MRS. GARFIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6261, 10 December 1881, Page 7

MRS. GARFIELD.

♦ The fund for Mrs. Garfield has already attained the large sum of :W9,000 dollars. It is entirely due to the untiring efforts of Mr. J Cyrus W. Field, always ready an:! willing ' to engage in any generous enterprise, that the subscriptions have been so oountiful. 1 The late President hth comparatively a poor [ man, but now Mrs. Gartield will be able to 1 carry out her heart's desire of giving the ' best education to her children. From private letters it is pleasant to record that ; Mrs. Gartielil and the late President's aged ' mother have supported their cruel trial with : greater fortitude than was at first expected. A pathetic anecdote is related in the New" i York Kvenins; Mail of the elder Mrs. Carfield, a hitherto hale old lady of eighty. On arriving at Cleveland for her son's funeral she wanted to open her satchel, and, as usual with her, depending upon her son, she forgot for a moment the sail truth, and turning to Mr. Palmer, a near relation, said, "James, undo my bag for me." He looked j at i lie poor oM lady for a moment, and she understood at once her painful mistake, and began moaning bitterly. "I was so much in the halii-. of getting James to do things forme," she cried, "and now he is gone." A terrible scene of grief ensued, and it was long before the venerable lady was calmed. She is said to have been deeply touched by the Queen's message, and on receiving it rej marked, "She herself lost a darling child I two years ago, and feels for me." The widow of the President keeps her constantly with her, and behaves to her with the sweetness and grace which have eudeared this intellectual and charming woman to all who have known her.