Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-25
STORY OF HER LIFE,
A Lite Full oi Love. Happiness and Usefulness
lust Brought 10 Close.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2a.--About ~ years
ago there was born Carrie, daughter of
Rev. John ID. Witherspoon Scott, presby
teran divine, president of the oxford,
Ohio. Female College. oct. 80, 1858, she
became the wife of benjamin Harrison,
after the latter was admitted to the bar.
In the following March they settled in
indianapolis The cash capital at the com
maud of Benjamin Harrison when he began
married life and the practice of his profes
sion was $500, an advance on a lot in Gin
cinnati inherited through his aunt.
Mr. and Mrs. Harrison began domestic
responsibilities in rooms in an indianapolis
boarding house. In the summer of 1854
Mrs Harrison pail visit to her parents at
Oxford, and there, August II, Russell
Harrison. their eldest child, was born. The
Young mother returned in the autumn to
indianapolis, and the husband rented n
small house and began life in earnest his
wife doing her own housework, in cottage
of three rooms.
Thera were steady gains in fame, practice
and pccuniary rewards and two years found
Mrs. Harrison presiding over II Arger and
more prctentious house. Here their second
and last child, Mary Scott Harrison, was
born.
In 1881 Gen. Harrison entered the Sen
ate of the tnIted States and Mrs. Harrison
became a member of that distinguished
circle. the wives of senators. In her Wash
ington residence of six years Mrs. Harrison
extended her sphere of usefulness. Her
name was associated with noble charities
and church work. The Garfield hospital
owes its present success in a large degree
To her active interest as one of its first di-
rectors.
At the beginning of the grip epidemic
Mrs Harrison shared the fate of the entire
household save the President. Several
times afterwards she suffered again from
all the painful symptoms of the first attack,
especially so last spring, year ago, upon
her return from California, when she
brought back with her a troublesome cough.
Although she had another bad spell ut
Cape May last summer she returned in the
autumn with her general health so much
improved that she no longer allowed her
family to look on her a. n sem-invaild.
Throughout the winter she went about her
usual duties with her old-tlme yigor, and it
was but seldom that she did not appear at
the social functions of the mansion.
Coming on spring. her extreme pallor
showed that she was not feeling rs well as
usual, but she did not give up until the day
came when she was not able to rise from
her bed. April &, she held brilliant re-
ception from , to &. The afternoon was
excessively warm and all the doors and
windows were opened. She coughed
nearly every time she spoke and seemed
10 be suffering considerably. That evening
she was very hoarse and her physician was
summoned.
Her last illness began that night, and but
few of her friends have seen her since.
For weeks the invalid was not conscious of
ANYTHING going on outside her own room
and she knew nothing of the events of the
Minneapolis convention, nor Of Mr..
Blaine's resignation, until the denomination
Of Mr. Harrison was an assured fact.
After that. TO again arouse interest and
keep her mind from dwelling too much on
her own condition, the doctors advised that
the daily papers he read TO her and in fact,
all the ordinary news Of the day to be dis
cussed in her presence.
In appearance Mrs. Harrison was a type
of ms,ronly beauty. The tastes Of Mrs.
Tarrisan were in the direction of art. Her
works in water eolors are evidences Of her
gifts AMI application to her favorite recrea-
ton Mrs. Harrison was by nature strong
" domestic and shrank from notoriety
These traits were little il at all modified by
residence in the White House and her
proud position as the first lady in the land. =.
For friends abe always had a generous
welcome but did not relish the scrutiny Of
the critical and cofdly curious, although
much Of this She was Obliged to endure
She vas always equal to every social demand
and by her winning manner and sympa-
thetiC uttersnces succeeded in making and
retaining an unusually large number OF
friendships.