The semi-weekly messenger., 1901-09-20

opening of the service when q covered
barouche drove ND to the house. bring
ing President Roosevelt and Mr.. ana
Mrs Wilcox. at whose home he IS
guest. The president looked very grave
as he aiighted and turned 10 assist
Mrs Wilcox from the carriase. nls
face did not relax into smile To the
salufatiors OF those nearest the carr1-
age hut he acknowledged the greeting
silently and with an inclHaI1on or the
head. Word passed mp the Wei nlied
walk that the president nad arrived.
and those waiting TO gain entrance Ien
back making a narrow iane tnroon
which Mr. Roosevelt passed ak1F TO
the house
AS the president passed within. the
house and the services were about 10
begin the long line Of soldiers ana SAIL
ors swung In columns OF fours into
Delaware avenue and formed in bat
TALON front along the beautiful thor
oughfare. opposite the house and I'M
mediately facing il. on the extreme
left were the regulars. on the right the
sailors and marines. and in the centre
the national guardsmen. They stood at
parade rest with colors lowered, each
flag wound about its staI and bound
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. The serv-
ice had already begun when the cIat-
ter OF horses hoofs down the avenue
and four high stepping black horses
came into view, drawing the hearse
which was TO bear the casket OF the
dead president. 1t was a heavy ve-
hicle. without plumes or any trappings
TO relieve the dead black The horses.
too. were not plumed or caparisoned
and all four of them were black from
~ ~ fnFr
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 conclusion OF the services. outside
the house there was a half hour Of
silence and waiting. Within the house
OF death was woe unspeakable- In the
drawing room TO the right Of the hall
as President Roosevelt entered the
dead chieftain was stretched upon his
bier. His head was TO the rising sun
On his face was written the story OF
his Christian forebearance with which
he had met his martyrdom. Only the
thinness of his face bore mute testi-
mony 10 the patient suffering he had
endured. He was dressed as he always
was in life. The black frock coat was
buttoned across the breast where the
first bullet of the assassin had struck
The black string tie below the stand
ing collar showed the little triangle OF
white shirt front. The right hand lay
at his side. The left was across his
body. He looked as millions OF his
countrymen have seen him, save for
one thing. The little badge of the 10y
al Legion. the only decoration he ever
wore, which was always in the left
lapel OF his coat. was missing. And
those who remarked 1t. spoke OF it, and
after the body was taken to the city
hall, the little badge which he priced
through life was placed again where it
had always been.
The body lay in black casket on n
black bear skin rug. Over the lower
limbs was flung the starry banner he
had loved so well. The flowers were
few as befftted the simple nature OF
the man. a spray Of white chrysan-
themums, a flaming bunch of red
American beauty roses and a ruagnif-
cent bunch of violets were on the
casket That was all. Behind the head
against pier mirror between two cur
tanned windows rested two superb
wreaths of white asters and roses
These were the only flowers in the
room.
Two sentries. one from the sea and
one from the land, guarded the re-
mains. They stood in the window en-
brasures behind the head of the cas-
ket. The one to the north was Il ser
geant Of infantry. In the other win
dow was the sailor garbed in the loose
blue blouse of the navy.
ALONE WITH THE DEAD.
The family had taken leave of their
loved one before the others arrived
Mrs. Mckinley. the poor grief
widow had been led into the chamber