Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1893-02-02
FUNERAL SERVICES.

Simple Ceremonies Preceded the Laying
Mr.. Blaine's funeral was held at WASH
ington on Monday and the body buried
in Oak Hill cemetery. The exercises,
though simple, were imposing through
out, and the attendance very large. Mr..
Blaine could not have private funeral.
Every effort was made to comply with
his under stood wishes and with the ex-
pressed desires of his family in this re-
gard, but the surgiDg wave Of public
interest swept over the barriers imposed
and made his private funeral one of the
most impressive of public demonstrations
in honor of the dead. The most eminent
men in the nation stood around his bier.
All business in the nations capital was
suspended during the period when the
funeral services were in progress. The
presence of the president and cabinet
and supreme judges and high officials of
congress and of the diplomatic corps
was not more significant than the hon.
age of the waiting crowds, who in re-
spectful silence lined the streets through
which the funeral cortege passed.
The parlor on the second floor, where
the body lay in its cedar casket, closely
sealed, was fairly EMPOWERED with floral
tributes. The casket itself rested on a
huge bed of roses, violets, palm leaves
and ferns, about nine feet long by four
feet wide, sent by Mrs. Emmons Blaine,
the flowers artistically giving the COM
bination of colors and design of an orien-
tai rug. A large ship of state, sent by
the Knights of Reciprocity, was near by
and around the pedestals on which the
coffin rested, and upon the coffin itself,
were wreath of orchids and roses from
President Harrison and many other
beautiful floral tributes from relatives
and friends.
The parlOr was far too small for the
distinguished mourners who by invita-
tion sought access to it. Not all of
those who had requested or had re-
ceived invitations to the house could oh.
tain admission to the mansion and many,
perforce, remained in the long line of
carriages which filled the adjacent
streets.
The ceremonies inside the house were
marked in their simplicity. Before 10
o'clock the invited guests began to arrive
and take their seats in the fragrant and
horal-bedecked front parlors of the man
sion. There were no chairs reserved ex-
cept for the president and for the imme-
date family of the deceased. E even
O'Clock was the hour named for the SIM
pie service Of prayer which was to pre-
cede the removal of the body to the
church for the more public rites. 1t was
only few minutes after that hour when
the mOurners entered and the president
and all the distinguished concourse rose
10 pay fitting honor and sympathy to the
sorrow of the deceased statesman's rela-
tives. The family was followed by Rev
DR.. Teunis S. H ,mlin of the Church of
the Covenant, who, standing beside the
casket, in low tone delivered the
prayer for the departed soul. As he did
40 Walter Damrosch touched the KEYS of
he piano. The scene was impressive.
DR.. Hamlin return. d thanks to God that
by His power this life was ended only
that the life of the immortality might be
begun. He beseeched the Almighty that
comfort might come to every mt mber Of
The stricken household because one that
had gone out of this life had gone to i'm
mortality. Let the consolation that came