Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-24
DEATH HOVERS NEAR.
Mrs. Harrison's Life Expected to End
Before Nightfall.
A DAY OF GREAT SORROW
Sofrowful Scenes About the white House
Morning without Hope. Followed by
Hours Of bers Of the Fam
lily at the Bedside.

The shadow Of Death is over the White House,
| shutting out the sunshine that brightsns the
! city today. In the room made memorable By
the sufferings Of Garfield, watched over by
those who are nearest and dearest, Mrs. Hsrri-
| son is dying Beyond the range Of human Wis
ion is the reapers sand glass, and whether the
grains that have yet to run are many or few no
mortal knows. The tale may be told in an
hour; 1t may last through the entire day, or
even longer. There is no more Of struggling
for life; the supremacy Of disease is ad-
mitted, and with fortitude that mercifully
is untried by pain the almost voiceless
patient views without alarm the transition that
is now so near Last evening IL seemed i'm
possible that she could live until daylight re-
appeared. A marked change was evident even
to the unskilled eyes, which the tears Of sorrow
stricken affection have almost blinded; change
that surely presaged dissolution Throughout
Saturday night there was no rest for Mrs.
Harrison. Sleep came Ynlfsqden1y and for
short periods and when the Sabbath sunlight
was Illuminating the ever beautiful capital Of
the nation no medical opinion was needed to
convince the President and other deeply
anxious ones that 3 change for the worse had
come; the calm that succeeded the
restlcssness had its origin in weakness.
As the hours went BY the hope that nature
would rally died away and in its place came the
unspoken fear that the struggle was practically
over. All day long the President sat by the
bedside, In company with other members Of the
family, and watched the face Of his life part
ner, listened to the feeble breathing and waited
for some sign Of improvement There we're
symptoms that indicated gradual filling OF the
plura cavity with water, but nothing could be
done to relieve that complication. An attempt
to operate for the removal Of the liquid could
only hasten the fatal conclusion. During the
day the only nourishment taken by the patient
was a very small quantity Of peptonized beef.
The night without incident. Late and
early-so frequently that he could have slept
but ittle-the President was in and out of the
sick chamber. Mrs. Dimmick did most Of the
watching but the President Was never away
for any length OF time. Morning brought with
it nothing on which hope could be founded,
and it was the general impression that before
daylight again faded into darkness the lovable
woman who has been mistress Of the Executive
Mansion for nearly four years would have gone
to her reward.
There was scarcely sound heard all over the
house today. At the door the ushers silently
opened it, and visitors crossing the tiled vesti-
bule walked noiselessly across it. Upstairs in
the of6ces the same dead silence reigned. On
Saturday all the offices, halls and stairway we're
carpeted.
BARELY ALrvn At II O'CLOCK.
Al II o'clock DR.. Gardner said Mrs. Harrison
was barely alive. She has passed the stage
where nourishmeut could be administered, hay-
ing received the last, . little liquid stimulant,
| at about midnight. Since then the nurse
and physiciAn had been able to do moth
with stimuiant. shortly before O'Clock DR..
| Gardner reached the house and remained at
the bedside Of the patient until $50. As be
left he stated that Is seemed TO him impossible
that Mrs.. Harrison should survive the day.
The day was clear and crisp and cool, and
perhaps the inspiring sunshine and the dryness
Of the atmosphere had somewhat helped the
invalid and acted ~ . stimulant. She was
lying on her back and whenever she awoke
from her troubled and unsatisfactory sleep she
was conscious.
She could still recognize her surroundings
and glance Of recognition greeted the ply
siciAn when be entered the sick room this
morning. The fatal cough was present, but
naturally in the enfeebled state of the invalid
1t was not pronounced.
|. sloHrsEERs FIND THE Door CLOSED.
Notwithstanding the publicity given to the
fact that Mra Harrison was near to death
there was the usuaI rush to the house Of curious
sightseers, for whose thoughtless conduct the
only excuse TO be offered is that thcy are
strangers In the city. Although the house was
closed to them they did not appear to realize
the fact until they entered the portico and were
confronted at the door Of the main entrance
with two aigns, conspicuoualy placed, each bear
ing the single word "Closed"
GOING THRoUoH TIE OFFICIAL ROUTINE.
While the Prssidsnt and his grief-stricken
fanily were gathered about Mrs Harrison's
bedside awaiting the inevitable Private
Secretary Halford and the other MEM
bers OF the clerical force were ct their desks In
another portion Of the Executive Mansion. SerRt.
Lcfier, the usher at the Presidents Office door,
stood IA his usual place al day and told ali
would not be in his os1oe today, and that all
messages for him shouid be left with Mr.. Hal
ford -
Although- the clern were al as their desks il
was painfully apparent that they we're OPP
pressed BY the general gloom Of the day and
performed the duties In . psrfsetly psrfuncsoFy
way.
On. oAApxx.'s oosssAy1 ArrxxpAxcR.
DT. GARDNER vas II ths patients bsdsids
nearly the entire forenoon. He went Away two
or thrss unes 70 atssud 70 othsr pro-