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MRS. HARRISON AT BEST.Thf* President’s Wife Expires After Her Lonir Illness.I A Sketch of Her Life and Per-£onal Characteristics.:! _MBS. BENJAMIN HARRISOX.Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, wife of tbe President, expired at 1:4 o'clock a few mornings ago in the White House, at Washington. She had b dn ill since last April with pulmonary disease, resulting from an attack of the grip.Those at the bedsi Je were the President,Mr. and Mrs. McK e, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Harrison. Private S-cretarv Halford, Lieutenant and Mrs Parker, Mr*. Dimmick. Dr. Gardner. Miss Davi*. nurse, an 1 Mrs. Harrison’s maid, Josepaine. Dr. Scott retired before midnight, and did not witness the death seen®.From 1 o’clock Mrs. Harrison’s breathing was hardly perceptible, and her respiratiou gradually decrease I until 1:45, woeu she passed away. President Harrison was at the right side of Ins wife in a reciiuing position trom Lo’doct. when Dr. Garduer nlt;-tilied the family that the end was close at hand. In this position he remained until 1:45, when life wa thought to be extinccr, aud Lieutenant Parker. who was at the bedside, called in Dr. Gardner, aud the experience! eye of the physic.an soon detected that Mrs. Harrison was no more. Tbe President gave way to an almost audible outburst of grief, but soon suppressed his emotion aud endeavored to console Mrs. McKee, his daughter.All the members of the family remained in the room for prooably fifteen ’ or twenty minutes after th- deatn.The President passed the entire day at the bedside of his wile. He did not enter theof the building. In tne morn-the two hours when it seemed that death was imminent, lie stood over che bedside, bolding the hand of his stricken partner, and breath by breath they tought back the invader together and won a few more hours of earthly companionship.mornings in eaca w«i soe personally visited tne markets an i selected her own pro vmcto*. On formal occasions »he took nothing lor granted, but inspected all preparations herselr. Her servants were food of tbeir inistr_*?a and wer* seldom caaoged.Mrs. Harrison’s Lite.Mrs. Caroline Lavina Harrison was ‘pretty Carrie Scott,” second of the three daughters of John Witherspoon Scott, a pioneer Presbyterian minister. S le was boru m 183.'!, in Oxford, Ohio, wnere her father was then President of a college for young women. Mrs. Harrison was thoroughly educated at tais school. She was a favorite in the simple, but cultivate!, society gathered around the institutions of learning for which the town was *hm famous.At Miami University, in Oxford, Beuj*-min Harrison was a student, only a tew months older than the charming girl wao subs, quently became his wife. It was purriy a love match. After leaving the University, young Harrison studied law in Cincinnati, returning to Oxford for his bride a3 soon a^ those studies were complete 1. Taey were married on October 20. 1833. The honeymoon was passed at cue residence of tne groom’s parents North Bend. OhioTne future President bad only a capital ol $201*, given him ov his father. Tue young couple lived in a boarding house for several months, until their income warranted the renting of a home. They had moved to rncianapo'is in March, 1854. Russell Harrison, their eliest chil I, was uoru iu tue summer following. The young wire an 1 mother was bravely and hopeiully struggling to assist her husbaud.During the war, while her busban 1 was at the trout, Mrs. Harrison, though remaining at home, was still his constant helpmate.After tbe war, wit a General Harrison's professional and political advancement, their uome becaxn j a social center. Mr.-. Harrison was prominent in charity and church work. She painted in oil and water colors, ana directed personally the thorough education o her children. In 1881, upon joining the circle of Senator*’ wives in Washington. Mrs. Harrison made her mark immediately.As wife of the President her social duties of last winter were unusually severe, and when spring came her health was failing rapidly. During Lent there were so many visitors that she set aside certain afternoons in each week for reception purposes. On several of these occasions she was unable to be present iu person. The last reception was held on the6th of ApriL Mrs. Harrison receive 1 inStrson. The doors and windows of thelue Parlor were thrown open, for the day was warm. That night Mrs. Harrison coughed continually, and her suffering was obvious. This was the beginning of her last illness.8he has steadily grown worse until, when she was finally carried from Loon Lake back to the White House a month ago, a fatal termination of her illnes* was only a matter of days and hours.Her name is identified prominently with dlt; zens of charitable enterprises in Indianapolis, Washington and elsewhere. She was one of the first directors of the Garfield Hospital, and was prime mover in tho organizotion known as Daughters of the Revolution, of which she became the official head. ,Mrs. Harrison had only two children — Russell Harrison and Marv Sotc Harrison, the latter now Mrs. W. R. McKee, of Indianapolis.Mrs. Harrison was never what is called a “dressy’’ woman. 8he never originated a fashion. Black was her favorite color. Last Election Day she wore one of her usual house dresses. For evening and party dresses she deferred largely to rashion, but never aderted extremes. Ia the matter of jewelry she was particularly modest. On State occasions she wore a small bar of diamonds at her throat. Her earrings were of black pearls, and her only ring was a wedding ring.Each detail of the management of the White House was familiar to her and came under her personal supervision. Three
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Fisherman And Farmer
Edenton, North Carolina, US
Fri, Nov 04, 1892
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