time smile that the approach of death
only made more tender and truStful
she answered low but very distinctly,
mo, dear"
The doctor returned about noon and
found the patient even weaker than
before. She was almost completely
Frustrated and unable longer to speak
or cough. Apparently she was con-
SciouS.
There was little change during the
afternoon, but every change was for
the worse, and it was feared the end
would come about SmdOWn Many
messages of coincidence were received
at the white house during the day.
From o'clock until well into the even
ing the president and all members of
the family remained INCREASINGLY ut
Mrs HarriSOn'S bedside AS the day
waned and the sun sank behind the
western hills, the anxiety of the watch
ers became more and more intense.
The shadows deepened and sank 90
rest; night came and yet the end was
not.
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 fam
lily. But after o'clock they licked
faster and faster. Some one had sent
q message announcing Mrs. HarrisOn'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 adj
dressed to the president. Halford
promptly authorized a prompt denial,
but it did not overtake the original
story and the messages continued to
arrive in great numbers.
At l o'clock, rs he left the house.
Dr. Gardner said he did not think
more than five or six hours of life re-
manned for Mrs. Harrison. He said
that most of the time she is in a sleepy.
semi-conSciouS condition from which
she occasionally rallied. During these
waleful spells she recognized those
around her, and sometimes responded
feebly but clearly and intelligently to
inquiries made. The doctor said his
efforts were devoted solely to making
the patient as comfortable as possible
in her dying hours. She could not
take ncurishment of any kind and the
frequent application of stimulents and
moisture to her parched lips was the
only treatment that afforded any re-
lief