The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-21

AS liz udy pLO6IcSccQ Ilcft HdS q 4
noticeable Improvement IN Mrs. Nc
Kinleys condition and a distinct re- |
vivaI Of hope in the minds of the anx- |
ious watchers at her bedside. Her
mind cleared and she asked the presi- |
dent about the ladies OF the cabinet and
how they were ENJOYING themselves.
She expressed a desire that her illness
should not be allowed to interfere with
their pleasure.
Miss Hitchcock and Miss Wilson, who
were in the next room at the time, were
m and she greeted them with
a faint smile During the progress of
luncheon. which Postmaster General
Smith and Secretary Hitchcock took
with the president. Miss Barber came
down stairs and told the small COM
pany that Mrs. Mckinley had just ask
ed for chicken and coffee, saying she
was tired of liquid nourishment thai
the doctors were giving her. This
evidence Of her reviving strength was
considered extremely gratifying and
for a time the little company was al
most exultant. Perhaps, however, the
hope they felt was disproportionate to
the slight grounds upon which it was
based. The doctors, of course, were
compelled to refuse solid food. For two
days they have been able to give her
only beef tea and brandy, together with
the other StimulantS for her enfeebled
49, 49, @'-S-O - 4AAC oId NAAS
most powerful stimulants known to the
medical profession have been resort
ed to.
AT about 2:3O o'clock the president de-
cided to go for a walk, and, accompan-
led by the postmaster general and the
secretary of the interior, he strolled
through the neighboring streets, re-
turning the respectful salutations,
which were met with from all who re-
cogniZed him and once or twice he
stopped to shake hands with those who
stepped up n requested that priv
ilege.
Upon mis- return to the house he
cheerily told a group of newspaper men
assembled that Mrs. Mckinley was
holding her own.
All day long Lafayette park, opposite
the Scott residence. was filled with
crowds of people, drawn thither not so
much by curiosity as by an eager de-
sire for direct news from the sick room.
Although fully $50 yards from the
house. many of them spoke in whispers.
Late in the afternoon a little girl with
an armful of flowers braved the blue
coats and assembled the steps. The but
Ter opened the door. Il brought these
for Mrs. Mckinley" she lisped, W
are so sorry. I hope she will be better
SOON" Then she handed over the flow
ers and slipped away.
Secretary Hay is utterly worn out by
the strain of the last few days and the
fatigue of the long journey. He rested
in his room at the hotel all day.
CAUSE OF MRS. M'KINLEY'S ILL
NESS.
Mrs. McKinley's present illness began
shortly after she left Ell Paso. She had
stood the trip remarkably well up to
that time, with the exception of a
slight period of depression during the
stay at New Orleans. That, however,
soon passed away and she felt unusual
ly we'll throughout the trip across the
state Of Texas, until Ell Paso was
reached. At that place the bone felon
made it's first appearance and proved
| very trying upon her nerves and gave
her much pain. The heat and dust OF
the long distance stretch through New
Mexico and Arizona was a severe strain
| pom her strength.
Before Los Angeles was reached the
felon had been lanced once by DR..
Rixey. At the latter place her illness
was still further complicated by a Sc
we're attack of bowel trouble and she
had a very bad night at the residence
of General Harrison Gray Otis, but she
bore up bravely and insisted, rather
against the advice of the president n
other members of the party, upon try"
ing to fulfill the social obligations
which fell upon her. The tax upon her
strength was too great and after leav-
| ing Los Angeles it became apparent to
both DR.. Rixey and the president that
Mrs. Mckinley vas a very sick woman.
At Surf. a small station near Santa
| Cruz. the train was topped for almost
half an hour to permit DR.. RiXey to
lance the felon again in order to re-
lieve her from the keen pain she was
suffering. By the time Del Monte was
reached she was in almost a complete
Cfotn of on11oncn Tho 1xcnntarU did
not yield to treatment n DR.. RiXey
and the president became genuinely
alarmed.
1t was at first proposed that a physi-
| clan should be m from San
Francisco for a consultation n that
Mrs. Mckinley should remain quietly at
the hotel at Del Monte in the hope that
a few days of absolute rest and quiet
would restore her to her normal condi-
ton. but after a conference on the
subject with Mr.. Scott, it was decided
that it would be wiser to bring her to
his house. where every comfort could be
provided. where trained nurses could be
| procured and where the best physicians
in a Francisco could be called in con-
sultation. if necessary.
Since her arrival here Mrs. Mckinley
has taken no solid food whatever, and
the doctors have not been able to COM
pletely check the d~ysentery. Except
by reputation. the president knew moth
ing of DR.. Hirschfelder whom Mr.. Scott
/ advised should be called in as consult
ing physician, and this worried him
| considerably.
After Mrs. Mckinley a been here
only twenty-four our without notice
able improvement the president asked
Mr.. Scott what his opinion Of DIR.
Hirschfelder was.
He is brutality frank" replied Mr..
Scott.
Il shall have a talk with him. said
the president.
He took DR.. Hirschfelder into an ad-
Joining room and they were together
for some time. Afterward the presi-
dent remarked to Mr.. Scott that the
opinion h had expressed of DIR. Hirsch-
felder's frankness agreed with his own.
From hat conversation dated the pres
ident's first genuine alarm over the
termination Of his wife's illness.
At 9 o'clock tonight all was quiet
around the Scott home. About two