Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-25

in his room The Rev. Louis X. Suck
ney. rector of the Cathedral, said:
your Eminence, will you give us your
blessing"
Cardinal Gibbons smiled mad inclined
his head ever so slightly. Then the five
priests knelt down by the Cardinals
bedside and he blessed them. AS they
arose he whispered;
What a devoted and loyal house
hold What noble. loyal priests!"
A moment or two before Bishop o. Il.
Corrigan. auxiliary Bishop for the Arch
diocese of Baltimore and Vicar-General,
had stepped from the sick room. The
Cardinal added. weakly:
There never was n more loyal. more
devoted worker than Bishop Corrigan.
Then there was silence for few mo-
ments, and the Cardinal moved his head
to and fro slightly. seeming to be think
ing deeply. Finally he spoke:
How different an end from Cardinal
Manning's."
The sorrowing household was remind
ed that Cardinal Manning's last days
we're saddened by the forgetfulness or
some of those upon whom he had
counted to be his most loyal and un-
faltering companions.
These were the last recorded words
Cardinal Gibbons uttered. He knew
then that he could not live long-that.
in fact, he was dying. Thereafter he
talked little. and only TO his nurses or
his physician, DIR. Charles O'Donovan.
On Tuesday night he spoke to Sisters
COLUMBIA, Ludovic. Reginald and Clare,
the Bon Secours nuns who were his
nurses, but not at length nor to any
special purpose.
Harding Expresses Nations Regret
Washington also is in mourning for
the dead Cardinal and President Hard
ing in a message received here ex-
pressed the sense OF the Nations loss
at the death of His Eminence. The
telegram read:
In common with oil our people.
mourn the death of Cardinal Gibbons
His long and most notable service to
country and TO church makes us al
his debtors He was ever ready 10 lend
his encouragement 10 any movement
for the betterment OF his fellowmen
He was the very finest type Of citizen
and churchman. II was my good for
tune to know him personally and
held him in the highest esteem and
veneration. His death is a distinct
loss to the country. but II brings &c
fuller appreciation a great and admir-.
able life"
Expressions Of regret were also re
ceived from Chief Justice White. the
Vice President and almost all officia
Washington.
No New Cardinal Likely.
Baltimore probably Will continue e
call the famous gray home at Mulberry
and Charles streets the Cardinal:
residence" for many years. But il Il
likely 10 be a long time. II the tlm'
ever comes. when the house will be abb,
TO claim rs its permanent occupan
another Cardinal j ssSS
Perhaps within the next six months
a new archbishop will have been Sc
| lected to take over the reins laid dowI
/ by Cardinal Gibbons with his deatl
! yesterday. Baltimore Will continue a.
/ the scat Of the Province which ex
/ tends from Maryland down TO Florida
! and out TO West Virginia, and the prel
ate who sits here Will be primate o
/ that Jurisdiction.
/ But the throne in the Cathedral. upoI
1 which Cardinal Gibbons. a picturesqu
and inspiring figure. performed III,
I ecclesiastical functions OF his high Of
/ fee in the church since receiving tn
( red hat in 1885. will be divested Of II
/ brilliant hangings Of cardinal red. !
| will he draped with the deep purple O
: an archbishop.
II this archbishop should prove him
, self another Gibbons. whose voice an
work attract attention OF the Who'll
! church, he may, Of course. be honore
/ with elevation 10 the cardinalate But
with two American cardinals now. an
both on the Atlantic seaboard, such
probability seems remote.