The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-09-20

arms, sitting motionless. Outside the
house all was silence and waiting
Within the house of death was woe
unspeakable.
In the drawing room to the right Of
the hall as President Roosevelt en-
tered 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 forbearance
with which he had met his martyr
dom. Only the thinness of his face
bore mute testimony to the patient
sufferings he had endured He was
dressed as he always was in life.
The flowers were few, as befitted the
simple nature of the man.
The family had taken leave of their
loved one before the others arrived.
Mrs. Mckinley, the grief crushed
widow had been led into the chamber
by her physician, Dr. Rixey, and had
sat awhile alone with him who had
supported and comforted her through
all their years Of welded life. But
though her support was gone. she had
not broken down. Dry-eyed she gazed
on his face. She did not seem to re-
alize that he was dead. Then she was
iCd away ny LII. 1tlAeN anu LOOK up
her position at the head of the stairs
where she could hear the services
Mrs. Hobart. the widow of the vice
president during Mr.. McKinlevs first
term, Mr.. Lafayette McWilliams of
Chicago, Miss Barber, Miss Mary Bar
Der and DR.. Rixey remained with her.
The other members of the family. Mr.
and Mrs. Abner Mckinley Miss Helen
10 i,oJa
Mr.. and Mrs. Barber and DR.. and Mrs
Baer, had withdrawn to the library, to
the north of the drawing room, in
which the casket lay, and here also
remained other friends when the SER
vice was held
The friends and public associates of
the dead president all had opportunity
to view the remains before the ser
vice began.
Senator Hanna. who had fairly wor-
shipped his dead friend for years, en-
tered the room at this time, but did
not approach the casket.
Just before II o'clock President
Roosevelt entered, coming into the
room from the rear through the libra
ry. After passing into the hall he
had made his way around through the
sitting room behind into the library
There was an instantaneous movement
in the room as the president ap-
preached. The procession was still
passing from the south side around the
head of the casket and back between
it and the members of the cabinet seat
ed at its side. Everyone rose and
all eyes were turned toward the presi
dent. He moved forward again with
the tide of the procession to his place
at the head of the line of cabinet Off
GERS. He held himself erect, his left
hand carrying his silk hat Those
who were coming toward him fell back
on either side to let him pass. He
paused once or twice to shake hands
silently, but there was no smile to
accompany his greetings. He, too.
like the man deep down in his seat
against the wall, who had forgotten
to rise when the president of the Unit
ed States entered, seemed to be re-
straining a great grief When Presi-
dent Roosevelt reached the head of
the line of cabinet officers he kept his
face away from the casket.
The president appeared to be steel
ing himself for a look into the face
of him whose death had made him the
first ruler of the nation
The tension in the room was great
everyone seemed to be waiting. The
minister of the gospel stood with the
holy book in his hand ready to begin.
Perhaps it might have been 60 Sec
onds, it seemed longer. Then the
president turned and at the same time
advanced one step. He bowed his
head and looked down upon the man
whose burden and responsibility he
had taken upon himself. Long he
gazed, standing immovable save for
twitching of the muscles of the chin
as he labored with heavy breath to re-
press his emotion. At last he step
ped back. Colonel Bingham. the aide
to the president, standing 10 feet be-
low the foot of the casket at the side
of the loyal Cortelvou. glanced in the
direction of the Rev. Charles Edward
Locke of the Delaware Avenue Metho-
dist church, who was to conduct the
service.
The pastor was at the door leading