Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-09-19

They kscw the end WINS mar. and thai
the tshle had come wlEh they must
see him for the last time on earth
This was about q o'clock. One by one
they assembled the stairway-SSecretary
Root, Secretary Hitchcock and Atty
Gen. Knox. Secretary Wilson also
was there. but he held back, not wish.
Ing 10 see the president In his last
agony. There was only n momentary
stay of the cabinet officers at the
threshold OF the death chamber. Then
they withdrew, the tears streaming
down their faces and the words Of In
tense grief choking their threats.
After they left the sick room the
physicians rallied him TO consciousness.
and the president asked almost imme.
diately that his wife he brought To
him. The doctors fell back into the
shadows of the room as Mrs. McIlin.
ley came through the doorway. The
strong face of the dying man lighted
up with faint smile as their hands
were clasped she sat beside him and
held his hand and heard from him his
last words of encouragement and com
fort. Then she was led away. and not
again during his living hours did she
see him. Despite her physical weak
ness she bore up mavely under the or
deal.
The president himself fully realized
that his hour had come and his mind
turned to his Maker. He whispered
feebly:
Nearer my God, 10 Thee"
The words of the hymn were always
dear to his heart. Then in faint ac-
cents he murmurcd
Goodbye, all: goodbye 1t is Gods
way. His will be done, not ours.
With this sublime display Of Chris
tian fortltllae the president soon after
lapsed into Inconsistencies.
His life was prolonged for hours by
the administration of oxygen, and the
president finally expressed a desire 10
he allowed TO die About $50 Friday
night the administration of oxygen
ceased and the pulse grew fainter and
fainter. He was sinking gradually.
like child into the eternal slumber.
Midnight came. and still the ire
mendous vitality Of the president was
battling against dissolution. Another
hour passed on. and still another.
At - o'clock DIR. RiXpy was the only
physician in the death chamber. The
others were in an adjoining room,
while the relatives. cabinet officers
and nearest friends were gathered in
silent groups i'm the apartments below.
As he watched and waited. DIR, RiXey
observed n slight convulSive tremor.
The president had entered the valley
OF the shadow Of death. Word was
ut once taken to the immediate rela
lives who were not present to hasten
for the last look upon the president in
life. They came in groups, the women
weeping and the men bowed and sob
hing in their intense grief.
Grouped about the bedside ut this
final moment were the only brother of
the president. Abner Mckinley and his
Wife; Miss Helen Mckinley and Mrs.
Sarah Duncan. sisters of the president:
Miss Mary Barber. niece; Miss Sarah
Duncan. riece: Lieut. James +. Nc
Kinley. VIM NJ. Duncan and John Bar
her. ncphewS; f. VI Osborne. cousin;
Secretary George f. Cortelyou. Hon.
Charles c. Dawes. comptroller of the
currency: Col. Webb G. Hayes and Col.
WIN. G.. Brown.
The minutes were now flying ami
1t was 2:1I o'clock.
Silent and motionless. the circle Of
loving Friends stood about the bedside.
DR.. RiXey leaned forward and placed
his ear close 10 the breast of the eXph-
ing president. Then he Strengthened
up and made an effort to speak.
THE president is dead" he said
The president had passed away
peacefully. without the convulsiyc
struggle OF death. 1t was as though