The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-25

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24-Mrs. Harrlson Is
no more At 1:40 o'clock came the end.
For the second time in the history of the
Waite House presidents wife has died
within it's walls. Mrs. Harrison met
death with the patience and resignation OF
devout Christian. and her last days were
comparatively free from pain.
For twenty-four hours the president
and family have been al
most constantly at her bedside
waiting the end. The night passed
slowly for the grief-stricken watchers.
The patient was restless and nervous.
The terrible nervous strain On those who
watched without hope and in despairing
resignation WAS very apparent. AS the
night waned and the gray light of Monday
morning spread over the earth, the vital
force OF Mrs. Harrison was at its lowest
ebb, and the presidents anxiety became SO
acute that to gain some assurance, no
matter of what character, from medical
authority, a messenger was dispatched for
DR.. Gardner. The physician quickly re-
sponded. reaching the White House at z
o'clock. He found the patient in a condi-
tion to warrant the gravest apprehension,
and so hopeless was his report that the
president desired him to remain for time.
DR.. Gardner accordingly remained and
breakfasted with the family.
At O'Clock it appeared that the strug-
gle for life was to be prolonged for some
hours at least, the doctor saying that the
patient might live until the sunlight be-
gan to fade into the shadows of the even
ing. DR.. Gardner spent nearly the entire
day at the patients bedside. He said that
most of the time she was in semi-uncon-
sious condition, from which she occasion
ally rallied. During these spells of wake
fulness she recognized those around her,
and sometimes responded feebly but
clearly and intelligently, TO inquiries
made The doctor said that his efforts
were devoted solely to making the patient
as comfortable as possible in her dying
hours. She could not take nourishment
of any kind, and frequent applications of
lips, and were the only thing that afforded
any relief.
IE the afternoon Mrs. Harrison was un-
able to speak or cough. From o'clock on
in the evening the president and all the
members of the family remained unceas-
ingly at Mrs. Harrison's bedside. The
shadows deepened; the sun sank to rest;
night came, and yet the end was not.
Whenever the physician came from
the sick chamber he brought thu same re-
port: the patient was as near dead as she
could be and still live, and that she might
expire at any moment, or she might exist
another hour or two. The absolute dejec-
tion and tnat wretchedness which results
from the lack of hope were pictured on
each couutenance.
The telegraph instruments in the east
ern part nf the building were this evening
kept very busy. The reason was found in
the fact that some one had sent to Indian
apolis bulletin announcing Mrs. Harri-
sons death. The premature report spread
rapidly over the country from west 20
east and there began to flow in upon the
wires messages of coincidence to the presi-
dent. Secretary Halford promptly author
take the original story, and the messages
continued to arrive.
just after o'clock Mrs. Harrison suf-
fered another sinking spell, and messages
were sent by Secretary Halford to the b.
sent cabinet officers, asking them to re-
turn to Washington Immediately, but the
sick woman still had sufficient strength
to rally once more, and at 8 O'Clock DIR.
Gardner announced that the patient
might be expected To live until midnight
Even this small grain Of comfort was re-
ceived with gratitude by the anxious and
family and husband.
1t could hardly be said that the patient
was UNCONSCIOUS during the evening hours,
for she betrayed some signs OF understand |
ing the attempt to relieve her last mo-
ments, by partially opening her parched
lips TO receive the stimulating fluid applied
TO them from from time TO time. But not |
a drop could she swallow, and the power of
speech had apparently left her forever In
addition, the patient experienced, as the |
evening wore on, difficulty in breathing
Hour after hour slipped away, each |
leaving the patient weaker in turn. So |
gradual was the decline that it could not |
be said positively at any minute that she |
had materially failed. The measure of the !
sbbing tide was her respiration. which |
slowly sunk from about Is at nightfall to |
la at midnight. The physician SAID that /
If she lived over that she might probab ably t
survive the night.
The clock steadily licked away the life
lime of the invalid, and thers was visible |
4 look of relief when 1t sounded IL, and /
one critical point WAS supposed to have
been passed. The hope inspired by the
loctor's last statement was only of short !
Duration.
About 1920 O'Clock. while DR.. Gardner
,at by Mrs Harrison's side with his fingers
lightly pressed upon her pulse, his prac-
ticed hand disc,rned noticeable weak
ness in the hearts action, followed inn