St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-09-18

There was no music. Amid the hush
of the great crowds, only the clatter OF
the horses, hoofs, ringing Sharply upon
the pavement, was heard.
1t was $50 when the head OF the
procession reached the White House
grounds, and turned into the driveway
The carriage containing Mrs. Mckinley,
Dr.. Rixey and Abner Mckinley had
preceded the funeral cortege to the
White House by some little time. Or.
Rixey was the first to alight, and then
Mr.. Mckinley. They assisted Mrs. Nc
Kinley to the steps. With her right
arm resting heavily and YEARLY upon :
the shoulder of her brother-in-law, and
supported on the other side by Df.
Rixey, she walked slowly into the house.
She was closely yelled, but her feeble |
steps told the story of her great suffer
ing. She was assisted at once to her |
old room and soon retired.
Fear For Mrs. Mckinley
DR.. Rixey and Mr.. Cortelyou later
said that she had stood the journey very
WELL, and they had confidently ex-
pected that she would complete the
sad journey to her old home without
difficulty. Among those who know her
best, it is doubted whether she yet fully
realizes the calamity that has befallen
her, and it is with some apprehension
- nj r. ho 6pc
alone in Canton. The major" as she
always called her husband, is still with
her, but when she finds herself really all
alone, the awakening may try her
strength even beyond the point yet
reached. The result cannot be foretold.
When the cortege arrived at the White
House the body bearers took the coffin
upon. their shoulders and waited until
President Roosevelt and the members
of the cabinet had alighted from their
carriages, and then followed them
through the wide open doors into the
east room. Just in the center of the
room they deposited their burden and
stood at salute, while the new chief eX-
ecutive and the cabinet members passed
by.
Piled about the casket were half
hundred floral emblems Of exceptional
beauty and as many more were placed
in the inside corridor until today. Two
Marines a soldier and sailor stood
guard, one at each corner of the casket,
while seated on either side were two
members of the Grand Army and two
members of the Loyal Legion. These
will be relieved at intervals of two hours
during the night.
Before midnight the household had re-
tired to rest, and the only lights to be
seen were those in the room where his
comrades kept watch over their dead
chief.
The Funeral Trains Journey
Through living lane of bare headed
! people stretching from Buffalo up over
! the Alleghenies, down into the broad
valley of the Susquehanna and on to
the marble city on the banks of the Po-
tomac, the nations martyred president
yesterday made his last journey to the
seat of the government over which he
presided for four and one half years.
The whole country seemed to have
drained its population to the sides of
the track over which the funeral train
passed. The thin lines through the
mountains and sparsely settled districts
thickened at the little hamlets, covered
acres in towns congested into vast multi
tudes in the larger cities. Work was
suspended in field, workshop, mine and
factory. The schools were dismissed
and everywhere appeared the trappings
and tokens of woe.
A million flags at half mast dotted
hillside and valley and formed thicket
of color over the cities. And from al
most every banner hung streamer OF
crepe. The stations were heavy with
black, symbols of mourning. AT all the
larger towns and cities after the train
got into Pennsylvania, militiamen
drawn up at present arms" kept back
the enormous crowds.
The silence with which the countless
thousands saw the casket containing the
body of their hero and martyr was Op
pressve and profound. Only the rum
bling of the train wheels, the sObs from
men and women with tcar-stained faces
and the d0leful tolling of bells broke OF
the ear. At several places, Williams
port, Harrisburg and Baltimore, thu
chimes played Cardinal Newmant
grand hymn.
Taken altogether, the journey was tn
most remarkable demonstration of uni
verSal personal sorrow since Lincoln
was borne to his grave. Every one q
those who came to pay their last tribute
to the dead had an opportunity to catcl
a glimpse Of the dag-covered bier ele
waited to view in the observation car a
the rear of the train.
There was no other bit of color t.
catch the eye on this train of death
The locomotive was covered with black
the curtains Of the cars in which sat TIT
widow, the relatives of the president
cabinet members and others Wert
| drawn. The whole black train was Xix
a shattered house save only for tina
hindmost car where the body lay guard
ed by soldier of the army and a sailo
of the navy.
Mrs. Mckinley stood the trip bravely
In the morning, soon after leaving Buf
falo, she pleaded so earnestly to be al
;. lowed to 90 into the car where her dea