The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-20 00:00:00

FUNERAL of the LATE M. GAMBETTA
at NICE.

The remains of M. Gambetta having been removed
from their temporary resting-place at Pere-la-Chaise,
were deposited in the family grave in the cemetery at
Nice on Saturday. At all the towns upon the long
railway journey where the special train stopped large
crowds assembled to testify their respect to the
deceased. The train was composed fir.t of three
carriages loaded with the wreaths and crowns
which had been deposited at Pere.la-Chaise. The
carriage conveying the body came next; it was
draped in the interior with black hangings decorated
with silver ornaments, and a tricolour flag hung with
crape. Then came two saloon carriages, two first-
class carriages, and another carriage carrying the
wreaths and crowns, which had figured in the Paris
procession. On the arrival of the train at Nice, the
coffin was placed on a low catafalque in the chambre
ardente which had been prepared. Over it was thrown
the tricoloured flag, and on the catafalque were em-
blazoned the arws of Nice, Paris, Marseilles,
and Strasbourg. The decoration of the ch,ambre
ardente was in good taste, and a quantity of
rare plants and shrubs added greatly to the
effect. At ten coolock the doors were opened to
the public, and from that hour up to noon a con-
stant stream of all classes of the population passed,
silent and respectful, before the remains. On either'
side of the bier stood three or four of the Deputies
and personal friends of M. Gambetta, who had accbm-
panied the body from Paris, taking this sad duty in
turn.

At five minutes past one o'clock the coffin was, under
a salute of thirteen guns, placed on a hearse of peculiar
construction, and upon it were laid the flags and floral
wreaths. In front of it proceeded two Artillery trucks
suitably draped, and carrying the flowers for which
room could not be found on the hearse. The first
person following the hearse was an old female
servant of the Gambetta family, the Mere Miette,
who leaning on the arm of a man, wept the
whole way. Then came the father of the deceased,
who, in spite of the wind and weather, the steep climb
up to the cemetery, and his advanced years, followed
bareheaded to the end. He was followed by the friends
who had come from Paris, and by the military and
naval deputations, among which latter the naval uni-
form of the United States was noticeable. Afterwards
marched local deputations with wreaths, flags, and
banners. In most of the streets the shops were shut,
and the gas lamps were draped in black.
The route taken by the procession was over three
miles in length, and it was close upon half-past two
when it reached the elevated entrance to the cemetery.
At this point the coffin was removed from the car,
which was too wide to pass the gates, and placed upon
a catafalque, which had been built up close to the
family grave, with a canopy overhead and tricolour
flags folded round it. The coffin rested while several
brief speeches were being delivered. M. Gambetta,
senior, told his nephew to thank the people present
for their attendance; and when the latter had done
so he himself added with a choked utterance, "Yes,
I thank you all." Many of those around him kissed
the old man on both cheeks; and M. Spuller, a mem-
ber of the deputation from Paris, who was bowed to
the ground with grief, received many affectionate
embraces.

Most of the persons present then withdrew,
and it was in the presence of very few people that the
coffin was lowered into the grave. M. Spuller re-
mained to the last, and sobbed out a pathetic adieu,
"Mon ami, adieu!" as it touched the ground. The
vault was not closed until six o'clock in the evening.