The Washington times., 1923-08-02
LAUDS HARDING
AS BABY SHE
NURSED
Always Grooming" Says
Mothers Cirlhood Chum and
Friend Of Family.


Harding has two nurses near him
while he iS Ill here. One of them
Miss Ruth Ppwderly, known al
the Presidential nurse, because che
was selected to nurse President
Wilson and later to care for Mrs
Harding during her critical illnesa
a year ago, 10 in full charge Of the
sick room. She ranks high in naval
nursing.
Just across the bay, In Oakland,
is one Of the Presidents first
nurses. She is Mrs. Sarah e.
Stevens, eighty-three who back in
Blooming Grove, Ohio, was the
closest friend of Phoebe Elizabeth
Dickerson, who later married DR..
Harding and became the mother of
President Harding.
Grandma" Stevens used to sing
lullabies and watch over little War
rem ana today 10 fervently praying
for his quick recovery.
my prayers have been answer
ed" she said today when told he
was improving.
Phoebe Dickeraon, who was later
to become the mother Of q Presi.
dent, was the present Grandma
Stevens" honored member Of the
family Of her daughter, Mrs, o, l.
Ingles, OF 1906 Grand avenue, Oak.
land, and to whom could the pres.
ent sojourn Of the President In San
Francisco be OF greater interest?
To whom could 1t cOnjure up such
memories?
"Ah, those were many years axo, b"
she confided, "for am an old lady
now, almost eighty-throo, but for
all that It. seems like yesterday
that nay chum Phoebe DickersOn
and were the most mlnchlNVouS
girls in HARRISON school,
Recalls ''FAYt Baby"
"Mlchi0vOus2 The President
mother nntchievOua? Indeed, abe
was! Just brimfuI Of spirit and .
smart girl, t0O-none smAPter--and
later on she became . wonderful
wife"
II love to recall Phoebe with her
first baby. Warren, in her arms"
smiles Grandma Stevens. He was
a good baby, always laughing and
Growing. Many and n1any's the
time I have held him. MRny's the
time I rocked him to sleep"
The very day that the President
was named is q day OF memories
for Mrs. Stevens. ''fIis mother
took his middle name from the
Bible, after much hesitation" she
recalls, land she said to me, war.
rem GamalieI IL quite Q name isn't
It., Sarah? Do you think he will
ever live through it?' TO think that
he should not only live through 1t
but become the President Of the
United Statesi'
But most Of all, a. I sit here
now, am thinking Of his mother
as she was when we were chuma
In Blooming Grove. Our families
were large and we were all poor.
Every one knew that Phoebe Dick
ersor, and Sarah Davis, that was
my maiden name, had but one
arithmetic book and one slate be-
tween them. That was why we
always did our lessons together
and thought up pranks together.
The most terrible punishment We
ever had was when the school
master separated us one time"
Were Young Lady ChuEns.
School days passed quickly and the
two little girl chums were soon young
lady chums, going about with two
young men who were also friends,
their weddings occurring almost 81.
multAneously.
OF Van Buren, Stevens, went pioneer
ing with her young husband to In.
diana. but when the Hard1ngs first
baby was born the StevenH0s re.
turned to Ohio to visit them. later
making their home there.
Mrs. Stevens daughter, the present
Mrs. 1ngles, attended school with
Warren Harding and his sisters ana
has memories of her own OF the
Presidents boyhood days, including
the speeches he used to make be-
fore the class and heated debates
In which he led In oratOry.
He gave me my first ride in an
autonNObile," Grandma Stevens ex.
ciaimbed In sudden remembrance Of
another happy occasion. That was
IN 1905, when she went to Marion,
OHIO. to visit the Harding family.
warren was then lieutenant gov.
ernor Of Ohio and automobiles were
still novelty. His father met me
at the train with a carriage, when
up drove Warren in grand style
and carried all Of us ladies away in
his horseleas buggy.
Wonderful to Mother.
Such a wonderful boy to his
mother was Warren. understand
that he never missed a Sunday
visit with her. and know that
while I visited her he sent her
flowers and tributes Of love in
constant attention,
But then he should have been
devoted to her. for she was a won
derful woman. The best chum a
girl ever had. Such pranks, such
arks, such skating parties! Bu,
IN. me! Such a long, long time
ago.
And Grandma Stevens can hardly
realize that the baby Warren is
harding, the President, San Fran
clsco's guest, for whose speedy re.
coVery the whole civilized world to-.
day Is praying.
CARTRIDGES HENS