The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-26
lead, kindly light,
Amidst the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on;
The night is dark
And | am far from home;
cad thou me on.

On. the steps at the foot of the dim
stairway in the gray old church III CleVe-
land sat an aged veteran and his white
haired wife On the face of the veteran
was the shadow of sorrow, to which he
gave no voice, but down his cheeks there
rolled. unheeded, great, angulshed tears.
His wife was sobbing as though Azraei
had taken her first born, and was COM
forted but little by the tender pressure
across her shoulders of the right arm ana
hand Of him who for 40 years and more
had shared with her the joys and sorrows
of their common lot.
Above them, leaning against the newell
post, stood a young girl in white. In the
gathering gloom her big blue eyes shone
ike stars, and Il feveTish, ftful glow came
and went on checks and lips, as her slen-
der fingers, intertwined, crushed each
other in a tense effort to restrain outward
expression of the awful horror that had
lust then come over her. The corridor
was half full of grief-stricken, almost hys-
tericaI people.
Outside the strident voices of newsboys
were splitting the air as they dashed
hither and yon with he direful tidings,
THE President is dead!'
Suddenly, like perfume from rose,
there stole through the air in the duSky
hall strain of music so low that one
dreamed rather than heard it at first. 1t
came from the corner where the veteran
and his wife sat:
Lead, kindly light,
Amid the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on;
The night is dark,
And | am far from home;
Lead thou me on"
Softly, as though to lull a child TO
sleep, the girl in white sang, resting one
of her hands, quiet now, lovingly on the
veterans shoulder, and there came hush
over the excited throng, followed by one
long sigh OF relief The girl had Thought
only TO comfort her grandfather by sing
ing to him the song that he loved, but
her voice carried with it the balm OF bene-
diction to hundreds Of other sore hearts.
Inside the church the lights burned
dimly above the heads of thousand Sob
bling women, who prayed that If the cup
must be drained that God would give them
strength to endure, and outside the hags,
so ioyously flung to the breeze less than
a week before, hung in Respondent folds,
as though furled ready for the destined
streamerS of mourning.
1t Was htth VI SlVls SiNOiA -
Cleveland, this week of the Both National
EncampInent of the Grand Army of the
Republic and Conventions of the Woman s
Relief Corps and allied Orders.
One hour hope scared alOft and the
next chung with lead-weighted wings to
earth Loyal hearts longed to be happy,
yet dared not, and lips that smiled greet
ings hid hearts heavy with impending loss.
The Forest City had made herself most
beautiful for her guests. A wealth OF
bunting, a world of flags decorated the
elegant homes and the business blocks,
and every cottage bore its bit of trf-color,
its banner, Welcome" Even the earth
smiled a pretty greeting to the veterans
in floral badges that lined the terraces of
the parks, while the electric display in
the parks made scene of fairyland. 1t
would have been q glorious week fer all
had the assassin's hand been stayed in
time, and it will be a pleasant thing to
remember that the word that came
from the bedside of the President,
the first three days, was so encOur-
aging that the social features of the week
were made doubly enjoyable, hearts tax
ing counsel of hope, and entering fully
into the generous and genial hospitality
extended.
The National Convention of the WON
ans Relief Corps was the largest in its
history of IS eventful years. 1t was held
al lut i iISl NJ bHuIcH, WHICH WIS uOl
large enough for either delegates or the
visiting members, and yet it was so large
that very few of the speakers on the plat
form could be heard in the back part Of
the audience chamber
The decorations were simple and effect
i've; banners Of red-white-and- blue satin
bearing FRATERNITY" Charity" Loyal
ty," Patriotism in gold, depended from
the gallery, which was draped in yellow
bunting. The platform had a background
OF magnificent palms, ana flags were in
evidence everywhere.
The desk Of the National President was
draped in big old Glory" and in front
OF it j stately little pine stood in a beau
tiful jardiniere. 1t travelled all the wa!
from the old Pine State, and was a pres
ent from Mrs. Sarah j. Ross. Department
President of Maine, who brought it t.
31rs. Carr, National President, daughter
Of Maine herself. Tied to the Christ
mas" tree was a card bearing this legend
Tonight across my senses steals the per
fUme of the pine;
Oh, sweeter far to homesick hearts thar
draughts of fragrant wine;
Again uplift the seagirt isles where sylvan
beauties reign,
And dreams of thee come back to me, o
motherland of Maine"
The National President is a STATED.
woman, whose emotions are well con
tro!led, but for q brief instant her eye
grew brighter as her fingers caressed tn
pretty green spires that spoke to her 81
tenderly of the home of her childhood AM
her Official voice took On a gentler ton
as she accepted the present.