Evening star., 1924-02-04
HUSHED THRONCS
AT WILSON HOME
Muffled Chattering Ceased
When Grayson Announced
Death.

A hushed silence, broken only by the
click of a movie camera or the back
fire Of an automobile block away,
spread over the neighborhood of the
Wilson home soon after the death Of
Americas war President had been an
nounced by Rear Admiral Cary T.
Grayson.
The shifting. restless crowd that
had fingered for hours in front of the
street home, waiting for the latest
reports on the former Presidents con-
ditton, stopped its muff1ed chattering
some. with heavy hearts, stared
blankly at the house in which Mr.,
Wilson had begun his long, unbroken
sleep. Tears filled the eyes of others.
several women wept without re-
Straint.
Boy Brings Rose.
In the stiffness and quiet of the
neighborhood, the front door of the
wilson home opened and a woman
came out, her eyes buried in a hand
kerchief. Her tears told Of the sor-
row that was inside. She eluded the
newspaper photographers and re-
porters and walked slowly up
street. her head bending and her face
covered with the handkerchief.
She had just disappeared over the
crest of the hill at 23d and S streets.
when a tow headed boy of five rang
the bell at the Wilson home. In his
hand he held tenderly a beautiful
pink rose. Unaware that Mr.. Will
sons soul had departed, he handed
the flower cautiously to the servant
who responed to the bell. Papa
bought the rose and mamma told me
to bring 1t to Mr.. Wilson'S" he said
in his childish way. To newspaper
men he said his name was Sam White
Callers Leave Cards.
And SO on throughout the day. the
peaceful quiet of the Wilson home
was only broken by callers who left
their cards 1t the door and departed,
or messenger boys bearing tender
messages from friends of the war
time Executive and his wife who had
remained at the bedside until the end.
From daybreak Sunday morning un-
til almost 11:30 o'clock. when DR..
Grayson stepped out of the Wilson
home with the death message in his
hand for the newspaper men, there
fingered in front of the house a
crowd, which increased in size as the
morning grew. AT 10 o'clock a group
or men and women gathered in front
of the house and kneeled in silent
prayer. They departed as they came,
in groups of twos. threes and fours.
Give Warning of Death.
They had not been gone long when
Admiral Grayson and DR.. Ruff1n came
out after consultation, with a bulletin
stating that Mr.. Wilson's death might
be expected at any time. They entered
the house again. The newspaper men
eased closer to the house. They knew
the death message was coming soon.
Shortly before 1870 o'clock DIR.
Grayson came from the house with a
half dozen yellow slips of paper in
his hand. The first sentence read:
Mr.: Wilson died at 11:15 this morn
ing"
The newspaper reporters did not
read further. Some dashed for the
telephones. Others signaIed by vari-
Gus motions to their colleagues al
ready at phones in anticipation of the
message of death to flash the news
to the world.
For a few moments DR.. Grayson
stood on the steps and in tones choked
with emotion talked with d small
group of reporters.
Mr.. Wilson just went to Sleep" he
said, and he turned and went back
into the house. His long vigil over
his patient and friend was at an end.