The Ladies of the White House; Or, in the Home of the Presidents: Being a Complete History of the Social and Domestic Lives of the Presidents from Washington to the Present Time—1789–1881Holloway, Laura C. (Laura Carter)
History
The Ladies of the White House; Or, in the Home of the Presidents: Being a Complete History of the Social and Domestic Lives of the Presidents from Washington to the Present Time—1789–1881
Holloway, Laura C. (Laura Carter)
Presidents -- United States -- Biography; Presidents' spouses -- United States -- Biography
During the war, a grandson and member of the family in which she resided
came home on a brief leave of absence. The day of his departure arrived,
and he went to the chamber of his grandmother to take what he supposed
to be his last farewell in this life, as she was then confined to her
bed with a severe illness. She received him with great affection, and in
reply to his expressions of regret at leaving her, she said, “O, no, my
son, your country needs your services; I do not. Go and discharge your
duty faithfully and fearlessly. I feel that my prayers in your behalf
will be heard, and that you will be returned in safety. And yet,
perhaps, I do not feel as much concerned for you as I should: I have
parted so often with your grandfather under similar circumstances, and
he was always returned to me in safety, that I feel it will be the same
with you.”
The young Captain did return to see his grandmother again in this life
after several hard-fought battles, in which he received complimentary
notice from his commanding officers. Her granddaughter says: “My
husband, Dr. Eaton, one of her physicians being in the house and an
invalid, spent much of his time in her room, and would often say to me,
‘I never met a more entertaining person than your grandma. I could sit
for hours and listen to her conversation.’ Such is not often said, by a
man in the prime of life, of an old lady nearly ninety years of age.
Since then he has gone to join her in her heavenly home.”
Mrs. Harrison’s distinguishing characteristics were her Christian
humility and total want of selfishness; her modest, retiring manners and
generosity and benevolence. She was always anxious to promote the
well-being of others at her own expense, and sacrificed herself for the
good of others.
Many incidents of generosity are remembered and treasured by her
descendants, which, though not of sufficient interest to record, are of
priceless value to those who witnessed their exhibition, and were
recipients of her beneficence.
Every public and private charity was near her heart, and received
liberally from her hand. But those who enjoyed her bounty knew not of
its source. To a poor minister she would write: “Accept this trifle from
a friend.” To the Bethel Sabbath school, “This is but a widow’s mite.”
To the suffering poor of the city, “Please distribute this from one who
wishes it was a thousand times more.”
She continued to bear on her praying lips the salvation of her
descendants, and as she drew near the closing scene, this was her song:
“Just as I am, without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd’st me come to thee,—
O Lamb of God! I come.”
Her intellectual powers and physical senses were retained to the last,
and at the age of eighty-eight she was an agreeable companion for both
old and young.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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