Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-17

house--the foreign commissioners
sent to the exposition, and after them
the state commissioners With the for
army in his full uniform of black with
scarlet stripes and peaked gold-braid-
ed cap.
The other members of the cabinet
in the city, Secretary Long, Attorney
General Knox, and Postmaster Gener-
al Smith, and Senator Hanna, Judge
Day, Governor Yates and Governor
Gregory, Representatives Alexander
and Ryan. Major General Brooke, and
E. II. Butler then arrived.
Coming of President Roosevelt.
1t was just eight minutes before the
opening of the service when covered
barouche drove up to the house. bring
ing President Roosevelt and Mr.. and
Mrs. Wilcox. at whose home he is a
guest The President looked very
grave as he alighted and turned to as
sist Mrs. Wilcox from the carriage
His face did not relax into smile to
the salutations of those nearest the
carriage, but he acknowledged the
greetings silently and with an inclina-
tion Of the head. Word passed up the
well-filled walk that the President had
arrived, and those waiting to gain en-
trance fell back, making narrow
lane through which Mr.. Roosevelt
passed along to the house.
| AS the President passed within the
house and the services were about to
begin, the long line of soldiers and
sailors swung in columns of tours into
! Delaware avenue and formed in bat
talon front along the beautiful thor
oughfore opposite the house and i'm
Imediately facing it. On the extreme
left were the regulars. on the right the
sailors and marines, and in the center
1.-THE national guardsmen They stood
| at parade rest, with colors lowered
each flag wound about it's staff and
hound with crepe. The front of the
house and the lawns had been cleared
| by this time. and the sweep of avenue
was now deserted save for the rigid,
motionless ranks across from the
house.
Half-Rour of Silence.
The service had already begun when
there was a clatter of hoofs down the
avenue. and four housekeeping black
horses came into view. drawing the
hearse which was to bear the coffin
of the dead President. 1t was heavy
vehicle. without plumes or any trap
pings to relieve the dead black. The
4 horses, too, were not plumed or ca
parisoned. and all four of them were
black from nose to tip of tail. Two
men were on the box, the driver, with
long lines to the tandem pairs, and
the groom with folded arms sitting
motionless. The hearse halted at the
corner to await the end of the ser
vices.
Outside the house there was half
hour of silence and waiting. Within
the house of death was woe unspeak
able. In the drawing-room to the
right of the hall as President Roose
welt entered, the dead chieftain was
stretched upon his bier. His head was
to the rising sun. On his face was
written the story of the Christian for
clearance with which he had met his
Imartyrdom. Only the thinness of his
face bore mute testimony to the pa
tent suffering he had endured. He
was dressed as he always was in life
4 The black frock coat was buttoned
across the breast where the first bull
let of the assassin had struck The
black string tie below the standing
COLLAR showed the little triangle OF
white shirt front. The right hand lay
at his side. The left was across his
body.
Loyal Legion Badge Missing.
/ He looked as millions of his coun
trymen have seen him, save for one
thing. The little badge of the Loya
| Legion, the only decoration he ever
wore, which was always in the lef
lapel of his coat, was missing. AnC
those who remarked it spoke of it, ant
after the body was taken to the city
hall the little badge which he hat
priced through life was placed agar
where it had always been.
The body lay in black coffin on {
black bearskin rug Over the lowe
limbs was flung the starry banner HI
had loved so we'll The flowers wer,
few, as beftted the simple nature O
the man. A spray of white chrysan
themums, a flaming bunch of BLOOD
red American beauty roses, and a mag
1 nificent bunch of violets were on thu
coffin. That was all. Behind the
! head against a pier mirror between
the two curtained windows rested two
superb wreaths of white asters ant
roses. These were the only flower!