The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-10-24
HER LIFE EBBING AWAY
The Death of Mrs. Harrison
M0mentarily Expected.
HER LAST HOURS OF LIFE.
All the Members of Her Family at
Her Bedside.
LIFE SKETCH OF A NOBLE MATRoN.

Whether as the Wife of the Strug-
CLING Young Lawyer, the Life
Partner of a Senator or the Mis-
tress of the White House She Was
Always the Modest. Unassuming
Mother and Ever the Queen Of the
Home Over Which She Presided.
WAsHINGToN. Oct. "a. Another change
for the worse in Mrs. Harrisons condi-
tion, and more serious one than any
that has yet occurred, set in yesterday
ebout 10 O'clock AS the church bells
began to ring, the watchers by the bed.
side became aware of the approach OF
one of those sinking spells which have
once or twice previously brought the pa
tient to the verge of dissolution. From
this relapse there was no rally, as on
previous occasions, but the decline of
the vital force perceptibly though grad
ually continued throughout the day.
The president, who never left the bed
gido all day, was Joined in his sad watch
by other near members of the family.
None ventured outside the White House
doors, either for church or any other
bn her right side, too weak even to
cough, one of many indications that the
snd could not be far away, motionless
nnce the early morning, except for
hight nervous twitching, consequent
ppon the extreme nervous prostration
which in her case has been more pro.
bounced than is customary in tubercular
diseases. Meantime it was apparent to
The physicians that the cavity of the
pleura was again filling with water, and
that an operation, such as that thrice
performed at Loon Lake to relieve the
Ratery pressure was utterly out of the
question, because of the enfeebled con-
lition of the patient. All that could be
pone TO alleviate the sufferings of the
Invalid was done by the physicians and
nurse, but that was very little. Worn
put by a sleepless night, unable TO re-
plenish her wasting strength by even
The limited amount OF liquid nourish-
ment-one or two beaten eggs-which
she had heretofore been able to take,
The patient lay, barely conscious at brief
intervals, through the long hours OF the
day.
DIR. Gardner Abandons Hope.
In the evening DIR. Gardner, the at
tending physician, said the end might
occur at any moment. The probability
"ao uhab bCdth SOlhc
by the stoppage of the heart action, but
paroxyism Of coughing might precipi-
tate the crisis at any time. Nothing but
the wonderful vitality which Mrs. Har-
rison shared with other members of the
Bcott family could have enabled her to
survive SO long as she has done.
The room in which Mrs. Harrison lies
10 immediately over the state dining
room, and as far removed as possible
from the noises of the city and of the
presidential mansion. 1t is lighted by
two windows, which give an uninter-
Tupted and beautiful view of the Poto-
mac across Grand Army place, the scene
OF the late encampment. Communicat-
ing with it on the east is the presidents
room, which il the same room that was
occupied by Garfield and all recentp presi-
dents except Cleveland and Arthur, who
slept in the front of the building.
The presidents daughter, Mrs, Mckee,
her husband and their two children, his
son Russell and wife, the daughter of
ex-senator Saunders and their child,
Mrs. Harrison's niece, Mrs. Newcomber,
Mr.. Harrison's aunt, and DR.. Scott, Mrs.
Harrison's venerable father, occupy the
remaining rooms in the residential part
Of the mansion, and all were at times in
the sick room In the course of the day
except the children, who only in part APP
preciated the impending sorrow, amused
themselves with their German nurse in
their spacious playrooms in the base
ment.