The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-07

Death OF Mrs. Harriet Fisher at Her Home
Yesterday Morning-She Was n Cousin
of Pre.ident Garfield and One of His
Best Friends When He Was q Poor and
Humble Boy, for Which He Thanked
Her After Attaining to the Highest
ONCE in the Gift OF His Countrymsn-
Her Funeral VIII Occur This Afternoon
Mrs. Harriet Fisher. relic; OF Judge 3.
II. Fisher, died a. o'clock a. m. yester-
day, al her farm home, in East Park
township. in her eightieth year, and VII
be buried today from The home or her
eldest son. Jonathan Fisher, 1887 North
Wichita street. al O'Clock p. N. She died
from the effects OF Ia grippe and severe
cold.
The above brief paragraph contains the
name, the duration Of life, the dissolu-
tion in death and final shadow. of wo-
man, OF a wife and OF mother OF no or
binary stamp and character: OF one into
the incidents OF whose life were inter-
woven the exciting interests OF ro-
nance. Born on an island in the ST.
Lawrence river and within the boundar-
les of ST. Lawrence county, New York, IN
1915. at a time when that country was in
reality an Indian frontier, she grew up
into strong and reliable wOmanhood. She
was married 10 the late Judge Fisher IN
1898, at Orange. Cuyahoga county, Ohio,
whittier her parents had removed, wnicn
place is a present suburb of Cleveland.
She was, as her husband. OF a strong
line. Garfield's father and her mother
were brother and sister. Young Garfield
in his canal boy days was an inmate OF
the Fisher home, and after his election 10
the presidency he sent warm words OF
gratitude 10 the woman who had been at
once both cousin and mother 10 him in
his early struggles with poverty. Judge
Fisher and his wife, together with their
three sons, came 10 Kansas and direct 10
Wichita in March, 1872, where they lived
until some six or eight years ago. the
boys being grown up and settled in life,
the two aged couple bought fruit farm
in East Park. where Judge Fisher died
three years since and the wife and
mother but yesterday. Their oldest and
Cny daughter. Mrs. Obrist, moved TO this
city some twelve years ago. The daugh-
ter and all the sons will look upon that
kindly, patient face for the last time to-
day.
The character of Mrs Harriet Fisher
probably might best be summed up in
the expression, she was rnotherly body,
for such she truly was in all that that
phrase implies. mother,y not only To her
children and grandchildren and great
grandchildren, but 10 every one who
came within her life's atmosphere. Her
sons were boys to her to the last, boys
whose every interest and every disap-
pointment and trouble were made her
own. And no sons ever more lovingly
and securely leaned upon a stronger or
more sclf-reliant mother-heart
With these few words there is little
left 10 say. The transition has come ard
the love-lght of the eyes OF children and
of children's children, are no more for
her. The heart-aches and griefs of years
are all Of the past. and the only possible
consolation is a conservation Of tears. the
tears not Of inconsolable grief, but OF
sweet. tender memories of home. of child
hood and Of mother" Her office is done,
the key 10 her life has dropped from
hand that no longer can clasp in love.
With cares all forgotten gentle sleep now
sarouds ali. Stout-hearted and passing
brave was she, yet gentle as the image
OF brooding dove. The phantom boat
man has come on his silent mission once
again and gone. but the prov of his yes
sci touched softly the shore and the din
or his oar was light. as the soul OF Mother
FISHER took its final passage. There was
no clanking Of chains. no storm Of break
ing pillows, as that Of her which is i'm
mortal sailed In calmness away to those
unseen shores whose joys while undlm-
med with sorrow are eternal, and OF
which We all shall finally know.
We shall know how mercy found US.
How the Father loved his own
We SHAH know the Love that crowned US.
We shall know as We are known
Know why tears so oft were flowing.
Know with JOY that passes speech.
All the wonders OF that knowing
al eternity shall teach