Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-02-13

1
were brought to a close Saturday with
the solemn services at Windsor are prob
ably unparalleled in the history of funer-
| al pageantry. All England apparently
rested hushed aud thrilled in the mourn
full consciousness that it was to say a
final farewell TO its queen, and the world
at large could not but be impressed by
| the remarkable ceremonial in which ma
tional grief displayed itself 1t would
seem, from the fact of her expressed
wish for military funeral, that Queen
| Victoria desired that in the rites nothing
| should be omitted to emphasize the dig
nifty of queenhood. Victoria the woman,
| the mother of her people," was assured
| OF the sincere mourning of all classes.
| The recent ceremonies were those due
the monarch and the wearer of the
| crown. The file of warships between
| which the vessel bearing the Queens
coffin passed--in itself visible evidence
| OF the strength of the nation-the wall of
! bands and the thunder of guns and the
| great military cortege which awaited the
| body at London-all the features of the
ceremonial were suggestive III some way
| of the regal traditions of monarchy
| which traces its origin back to the days
Of the crrsadils kings.
Journey from Cowes.
TIE first portion of the journey of Vic
| toria to the earth whence she came and
over Sc large port. N of which she ruled
was completed Friday. Through wind
| ing lanes of almost summer verdure,
IL htaltx
| of the mourning nation-her body was
borne; on land by a gun carriage, on
water by a royal yacht.
As the cannon wended its slow way
| from Osborne House the afternoon sun
| shone brightly on the jewels in the crown
and scepter placed on the oaken coffin
containing the body of the dead sover-
eign. Over the royal standard covering
| the casket was draped the ermine coro-
nation gown donned by the youthful ruler
| so many years before.
Behind the cortege came Kings. Eln
| perors and princes, walking humbly be-
| tween the black clad lines of sorrowing
| islanders. All the colors of a dozen roy
| al courts were massed in the uniforms of
| the rulers of half dozen nations and
| heir trains. The sunlight cleaned from
| he hits of jeweled swords and gemmed
| ecorati0ns.
| AS the eye turned from the glittering
| bass of gorgeous raiment it rested on
| group of weeping women clad in simple
! black This little band Of bourners. look
| ing for all the world like nuns, contain
| ed Il Queen a future Queen, and score
| of princesses. Many an eye clouded and
many a throat choked as the Borrowing
| womanhood of grieying royalty walked
haltingiy along.
| Not a sound save that of half audible
| sobbing came from the spectators. From
| he head of the procession came the mu-
| bic the Queen lo7cd so well--the cry of
| The bagpipes. Her own Highlanders
| were skrling the BLACK Watch" dirge.
| A dozen masSad bands played Chopin's
Funeral March," but above the clamol
of horn aud trumpet rose the shrek of
the pipes, wailing for one who would
| never return.
| When The journey through the cedar
| hedged path was ended there followed a
| sight notable ard impressive. 1t was the
ira1e,t of the funeral yacht across the
waters between walls Of warrior steel
Guns Thunder Grief.
BattleshiD after battleship Numbered
Is grief band after band walled its
dirge. and crew after crew bowed low
their heads as the pigmy yacht swept
past. 1t bore no passengers save an ad-
miral on the bridge and four relocated
guards at the corners Of the simple
cleaning white bier resting amidships
II was n picture that neither a paint
IRIS brush nor an orators eloquence could
depict. There swept in advance eight
venomous, black torpedo boats, crawling
so slowly thai the water was scarcely
rippled Then came the solitary royal
yacht bearing apparently no living thing.
Admiral Fullerton. in a cooked hat. was
q motionless silhouette. the four figures
at the corners of the coffin seemed to
be of stone The boat slowly glided on
In the mellow light of the afternoon sun,
itself almost golden in hue. sharply con
erasting with the black warships, while
che nearest shore seen between the war
ships was itself deeply fringed with
mourning by the presence of myriads OF
human beings.
rhe music Of the dirge playing bands
was 40 longer audible. The guns of the
fleet were paying their homage. Ono af-
ter another they belched forth their echo
provoking thunder which rolled back peal
upcn peal from the hill-l.ned shores.
The sun began TO set just before the
yacht reached its landing place. The
morning mist had been replaced by the
mist OF the minute guns, which rolled
shorcward The smoke slowly settled.
and through it came the Glaneins, almost
bloOd-rel rays of the dying winter sun.
The Alberta emerged from the smoke
ctowned steel lane. the last gun was
fired. the sun sank behind cloud, Il new
moon hung low in the winter SKY. the
anchor dropped in Portsmouth harbor,
and the FIRST part of Nictoria's last jour
uey came To an end.
somehow the pomp and parade was not
inccngruous and one felt that il was all
a great aud majestic tribute to a reign
which was an era and TO sovereign to
whom the world has paid its highest hon
ors.
Victoria Laid 10 Rest.
In the scenes witnessed Saturday the
historic character of the ceremony was
emphasized both in the pageautry and
in the environment wherein they took
place. The body. after il ES1 been borne
across London from Victoria to Padding
ton station. was taken 10 Windsor. the
historic home of English royalty since
| the days OF the Norman conquest. There.
In st. Geot-es chapel. beautiful struc-
; ture hung with the escutcheous ard ban.
ners Of her royal ancestors and reminis
. / -. l., 49, -.>,., ~ soma Oh -sn- "a,