The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-06-24
CONGRESSMAN BLAND AT REST


Lebanon, Mo. June 1S.-.Aiter living
in state for "a hours the body of Mr..
Bland was buried yesterday beside the
grave of his daughter, Margaret Hall
Bland, in the Catholic cemetery. The
funeral services We're held in the opera
house, where the coffin was taken
Saturday afternoon.
Three Ministers O~ficinted.
Three ministers of the city conduct
ed the ceremony, which was in charge
of the Masonic lodge. of which order
Mr.. Bland was a member. Upon The
platform were Mr.. Bryan and three
former governors of this state-David
K. Francis, William j. Stone and
James McClurg. as we'll as II congress
men.
Mrs. Bland Tainted at the Grave
All the members of the Bland family
were present at the funeral services
and later accompanied the body to the
grave. Mrs. Bland. who was i'll before
her husbands return from Washing
tor and who forgot her own i'll health
when Mr.. Bland came back to Lebanon,
is Frustrated. Her son, Theodore. and
Judge Bland. the con"ressman's
brother, supportedher during the time
Father Wood WAS speaking over the
grave yesterday afternoon. When the
last words had been spoken and the
coffin lowered into the grave she was
led from the cemetery. Al the grave
she tainted, and it was necessary 10
lift her into the carriage.
Under n RuEged Hickory.
Mr.. Bland lies under Il hickory tree
as StrOn" and rugged as he was him
self. 1t was not until after seven
o'clock that the intermcnt was made,
the funeral services having been long
er than anticipated and Il half moon
shoue from the pale sky as Father
Wood spoke these last words:
Father WOOd's Last Words.
".And when Gods children gather at
His call. when the sun had sunk TO
rest and the day has buttOncd up his
Jacket with the stars, We will see tins
man. Lcbanon's greatest citizen, in the
place God has made for him, for as the
years roll down the avenuc of time
and ideals Strew the floor of mcmOry'S
sad chamber, he will not be forgotten,
and Richard Parks Bland, neither con-
gresham nor politician, but the nan
himself. will be placed with Washing
ton and jefferson and Lincoln"
to See the Dead Statesman.
All the morning the opera house
was filled with a line of persons who
came to look uponthe kind and father
~ face of Mr.. Bland. The great men
of the state came, but their visit was
as much a matter of duty and respect
as of regard. The farmers from Mr..
BANDS district, men h knew him
only as their friend. rode miles
through the mud and heavy roads tC
see the congressman for the last time
At the noon hour it was impossible
to obtain admission To the opera house
because of the crowd, and from that
time until the funeral services we're
over Il crowd which could not he
turned aside remained at the build
ing'S door.
Thousands Followed the Hcarse.
Five thousand persons. all but Il few
hundred OF whom were not able to get
into the opera house, followed the
hears" to the cemetery. In the first
two carriages were the Bland family
Mrs. Bland. Judge c. c. Bland and the
congrcSSman's children. Miss Frances
Theodore, Ewing, George e.. John
Vest and Virginia. Behind Old Boz"
or "Unclc Peter" as Mr.. Bland some
times called him, drawing the wagon
in which the congressman used TO ride.
In this conveyance were Capt. Farris
and Mrs. Farris. Senator Farris aud ais
wife, and Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.. Bryan Remained Secluded.
Upon reaching Lebanon Yesterday
morning Mr.. Bryan went At once TO
Capt. FarriS'S home, and asked not 10
be disturbed. He sat Il silent spectator
while the funeral services were being
conducted, and aftcrward went to the
cemetery. where he stood beside the
grave while Father Wood told of Mr..
Hands worth as a man. So soon as it
was over Mr.. Bryan walked back to
town. where he remained until he loft
Lebanon, shortly before midnight.
Covered With Wild Roses.
On Mr.. Hands coffin were wild
roses. Early yesterday morning a man
from Iowa reached Lebanon. He found
the stores closed in respect TO the dead
congressman, and, hiring a horse and
carriage, he drove into the country.
One mile out he met a boy. whom he
invited to ride with him. The young-
ster climbed into the carriage. The
pair went still further away, and final
ly came to a lot bordcred by wild
roses. The boy jumped out and gath
cred his arms full.
An IOySan's h
Then the Iowa man and the boy
came back toward town. At the inter-
section of the road which comes from