Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-05
THE DEAD LAID TO REST.
Impressive Scenes at the White
House Today.
FUNERAL SERVICES INTHE east ROOM
A Distinguished Assemblage Gath
cred About the Caskets.

"a OAnsAA6 uhoAOU AAooOAAOAesS0 N0eA
cred About the Caskets.
The last earthly chapter in the history Of
Mrs. and Miss Tracy, victims Of the fearful FIRE
which destroyed Secretary of the Navy Tracy's
home, closed this morning when the bodies
were placed in the receiving vault in Rock
Creek cemetery. All the ceremonials which
ordinarily accompany the interment of the
dead were conducted in the east room Of the
executive mansion, and thither this morning
more than 500 people-especially invited-went
to pay the last respect living mortality can be-
stow on the empty frame work of what was but
short time ago healthy. happy humanity.
THE SCENE IN THE EAST ROOM.
The White House was all in hustle early in
the morning with the funeral preparations. In
the east room the chairs were arranged in a
semicircle facing the west In the center Of
the rounding lines of seats we're the two cas-
kets, almost covered with magnificent
floral offerings. At the head of the caskets
was tall, branching sago palm. in huge pot
that spread its delicate, graceful arms out over
the dead as in protection. Mrs. Harrison was
busy experimenting the arrangement Of the
| flowers, which did not cease coming until after
the services had begun.
FLORAL OFFERINGS.
Secretary Blaine sent a handsome wreath Of
violets and lilies of the valley. From the Ger
man minister came wreath Of rare offerings,
crossed with sage palms and tied with bunch
OF ribbons in the national color Of Germany.
Senator Hale sent a bunch OF magnificent
orchids, roses and white violets. Secretary
Windows Offering was wreath Of roses, lilies
of the valley and white violets. Mrs. Bancroft
Davis. funeral cluster of lilies of the valley
and camelias, mingled with orchids and white
violets. Other offerings came from Mrs. A. @.
Hitt Hon. Cabot Lodge, the British legation.
Mrs. Morton. Mrs. Preston Sands, Miss Helena
Porter.
THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE ROOM.
The remains of Mrs. Tracy lay on the south
q couple Of feet distant from those Of her
daughter. The chairs in the first row Of the
semi-circle on the south side were reserved for
the mourners and those on the north for the
President and the ladies of the cabinet; the
second row, south side, the pail bearers
Si h ps BEARER. on Of the Misc nsFh rss SG
Back of the second row the seats on the south
side were reserved for officers of the navy and
army and ON the north side for the members Of
the Judiciary, diplomats and Senators and Rep
resentatives. There were in all $50 chairs in
the room.
THE AssEMBLAaE.
There was but few vacant seats in the east
room at 1890, and fifteen minutes later every
foot Of available space was fully occupied. with
the exception Of the chairs reserved for the
mourning relatives in the south center and a
similar row OF seats for the presidential
party on the north side OF the caskets.
Shortly before II o'clock the Schubert quartet,
G. Moffat and B. F. Keller, entered the room
by way Of the private corridor and standing
Just inside the doorway sang very beautifully,
II Cannot Always Trace the Way" The
closing chord had just died away
when Secretary. Tracy, his left arm
entered As they appeared the audience arose
en- masse. They were followed by Gen. Catlln,
Mr.. A. p Catlin, Mr.. Robert Graves and his
wife and several others, among them a naval
cadet-a cousin to the late Mrs Tracy. Then
came the President and Mrs. Harrison, the
Vice President and Mrs. Morton, Secretary and
Mrs. Blaine and the Misses Blaine
LEAD, KINDLY LIaHT."
From ont of the corridor at its further end.
came the sound of music. 1t came nearer and
nearer and in brief space of time the sur
pliced choir of st. Johns Episcopal church
moved slowly into the room, singing
Lead, Kindly Light" They ranged them
solves in front Of the mourners and the
presidential party and continued to sing until
touching composition rang clearly through the
flower perfumed and somewhat heavy atmos-
phere, and no sound broke the smooth swell of
melody until Secretary Tracy, unable longer to
contain himself, gave vent to a sob that started
tears to the eyes of every one in his immediate
vicinity, and as the boyish trebles commenced
$50 long Thy power hath led me,
Still lead me ON
the gray haired naval chief bowed his head in
l. H.. ia x.zHx
to still the rebellious evidences Of grief that
would not be controlled. Affected almost as
much as his father was the son. With eyes
closed and uplifted face, down which the tears
would stream, he seemed unconscious of his
surroundings.
THE Sculptures.
The close Of the hymn was followed by
moment or two Of silence and then the Rev.
George W. Douglass. rector Of st. Johns Epis-
copal church, commenced to read, Lord, SO
teach me to number my days" and the choir
joined in a responsive reading Of that fitting
scrptural selection.
"tesus, Lover Of My Soul, was the ne xt hymn,
and its rendition was not left solely to the choir
A great proportion Of those present Joined
softly in the wel-known air, and to those who
were near the center Of the room the voices Of
Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Morton were easily
distinguished. Secretary Blaine, whose face was
full OF most sotrowful sympathy, seemed to be
lowered as much as possible.
Now is Christ risen from the dead and Is
become the first fruits of them that slept"
The reader was the Rev. DR.. George Elliott,
pastor of the Foundry Methodist Episcopal
church, and he stood at the foot of the casket
containing Mrs. Tracy's remains. Very
impressive was the reading and apparently
very attentive was the Secretary. His gaze
was far beyond the preacher, though, and his
sorrow-benumbed mind was paying no heed to
the words Of comfort. He was looking into
the unknown and endeavoring to pierce the
veil which makes the realms Of eternity invis-
ible to arthDdwellers.
When DR.. Elliott had concluded the choir.
joined once more by many Of those present.
sang Rock of Ages" The opening line proved
too much for the bereaved husband and father,
and with a semi-subdued groan he sat down in
his chair. by this time the atmosphere in the
room was very close and several people had to
move as near as possible to q door or window.
CHOIR BOY PAINTS.
One Of the choir boys, who recognized his
premonitory symptoms, moved out Of the
room, but another one, who was near the head
Of Mrs. Tracy's casket. dropped in faint to
the floor. The young naval cadet had him in
his arms in an instant and he carried him ont
as easily aud noselessly AS though he was no
weightier than kitten.
During the singing Of this hymn the Presi-
dent appeared to be quite anxious to Secre-
tary Tracy, and he watched the bowed form Of
his stricken cabinet officer with q good deal OF
plainly apparent sympathy.