Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-28
THE FUNERAL TRAIN.
The Remains of General Grant Taken
+. From the Mountain Cottage
to Albany.
Great Crowds Gather at the Stations to
Witness the Funeral Cortege-Im-
mense C]Oncourse View h
Body at Albany.
THE LAST SAD RITES.

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mountain. The weather was thick and
foggy, the misty atmosphere dampened
everything with which it came in contact.
The rain of the carly night had ceased long
before midnight. So thick was the mist at
the sunrise gun that it was impossible to see
either the cottage or its immediate sur
roundings from the veranda of the hotel.
A brisk wind from the south soon sprang
up, and played havoc with the sullen, Omi-
nous looking clouds that fingered aroundthe
horizon and obscured the dawning Of the
day appointed for the removal of the re-
mains of the illustrious dead. AS the morn
ing wore on, the breeze grew in strength and
the clouds that obscured the disk of the
rising sun were soon pushed aside and the
atmosphere was cleared of all distractions
to the view. The half-hour. gun doomed
regularly from the appointed time, four
O'Clock, and the m%ournful echo, IS it re-
verberated among the hills, announced to
the people that the time was fast approach
ing for the removal of the remains of the
dead General forever from the cottage in
which he had spent the closing days of his
life.
The soldiers encamped on the grounds
surrounding the cottage received orders at
davbreak to prepare for their departure, and
in less than half an hour the white canvass
tents, which had become so familiar to the
eye, had disappeared. Soon the blasts of
the trumpets broke forth on the morning air
and hardly had their echoes died away when
the soldiers were drawn up in full uniform
awaiting the roll call. The booming of the
cannon mingled with the shouting of orders,
the marching to and fro of the soldiers and
the various preparations for the days event
made the scene one of stirring and warlike
appearance.
The family was astir early at the cottage,
while the guests at the hotels made their
way towards the house in hopes of getting a
glimpse of the closing scenes. The funeral
car was in early readiness and the engine
attached waited at the station ready to draw
it with the precious burden it was to carry
down the little mountain road to Saratoga.
The family Monday night took their last
farewell of the dead, and yesterday the re-
mains became the Nations charge.
The family breakfasted at the hotel and
abandoned the cottage for the time being to
the visitors wishing to view the remains of
the departed. Shortly after eight o'clock
the doors leading to the parlor of the cottage
where the remains lay were thrown open,
and from that hour up to ten O'Clock, the
time appointed for the commencementof the
services, a steady throng of people passed
by the casket and took a last look at the face
of him whom they loved so well. The
visitors were made up for the most part of
the people from the surrounding country,
who had driven miles to pay tribute to the
heroic dead.
NI.rkI,, L,c~ro x.> @sa1@o1r C-,,o-o H.
cock and staff and a number of the more
were General Sherman, Senators Evarts and
Miller, Mr.. ]. w. Drexel and his daughter,
the latter dressed in deep mourning.
The funeral services at the cottage were
begun at exactly ten, o'clock, at which hour
fully 1900 people were scattered around
among the trees of the grove in front of the
house and packed closely in front of the
piazza. The services opened with the read
ing of Psalm &c. This was followed by
a solemn and impressive prayer by
Bishop Harris and the singing of the hymn,
''My faith looks up to Thee" by the entire
assemblage. At the conclusion of the sing
ing of the hymn DIR. Newman stepped SOL
emily to the front Of the piazza and began
delivering his ermon The family, during
it's delivery, remained sitting around the
casket, which remained in the parlor.
The following is a synopsis of DR.. New
mans sermon:
well done, thou good and faithful servant,
enter h into the JOY OF thy Lord
Matthew XIV, 81.
Such, my brethren, is the eulogy that God
shall pronounce upon human goodness and
fidelity wherever found among the sons of
men. The accidental distinctions between
Primo and peasant, millionaire and pauper,
Commanding General and private soldier are
but as the dustin the balance in His estima.
ton of persona! worth. He regards not
the person of any man; He looks upon
the heart, In the intensity of this di-
vine light let us to-day recall the char
a nation so tenderly mourns and what were
the clements of that character? His was the
genius of common. sense, enabling him to
contemplate III! things in their true relations.
You are calling him the greatest of soldiers;
the level of those famous heroes who fought
speech in ls77 he said: aAliithough a soldier
by education and profession, l ave never
felt any sort of fondness for war, and 1 have
peace" Such is the character of the true
~conqueror Only such live in the grateful
recollections of mankind. And where, in al
we find another save the sage of Mount
Vernon who was so truly a typical Ameri.
can. What humility amid admiration,
fidelity amid temptations, what contentment
amid adversely, what sincerity amid decep.
ton, what faith, hope and charity amid
suffering. His integrity was never Ques-
tiOned; his honesty was above suspicion; his
private life and public career were at once
reputable to himself and honorable to his
country. DO you remin me that these arc
plain, homely, solid virtues? Yet they arc
essential elements in public usefulness and
permanent renown. Such a solid, sturdy
character becomes our geography and insti.
tutions and our destiny. AS he was the typi.
cal American. should we be surprised to find
that his was the typical American home?
Husband and wife were the happy supple.
ment OF each other, their character blending
in sweetest harmony. She shared his trials
and his triumphs. How tender was that
scene in the carly dawn of that April day
when all thought the long expected end had
cOme: He gave her his watch and tenderly
caressed her hand. 1t was all the great sol
dier had to give to the wife of his youth.
And the dying hero whispered: II did moi
rave you wait upon me because l knew ii
would distress you, but now the end draws
Ian" he rushed back to the shore Of life to
! write this tender message to his son: "Wher
| ever / am buried, promise me that yOul
mother shall be buried by my side" 1t was
his love for her thatlifted his intellect above
| the ceaseless fortunes of a malignant disease
that he might write his personal memoirs
That she should not want when he was rome
And how tender was his care. to his
son he said: II hope mother will bea1
up bravely.'' To quiet her anxiety he wrote,
d as ! do; take it quietly. ] give myself
not the least concern. IT l knew the end was
to be tomorrow, / WOuld try Just as hard to