New-York tribune., 1901-09-17

fay TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.1

rBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSE.I
Washington, Sept. 16.-A touching and mighty
tribute Of love and reverence was paid to the
nations dead President to-day all the way from
Buffalo TO Washington. He drew men to him
in life: in death he seems to have reached out
from the further shore and clutched the very
beartstrings of the living. The train seemed
hardly at any time to be out of sight of barred
heads Even when the solid string of Pullnnans
veariy climbed over the back of the Ale
ghanies and plunged down the heavy grade on
the bank of the snuous and musical Sinne-
mahoning into the beautiful valley Of the west
branch of the susuqehanna, men were there to
do reverence to the iIlustrious dead.
There was new President the selfsane
train: a Governor, Senators and soldiers of
national fame gave to the living freight a
character of rare distinction. but the nation s
heart was in the last car. in a black casket,
under sheaf of ripened wheat
THE NATIONS LOVE SHOWN.
II must have been a soothing day to Mrs. Nc
Kinley Bracing air AID sunshine the presence
of tried friends and the memory of a great
presence were all hers. Perhaps more than all
was the mute but unrnistakable love of those
who never her husband face TO face. These
were they who, not knowing, still had great
faith and love That the touching part OF
re-
himself and break out with cheer. but this
happened only twice. The great masses were
silent and reverential.
While the Pullmans clicking over the
rails down the slope of the Alleghanies, in
Northwestern Pennsylvania, a curve round
ed and there, high on the bank shouetted
against early fall foliage. stood two hundred be-
grmed Polish ard Hungarian coal miners. with
heads barred and limbs almost as rigid as if
carved out Of rock-two hundred snlooty faced
rebukes to the assassin in the Buffalo cell. 1t
a picture in white and black, ndelibly
flashed into the memories of those on the funeral
train.
SCENES ALONG THE LINE
There other pictures that touched the
heart Deep in the heart of a strip Of wood
west Of Renova, perched on the bank against q
background of purple asters and wild caraway.
stood stalwart woodsman with his wife, and
in the mothers arms a chubby baby. TIE
mans hat off. and the mothers hand
moved that OF the baby in a silent godspeed.
Back in an open field thirty rods from the rail
country schoolhouse. The American flag was
at halfmast from the school flagstaff, and the
boys and girls were all clinging TO the top board
Of the fence, like a string of birds to limb
Down in Sunbury village there was a row of
children four hundred feet in length. The hands
OF the youngsters kept evenly suspended stream
ers Of red. white and blue bunting.
At Port Allegheny men, boys and girls vented
their patriotism first by standing at attention
as the train slowed UP. and, second, by gather
ing in a bountifuI supply of souvenirs. Pennies
and dimes and quarters were placed the
rails The car wheels hattened them out Stick
Pins and ornaments to be made from some
Of these coins and others were tucked away.
Henceforth they will be Mckinley souvenirs .
West of willamsport workmen are construct
Ing a new railroad bank. AS the train passed
two or three hundr,i foreign born laborers
spades in hand. stood attention. with heads
barred
ROUTE LINED WITH PEOPLE.
Stone walls and fences alongside the track
We're crested with people near all the villages
The farmer ploughing alone in the middle of a
Ten acre lot knew the train. Over and over
again men working in the fields, sometimes
almost obscured by trees could be observed
slanoing with barred heads as the train passed
There were indications that i'm many instances
iong distances had been travelled to obtain q
meeting glimpse of the train.
There was in it all the reminder of a partial
oeot OF gratitude which the reverent spectator
vas trying to pay Mechanics stood within the
shadows Of new shops made possible by the
s'atecraft OF the dead President There was a
look OF splendid and lofty reverence on the
Noes OF bare armed workmen. with tasks un-
s0he' as II they would proclaim to those in the
's'n and to their neighbors that Mckinley
vas one who had made their lives happier. as I,