Huntsville gazette., 1894-07-07
CARNOT LAID TO REST
The Most Celebrated Funeral In
The History Of France.
THOUSANDS PAY 4 LAST TRIBUTE,
The Moving Of the Procession-Thc Mourn
ing OF Multitudes-The Floral Tri-
butes-The Funeral Obsequies.
the Last OF u Great Man.

thousands of people from the provinces
and the various cities of the continent
witnessed yesterday one of the most
imposing spectacles the pageant-lov-
ing republic of France has ever seen.
The streets were thronged from the
dawn of day with species of citizens
from the gutter snipe to the resplend-
antly attired official. all eager to ex-
tract enjoyment from typical French
hundred different ways from the bit OF
Grape on the arm or in the button hole
to the draping of the houses and send
ing of expensive wreaths to the palace
of the Elysee. All day Saturday Paris
was enfcte. Visitors were arriving
and crowds thronged the boulevards
until late hour in the night purchas.
ing mourning decorations and inspec-
ting the wreaths, which the florists
had placed upon the sidewalks, tagged
with cards bearing the names of the
donors, waiting transportation to the
palace.
Freighted With Emblems of Mourning.
At an early hour in the morning del
egations began marching to the Elysee
palace bearing wreaths and other en-
blems Of mourning.
The streets leading to the palace
were cordoned with police at o'clock
in the morning, and those who held
tickets of invitation entered through
the door of honor opening into the
courtyard, the walls of which were
completely covered with black hang
ings bordered with white, together
with tricolors and medallons bearing
the letters ''R. F.' Over the immense
catafalcue which stood in the centre of
the court yard was spread black band
with two large white letters "C' and a
black canopy trimmed with silver and
with silvered summit covered the
coffin. The catafalque was surrounded
with burial palms and flowers, and
the countless wreaths which had been
contributed by friends and members
of the family. A number of candela-
bra were placed around the head Of
the coffin, on the right of which were
the wreaths sent by President Casimir-
Perier, the car of Russia, the king of
Portugal, and number of other
leaders.
The kneeling of Nuns.
The catafalque, which blocked the
main entrance to the palace, was guar
ded by soldiers and four nuns were
kneeling behind it. The passage either
side led to the grand stair case.
Although 9 o'clock was the time ap-
pointed for the beginning of the fune-
raj exercises-tbe moving of the pro-
cession-delegates were still arriving
at 10 o'clock, completely filling the
tree-lined gardens surrounding the
pond and the bird house at the lower
end. The scene in the gardens was a
most brilliant one. Men in gaily col
ored uniforms, their breasts glittering
with decorations, mingled with civil
ians in sonbre evening dress, be-
cloaked attendants and judges in black
and crimson gowns. There was scarce
ly person present who was not in
uniform or evening dress.
At 1915 the band of the republican
guards outside played Glazier's Carnot
funeral march, especially written for
the occasion, while In the courtya ard
the curate of the Madeline church said
the customary prayers, sprinkling the
coffin with holy water. AS the bearers
lifted the coffin to their shoulders, the
first gun doomed on the Esplanade des
Ivalides and continued at intervals of
two minutes until TO- salvos were fred.
At the Nortre Dame.
The procession arrived at the Cathe-
dral of Notredame at 1890, only the
tolling of the sonorous bell was heard
as the column disappeared slowly with
in the massive doors. The nave and
spies Of the Cathedral had been draped
heavily with black fringed with silver.
While the strains of the funeral march
were filling every corner of the great
hall mourners walked slowly by the
crape-covered pulpit There Casimir-
Perier, as chief of state, had an isola-
ted seat. On the left was the clergy
~and behind sat the delegates in the
professional order. AS they advanced
to the catafalque they recited prayers.
Opposite President Casimir-Perier'
seat they all bowed and he responded
with a deep inclination of the head
The priests, high and low, gathered
round the catalafauque. The litur-
gical prayers followed, the president
standing with his head reverently
bowed.
The Last Scenes.
Dean de L'Escalle celebrated low
mass at the high altar. Meantime
Saint-Saens brought forth wonderful
tones from the organ. At the moment
of the elevation of the host, the master
of ceremonies approached Casimir-Pe-
rier and bowed profoundly to intimate
that he might stand and the president
did so. When the bell sounded the in
vitation to meditation, the president
bowed low. and as the heads of the
mourners, the diplomatists, the gener-
ais and the judges sank forward, the
scene illustrated impressively the ma
tion's grief. The light came but dimly
through the stained windows. The
shadows of the heavy black hangings
rested upon the whole assemblage,
deadening the brilliancy Of uniforms
and robes of Office. After the short
sermon the arch hiShor of par;s ~