Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-11

ton son-ln-law, and Mrs. Gordon Dougla:
of Pittsburg, sister of the dead man.
God always helps; He always helps
was the last sentence uttered by PreSiden
Harper. It was ten minutes before the end
Immedia tely he passed into seeming sleep
The doctors were unable to determin,
whether it was restful slumber or thu
coma resulting from falling heart action.
Thought of University.
Almost to the hour of death Dr. Harper.
mind dwelt on the university.
Il wonder if there is anything I have lef
undone,' he murmured repeatedly.
Three years ago DR.. Harper underwent
an operation for appendicitis. Cameron!
symptoms followed recovery from this oper.
alton, and on February %, 1895, an opera.
ton was decided on TO determine the cause
of severe abdominal pains. DR. McBurney
of New York came to Chicago expressly
for the operation, in which he was assisted
by Drs Billings and Bevan of Chicago.
1t was discovered that DR.. Harper was
suffering from cancer at the head of the
large inteStines, and that the malady had
progressed so far that operation to re-
move it would be fatal to the patient. The
surgeons decided that the only hope of DR.
Harper lay in medical measures In Il short
time he left the hospital, knowing that
his disease could not be cured, and that
his death must ensue within short time.
Never Lost Courage.
Dr. Harper took up his usual duties at
the university, and he appeared cheerful.
The X-ray treatment was elaborated in the
effort to afford him relief and everything
was done for him that the ingenuity and
skill of his physicians could suggest. AT
times his condition would improve and
then would come relapses that would
leave him weaker than before Despite all
that was done for him he lost steadily in
inn he
malady progressed in such manner that
minor surgical operations were necessary
to afford him temporary relief.
Just prior to the holidays q portion of
his strength came back and preparations
were made for trip south, but at the last
minute he was too feeble to attempt the
journey and it was abandoned. During
the last fortnight his strength failed rap
idly, and it was evident to his medical at
PENDANTS that the end could not be far off.
DIR. Billings offered the following state
ment:
Tor two weeks DR.. Harper has failed
rapidly. He and his family and friends
recognized the approach of the end. His
physical condition has been kept reason
ably free from pain by the use of a very
moderate amount of one of the derivatives
of opium. His mind remained clear until
the end. Physical exhaustion was the
cause of death"
DR.. Harper, who received his bachelor
degree al the age of fourteen years, was
popular with men of business well as
with men Of letters, and all united IN prais-
ing him as a man of remarkable brlltance
of mind, executive ability and kindness of
heart. DIR. Harper was a Mason and a
member of many clubs
His College Career.
DR.. Harper went to the University OF
Chicago from the department of Semitic
languages at Yale University. where he
held the Woolsey professorship of Biblical
literature when he was thirty-six years
old.
DR.. Harper entered college at the some
what early age of eight. He attended
Muskingum College, United Presbyter-
ian institution at New Concord Ohio, his
birthplace He was graduated at fourteen
years of age after completing the Mus!sin-
gum course of six years-two preparatory
school years and four regular academic
years. That his rapid advance was due
to Il prcmaturely developed mind, and not
to any laxity of the Muskingum curricu-
lum seemed to be demonstrated by his
taking the degree of doctor of philosophy
from Yale at nineteen, an age at which
many young men are struggling violently
to pass their entrance examinations. His
subsequent career was marked by Il very
great seriousness and q certain absence OF
that playfulness and warmth of heart
which are often characteristic of the very
greatest scholars. DR.. Harpers admirers
always explained on his behalf that he
never had any time to learn TO be boy.
His Fearless Originality.
His energy. his fearless originality in de-
parting from traditional methods of in
struction, his scholarly independence OF
Biblical criticism. soon made a name for
him among educators In 1873. when he
was twenty years old. he became president
of the Masonic College at Macon, Tenn. In
the meantime he had married the daugh-
ter of President Paul of Muskingum Col
lege He attracted the attention of the
trustees of Dehtson University in Ohio and
they were soon persuaded to make him a
teacher in their preparatory department
The president of Denison then was f. Ben
jamin Andrews, who was within decade
To he outstripped by Dr. Harper in the
contest for educational prominence.
An Able Money Collector.