Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-09
At the Grave of Vice President Hendricks
at the time of burial.

The scenes at the grave were impressive.
There was no special restraint upon admit
tance to the cemetery, and several hundred
persons had gathered about the grave be-
fore the funeral party arrived. The body
of the procession had disbanded after pass
ing beyond the city limits, and only the
military, with the mounted escort, entered
the cemetery. The space about the grave
had only been defined by placing line of
plants and evergreen twigs, which was quite
sufficient to protect it from intrusion. Just
before the head of the column came up the
crowd was ordered back still farther to give
ample room to the friends, who were assign
ed to the side of the grave from whence the
column approached.
The grave of Mr.. and Mrs. Hendricks's
child, close by, had been covered with
similax and flowers, and on the top of the
grave, on field of white in purple letters,
was the sentence. 'tAnd three fold cord
shall not be broken" There had been no
rainfall for brief period, but the sky was
lowering just as the coffin was placed be-
side the grave there was slight sprinkling
of rain, causing many to recall the old say
ing, "Blessed are the dead whom the rain
falls on" The Columbus Barracks Band
at this point played the American hymn,
and the reading of the service followed. Mrs.
Hendricks only leaned more heavily upon
Mr.. Morgan, resting her head at last upon
his shoulder, but her self control was brave
ly maintained. While the service was read
the congressional committee, the members
of the cabinet and other distinguished visi-
tors stood upon the other side of the grave.
The words of the clergy were now and then
drowned by the sound of the minute gun,
which kept firing until after the inter-
L L
lowered into the vault by the four colored
assistants of the undertaken, and there was
nothing remaining to be done, for the plas-
ing of the stone and the filling of the grave
was to be attended to by the cemetery force,
there was a moments pause, which was
broken only by the minute gun. Then Mrs.
Hendricks and the friends of the family
passed by the still epen grave and took their
carriages. The people who had waited so
respectfully then flocked to the grave to get
a nearer view The military order "For-
ward, march," started the soldiers home
ward, the carriages rapidly rolled away and
the distinguished dead was left alone.-
Among those who have borne something
more than the ordinary sorrow of this be-
reavement is the rector, Mr.. Jenckes. 1t
was observed that during the reading of his
brief address his voice more than once fail
ed, and when at the close he pronounced
his farewell the word became almost a wall
of grief. Tears we're seen to start in many
eyes, and sobs were audible in different
quarters of the church.
No special guard was placed over the
grave except the regular watchmen of the
cemetery.
The death of ce-President Hendricks
leaves his widow in one sense entirely alone,
80 far a. the possession and keeping up Of
their homestead in this city is involved. 1t
| is presumed, however, that she will for a
| time make her home with the family of s.
M. Morgan, her brother, who is resident
here, and who has been close to her in her
present great bereavement.