The Irish standard., 1906-06-30
Leaders Who Had Been Co-workers With
the Dead Patriot for Years Pay
Their Last Tribute
Peasants With Barred Heads Line the Rail
road to Watch For the Passing of
the Funeral Train.

| inadequate to the accommodation of
the vast numbers who sought admis-
sion. And the religious services were
of character to prove that the clergy
were not less Irish in sentiment and
spirit befitting the occasion than the
men from bench or counter. Michael
Davitt was true to Faith as to Father
land, fact attested by that grand
spectacle in that Carmelite church,
good picture of which is thus present.
ed in one of the reports of the sublime
service:
Just before eight o'clock, when the
congregation filled every available por-
tion of the church, the Confraternities
| issued from the side chapel, where the
coffin had remained over night. The
to fade quickly from the memory. The
| brothers of the religious orders and
societies robed in their distinctive gar
| ments, genuflected before the High
Altar, and then ranged themselves in
the seats all around the catafalque.
| Most of the Confraternities wore sur
| plices and sontanes, with the scapu-
lars of their respective patron saints.
The Dominican and Carmelite and Au-
gustinian Brethren We're especially dis
tinguished by their habits. A gerat
stiffness fell upon the immense con-
gregation when the Rev. Aloysius Cor
bett, of the Carmelite Community
came, attended by the Crossbearer and
| acolytes, to the bier The chanting of
the Solemn Office began. The congrega-
ton, while the brethren sang the Of
flee, was so still that but for the sad
monotone Of the chanting, not sound
| was heard. The scene was intensely
| sad, for the touching ceremonial is one
of the most pathetic in the Services oe
the Church."
The Solemn Requiem Mass in the
| morning and the vast congregation
and the funeral services continued un-
| til the body was borne to the great
door of the church presented another
grand and touching scene not soon to
be forgotten by those who had the
melancholy qualification of witnessing
it. Then through the streets of Dub
lin to the railway station and Dublin
did it's duty well. And the Irish Party
did it's duty, John Redmond was there
and John Dillon and many others of
1relands true and trusted men, CO.
workers in the Irish cause with Mich
ael Davitt for years. And there were
delegations there from all parts of Ire.
land-from councils and boards and
leagues and associations, in every one
of which the great departed had many
time given help and encouragement
and example and inspiration in good
work for the land and the people he
loved.
| But perhaps the most noteworthy
of all the noteworthy features of the
great and solemn demonstration was
the tribute paid by the men and wo-
men and children in the fields and
villages along the country through
which the funeral train passed. There
were, Of course, delegations Of priests
and people and large crowds waiting
at every station at which the train
stopped-waiting to offer their re-
spectful veneration and homage and
to manifest their deep sympathy, but
there was something more and some
thing that much more than a great
deal else gave evidence of the hold
that Michael Davitt had upon the
hearts of his countrymen. Here it is
as the reports eloquently tells it:
There were other watchers, too.
Away on the rising grounds, in the
lonely fields, along the embankments
of the railway, by every wayside sta
tion, on almost every bridge under
which the train passed, stood silent
peasants and workmen come out mere
ly to see the train pass, to raise their
hats and bless themselves and say a
prayer for the soul Of the dead, and
then turn sadly away. 1t was, per-
haps, the most touching of all the
pathetic demonstrations of the popular
grief that has followed the passing OF
the peoples friend. Athlone, the gate