The Dickinson press., 1892-10-29

tense: tense, Ine persons about the naidlns
ated floors and dropped their voices. into
whispers when they spoke-even though far
out of ear shot of the stricken woman who
lay quietly with resignation awaiting the
last call. The shadows deepeneu, the sun
sank i'll the west night came and i'll the
south, the new moon showed herself In the
sky, and vet the end was not yet. The ply
sicians calls We're more frequent and wllril-
ever lie came from the sick chamber he
brought the same report-thnt the patient
was as near death as she could be and live:
SO the employees III the business section of
the house whose work was done, and who
might have gone home fingered in the
rooms.
Absolute detection were pictured on each
countcnunce. The telegraph Instruments in
the eastern part of the building had be,n
steadily ticking all day bringing from afar
lily, But after g O'Clock they ticket faster
and faster, and Executive Clerk Montg, IL
cry. who is charged with the manipulation
OF ,,, the Wires, was Kept very busy. H. ,.
activity was found in the fact that some
one had sent to Indianapolis II bulletin all
nouncing Mrs. Harrison's death. The pre-
mature report spread rapidly, and there be.
gan TO flow in upon the wires lnass;gcs OF
coincidence addressed to the president. Mr..
lialford Hal promptly authorized prompt ,x,,.; de;
story. and the messages continued to ar
rive in numbers. Just after q O'Clock Mrs:
Harrison suffered another sinking spell, ana
absent cabinet officers asking them TO re-
turn to Washington Immediately. But the
sick woman still had the strength to rally
dread visitor who lowered at the thresh-
hold.
About 8 o'clock word came from Seattle,
that j. G.. Scott, Mrs. Harrison's brother,
had passed through that place on his way
TO Washington; DIR; Gardner had made
c;tine on the last he sent Ills carrage home
and made preparations to stay until the
end: Soon after 8 o'clock he ANNOUNCED
that the patient might hr expected to live
until midnight. Even this small grain OF
comfort was received. with gratitude by, the
anxious and grcf-strickcn family and hus-
band.
upon the table ana one by one the watcll-
repast. 1t could hardly be said that the pa-
tient was unconscious, during the evening
hours. for she betrayed some understanding
iAS ssiye iIe sF stFnIStns food applied 10 them;
mt not bau drop cSm SHE rt sMaoW %sr 1
Then then cane me- Increased crease diflculty in breathing,
which was regarled as asa bad sign. ~ ..,
have just returned from Chicago, Attorney
General Miller Assistant Secretary Grant; rant;
Mrs. Breckenridge and Third Auditor Hart.
members men of the dpl"mat,ic nc, corps, and ,t, the
President Harrison and his wife have at
tended. Hour after hour slipped away,
each leaving the ptient weaker IN turn:
yet 50 gradual was the decline that It could
not hc said ut any minute that she hni
materially failed. The physician said il
she tidcd oycr. midnight She might possible
survive until daylight.
| Frequent glances We're cast at the clock
timo of the invalid. and there w,s a visible
air of relief when the gong sounded 10, ard
| one critical point was supposed to have Drcll
passed. The hope inspired by the doctors
last statement was only of short duration.
About 1890 oclocy. while he sat by Mrs.
Harrisons side with his tl.gcrs lightly
pressed TO her pulse his ,practiced hand dis
covered a noticeable weakness Of the hearts
action folloued almost immediately by,
slight decrease of Precipitation. He notified
the gricf-stricken family group around tie
less she soon rallied from the stupor in
which was now drifting she could scarcely
live half nn hour longer. This intelligence
had n most depressing effect upon tho prcsl-
| dent, who had been In constant Attendance
| upon his afflicted wife for over nine hours,
and lie sustained himself with the greatest
| difficulties.
If it were possible to adj to the gravity
OF the situation of the family gathering,
those results were attained w.rn DIR. Gnrd-
nar' after & narrow t ne exam,matl"n G and feel.
nonnccd that all Indications. jusii,i the
| belief that she could not survive more than
hf an h1mr s was at wifi 9a!Gr a
rapility and the half hour passed. The
| helpless form, however. still retained lhe
| life spark.
The resistance offered by the constitution
| of the patient was surprising TO the pliysi-
| clan and all ut the bedside. There was 10
struggle. 10 exhibition of pain, but Il sim
| pie, passive resistance that was battling in
| its quiet intensity. In II few minutes DIR.
Gardner again took up the feeble hand and
felt the wrist. The blood still crept through
the contracting arteries. but ho, how slow
brief fifteen minutes must surely finish the
struggle. The agitation Of the family could
| no longer be controlled. and realizing his
| utter hrlnleSsEcss 10 longer cope with her
| formidable foe, and from consideration for
the sncredness of such grief as this. the de-
| voted physician and friend bowed his head
| and passed OUT.
Outside of the door he waited. 1t was not
| long time. The minutes flew like seconds,
| and suddenly there was an expression of
| hcart-Stirkcn woe and the end had come.
| The president was beside his dying wife,
| as hn had been for nine hours continually,
| and his was the last of the loved features
her eyes had dwrl upon. Her breath was
| lahoretl ar.l very slow.
AS the hands of the clock sr"pt toward the
| next hour 1t grew fainter vet and less fire.
fucnt. and as the timc-pircn marked the
| hour OF I 40 o'clock there was an interrupt
| tion of the feeble breath. n resumption and
| then n stop. this time to hn eternal. and th,
| life of Caroline Scott Harrison had gone out
peacefully and quietly and without pain.