The Grenada sentinel., 1904-01-23
CLOSING CHAPTER
OF JAMES |. BLAIR
Remains Buried Beside His Father
in Bellefontaine Cemetery.
FUNERAL SERVICES SIMPLE

tUNERAl SEkVICtS SIMPLE
Took Place From the Rc*ideEce OF
His BrOthcr-in-Low, B. H. Graz
han-Attended by Members of
Family and Friends.
st. Louis, June 2O.-Simple and brief
! were the funeral services over the
| earthly remains of James l.. Blair, the
St. Louis attorney and ex-general coun-
: sci for the Worlds fair, who died at
Eustis, Fla, last Saturday, where he
had gone for the benefit OF his health.
The funeral took place at the pala-
tial residence of B. B. Graham, brother
! in-law of the deceased, 5145 Lindell
boulevard opposite Forest park, Tues
day morning.
Only the relatives and a few close
friends, who still cling to the family
, in it's afflictioD, were present.
| Simple Hut Impressive Service.
The funeral services were simple, and
were held in the presence of only the
| pall-bearers, the family and intimate
friends. They were read by Dean Da-
Wis of Christ Church cathedral, clad in
black robe and white surplice, in the
reception hall of the Graham home.
| Dean Davis merely read the Epis-
copal funeral service, and offered
brief prayer. But he read the service
and delivered the prayer with such a
touching voice and pathetic bearing
that when he had finished there was
not a dry eye in the room.
| Ac I@ \
offered by Dean Davis, the undertaken
stepped to the casket and removed the
cover from the plate glass that covered
the face of MIR. Blair.
| Viewed the Rensnin~.
The casket was one with a metallic
! lining, Theoretically sealed: but was so
constructed that the glass could be un-
covered without in any way letting air
into the casket.
The cover was left from the glass for
| about five minutes, and most of those
in the room took look at the face of
all that remained of James L. Blair.
The features were fairly we'll preserved
and wonderfully natural in appearance
! The face was thin and shrunken, how
| ever. and those who beheld it could
| easily perceive that the James L. Blair
they viewed was not the James l..
! Blair they had known. After all those
who so desired had viewed the remains,
the cover was replaced, and the exit
| from the house began.
Old Friends Ohtcfated.
The eight pall-bearers were old
friends of Mr.. Blair. six having been
associated with him in the St. Louis
| q
Lee, Henry T. Kent, George W. Taus-
sig. Ashley Cabell, Enos Clarke, Field
ing w. Oliver, Thomas S. McPheeters
and DR.. Greenfield Sluder
| AS the little cOrtege wended it's way
| out of Lindell boulevard to Kings high
way, the hearse containing all that was
left Of James l.. Blair passed the mon
ument of his illustrious father, Cen
Francis Preston Blair, and the coinci-
dence was noticed by all present
Casl~et Covered With Flowers.
! The funeral casket, covered with
| flowers, preceded by a clergyman and
pall-bearers, and followed only by Mrs.
Blair, Percy Blair and Mr. and Mrs
B. B. Graham. began its journey to the
grave in Bellefontaine from the Gra-
ham residence, at 1880 O'Clock.
| Dean Davis said two prayers at the
| graveside Once he said: I'VE should
not condemn others for their misfor-
tunes" No other word that might be
| understood as having special reference
to Blair was said.
! AS soon as the ceremony of burial
was completed and the grave filled, the
participants, except Mrs. Blair and her
son, drove away. Percy Blair walked
slowly to the carriage where his moth
er sat. He gave her his hand and she
stepped to the ground. Her black veil
| still covered her face, and was driven
back in somber wave by the wind.
Her head was bowed
Buried Beside His Father.
They walked to the side of the grave,
which adjoins the grave of Frank P.
Blair. father of James l.. Blair. Mrs.
Blair's gloved hands clasped themselves
| tightly in front of her breast and trem-
bled. The son knelt beside the grave
| and arranged the fowers-pink and
| white roses, carnations, violets, tube
| roses, sweet peas, and one magnificent
! group of lilies.
Then he arose and stood beside his
silent mother for a moment, while their
| weeping eyes gazed upon the mound.
I They turned. The mother took the
sons arm, leaning on it heavily, and
as soon as they entered the carriage
| we're driven away.
|