Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-28
Tile Burial OF the Gar.

follows: have Just been a spec,a.
tor to one Of the most magnificent.
most impressive, most pathetic page
ants on which, in the course of n
iengthened career, accustomed To the
pomps and vanities Of regality. from
royal bridals and feasts to royaI fun.
erals, | have ever been privileged 10
set eyes on. Three cannon fired from
the fortress directed the various
mourners TO get ready to take their
places.
A similar salvO about midday
gave the signal TO start When the
sable standard, bearing in white the
initials Of the murdered monarch, was
unfurled over the fortress. the artil.
lery began TO fire minute guns and all
OF the bells in the city began 10 toll.
The whole route was lined BY troops
of the garrison, Immediately behind
whom the public were permitted to
stand. No galleries or platforms were
erected, n the householders were only
allowed at personal risk and peril TO
let windows or balconies to strangers.
There was n clump Of banners,
the Imperial family banner. the Grim
son military standard, broidered with
the Imperial arms, and the saddle
horses Of his late Majesty, led by
grooms in deep mourning. Next
came long 1ciile Of peculiarly inter
csting local ensigns, the standard with
the arms of Tchoorkal, succeeded by
flags bearing cognizances of Armenia,
Strararda, Georgia and Cartalinia,
each attended by mounted men.at.arms
! and groom. Then followed more
local flags and more men alarms.
Then came very curious episode,
long line Of officers in full uniform,
hearing on variou,Iy colored cushions.
embroidered with gold. the badges and
decorations conferred by foreign mon
arch- and princes upon the late Gar.
Some were simple circIets Of plain
gold-oihers diadems literally blazing
with bIilliauts, emcrald- aud rubies Of
knsan.
After these, IN care Of functoua.
ries OF the second clas-, came the
crowns Of the Kingdoms Of Georgia.
Jauris, Siberia, Poland. A,trakan and
kasan. with the Imperial globe, sccp-
tire and crown. followed by two ma.tcrs
and the grand master of ceremuuie, /;
all these order and insignia bearing
officials being hanked on either side
hy battalion of cadets from 81 Paul's
military school. marching in single
file. Among the noticeable features of
the procession was o figure which at
traetcd much attcni.on-ihe Knight
of the Golden Armos. mounted upon
u gOTgeously harncs-e-i stecd. carrying
a drawn sword and supposed To SYM
bolize the bright and .potie-- charac-
ter Of the departed sovereign. After
him walked man at arms IN sable
armnr and drawn sword Perhaps
the most picturesque feature in the
ceremonial were dcrhtations which
figured for the first iHne in Russian
history, representing institutions Gre
ated by 'he late Emperor the Lems;ais,
the justsceS Of the peace and a molly
group Of peasants, with one. nj least,
of venerable and pairiarchal appear.
ancc. all attircd in their winter garb,
some with the colorcd scarf used to
girile their shecpskin and rough cloth
overc0ats.
Not the least striking or solemn
portion Of the spectacle was "A vast,
silent crowd, who lined the quays. and
indeed covered every spSt from which
a distant view could be obtained of
the procession. There they stood bare.
headed and mute, many kneelng and
praying for the soul Of the Emperor,
followed by long lines Of priests and
acolyte-, numbering many hundred,
bare-headcd and aitired in their cccle-
siastical robes, the priests bearing ia.
pers. The crowd pressed forward and
a deep silence prevailed, broken only
by the rxclodious, but weird-likc notes
which roee and fell upon the ear.
Il" Following the priests came the
gorgeous catafalque, on which rested
the cofEn. under rich canopy of
gold, ssrmounted by rich ostrich
plumes. Sala says: We were asking,
What next, and next 2 when the
hearse came suddenly in view and
the prodigious mass of humanity rap
idly, so to speak, as fash of light
ming, uncovered. j, was most Won
drous sight to behold, that black sea
of hats and caps transformed into an
immense expanse Of pale, upturnsd
faces. The funetal car was bier Of
ebony and silver, on wheels, with heav-
lily carved silver spokes and a super
structure of black and silver. The
whole was canopied by superb material
cncircling the columns of the bier.
THE coffin of the illustrioss de-
ceased was almost hidden by golden
pall. lined with white satin, and was