The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07
MRS. BEECHER RALLIES
SHE RETURNS TO CONSCIOUSNESS
AND MAY LIVE a FEW DAYS.
An Indiana Woman Whose Husband
Became the Most Famous Preacher
i'm the Country.

STAMFORD, Conn. Feb. 6.-Mrs. Henry
Ward Beecher is still very low. Her physf-
clan. however. says she may linger for sew
eral days. She rallied slightly at noon and
regained consciousness, but there is no hope
for her recovery.
Eunice Beecher was born in 1872 in SUIT
ton. Mass. the daughter of DR.. Billiard.
a physician. Several of Mrs. Beechers
brothers won high distinction. One of
them, Talbot, was a physician. His volun-
teer services in behalf of the wounded
troops from Indiana, after the battle of
Pittsburg Landing, attracted the favorable
notice of the Governor of Indiana. He died
soon after the battle of Vicisburg. Miss
Billiards. marriage to Henry Ward Beecher
was not lacking in the elements of romance.
Mr.. Beecher. though not ordained, had
ceived call to the pastorate of a church
at Lawrenceburg, Ind. and he wrote to
Miss Ballard TO whom he was affianced,
suggesting that their marriage take place
Immediately after his ordination. After
mailing this letter, Mr.. Becher argued
why wait for the ordination, why not
have her present as my wife to witness it?"
With this idea uppermost in his mind, Mr..
Becher started post-haste for Sutton, where
he arrived on the evening of the day on
which his letter was received. The young
preacher succeeded in winning Miss Bull
lard's consent to an early marriage. All
the preparations had to be completed in
four days. Few of their friends lived near
enough to be present and the ceremony
was one, which in those days was called q
quiet home affair. Miss Billiards. sisters
had been married in stormy weather and
she declared the ceremony in which she
was u contracting party must take place
while the sun shone. The hour was set for
o'clock on Aug. 3. 1885,. Just before that
time n violent storm arose with thunder
and lightning. The parSon was in waiting.
the guests had assembled and Mr.. Beecher
was impatient The bride was firm. how
ever, and the ceremony was postponed one
hour. AT O'clock the sun appeared and,
as the bride. leaning on the arm of her
husband-to-be. entered the Darlor, rain
bow, one of the most brillinat the members
of the party had ever seen, appeared on the
horizon.
Mrs. Beecher started for Lawrenceburg.
Their experiences and trials on the Western
frontier have been referred to in several in
teresting sketches by Mrs. Beecher. which
was always devotedly attached to her hus-
band and children. OF the latter four are
living and four dead. One of the living is
Herbert Beecher, captain OF steamboat
at Port Townsend, Wash. Shortly after
removing to Brooklyn from the West Mrs.
Beecher wrote a little book of which the
early trials and final success of her nus
band formed the leading subject. For
some years Mrs. Beecher had been In feeble
health In November 1896 during the
THANKSGIVING season she suffered IL bad
fall and about a month later she again fell
and received injuries which, with her adj
yanced years brought about complications
from which she has so far been unable to