The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-02
LAST TRIBUTE


steamed into the station minute ahead
All heads were uncovered as the saloon
Carriage pea1lng the queens nenalAs
ssoPpfq s1afsy OPPOSITE ms Gun ga
Emperor William and others alighted-
The bearer party advanced to the sa-
loon carriage and, with his hand at the
the others. King Edward watched the
painfully slow removal Of the coffin to the
gun carriage It was finally accomplished
ish crown were placed on the coffin.
The king and the others with him then
] mounted and the procession started.
GUNS AND BELLS.
The firing of minute guns and the
| tolling Of bells at a quarter past II an
nouneed to the countless multitude who
/ had been croWding LOndOn's muddy
| streets since daylight that She funeral
procession with the body OF Queen Vic
toria had begun its passage through the
/ capital.
The people fought for hours for a
glimpse OF the coffin and the Kings and
| others following it, They saw a long
| procession OF soldiers, a passing show
/ Of dazzling regalia, with a hundred roy
| altses crowding after, ami .hen dis
persed. while all the church chimes Of
| the city We're ringing and muiHed dirges
| were played.
Europe has seen grander royal fu-
nerals than the queens and has had a
more gorgeous spectacle in the celebra-
| ton of her sixty years of reign, but no
| episode in the Victorian era will live
/ so deeply impressed on the memories of
| those who witnessed it, or participated
/ in the ceremonies
The day was sombre, wet and chilly,
as are most of LOndOn's winter days
/ The cloudy sky added to the gloom of
/ the whole city.
The procession. apart from the gun
carriage bearing the coffin and the royal
family and official mourners about it.
was not noteworthy.
Parliament, the judiciary and the
commercial bodies were not represent
1
nopolized the pageant Three thousand
soldiers and sailors, picked companies.
/ representing all branches Of the serv-
/ iee-cavalry. artillery, infantry, yeo-
many. militia, volunteers, and colonials
| formed the advance escort. They
marched slowly and without music
Most of the uniforms were covered with
dark overcoats and the standards were
| draped with black, the officers wearing
/ bands Of crepe on their sleeves. The in
fantry marched in columns of fours with
rifles reversed. They were half al hour
I in passing. Then came Field Marshal
Earl Roberts and his staff, and after
them four massed bands playing funeral
marches.
200 MUSICIANS.
Three hundred musicians announced
| the coming of the body of the queen
| There was a long array Of court Off
Gals, under the leadership of the Duke
of Norfolk Cthe earl marshall all attired
/ quantity and brilliantly, bearing maces
or wands, most of them elderly men,
who for years had served the royal lady
/ for whom they We're performing the last
Offices
Most of the spectators expected an
/ imposing catafalque, and the coffin was
almost past before they recognized its
presence by removing their hats. 1T was
a pathetically small oblong block con-
cealed beneath a rich pail of white satin
on the corners of which cleaned the
royal arms.
Across the pail the royal standard was
H. 1r7r orr, Of
crusted with jewels rested at the head
of the coffin, which was at the end of
the gun carriage, just over the gun
On the foot of the coffin were two
smaller crowns with a gold jeweled
sceptre lying between them The eight
horses which drew the gun carriage were
almost concealed beneath their rich
harnesses. A large bow of purple was
attached to the coffin. This was the only
symbol of mourning.
Around the coffin walked the staIwart
bearers. on-commissiOned officers of
the guards and household cavalry, and
on either side were the queens equer-
ries, lords in waiting and physicians.
All the uniforms were covered with long
dark cloaks.
The spectacle was so quickly past that
the spectators hardly realized it, or had
time to bare their heads, or comprehend
the details, when a group of magnifi-
Gently attired horsemen, with sparkling
helmets and coats mounted on beautiful
chargers. was before them.
Immediately after the company about
the coffin three royal nOurnerS rode
abreast King Edward VII was the GER
trail figure of the three, but no less os-
tentatious parsonage was seen in the
procession
A black chapeau with a plume Of white
feathers was on his head, and a long
black cloak was buttoned around him.
The kings familiar face seemed grave
and careworn-
He looked straight ahead apparently
at the gun carriage on which was thu
body Of the sovereign, whose glory and
responsibilities he had inherited. He
did not see, or gave no sign of seeins,
the long ranks of soldiers hedging back
the populace about him
SYMPATHY WITH THE KING.
The windows were crowded with black
covered heads, the purple draperies ard
the general wreaths everywhere He
passed like man alone, who neither
knew nor thought of the world about
him and the sentiment his presence in
spired was only sympathy and pity
The people seemed to see in the king one
of themselves and the deep murmurs
which arose here and there carried sor-
row and love almost as deep as the ex-
the coffin of the queen.
Beside King Edward rode Emperor
William, his nephew and neighbor. The
unique, commanding figure of the Ger
man emperor could not for a moment be
der and the commander of men. His
imperial majesty. glanced right and left
raised to the red and white feathers hang
ing over his hat, as he responded to
salutes. Emperor William also wore a
black cloak over his British field mar
shals uniform and the splendid white
charger beneath him pranced up and
down, giving his majesty an opportunity
to display fine horsemanship
On the kings left rode his brother the
Duke of Connaught man Of soIdierly
appearance, almost unnoticed and unrec-
ognized by the people.
In the second rank rode two more SOW
erelgns. the King of Greece and the King
of Portugal
AT WINDSOR cAsrrz