Evening journal., 1908-06-27
SIMPLICITY AT
FUNERAL OF
EX-PRESIDENT

PRINCETON, N. J.. June 27-Less
than two hundred persons assembled
at Westland yesterday afternoon foi
the funeral Of Grover Cleveland, twice
President OF the Unitel States.
The services We're as orivate and un-
ostentatlous as was possible consider
ing the high Offices Mr. Cleveland had
occupied and the esteem in which he
was universally held. There was no
pomp. no military display and no ad-
dresses by the officiating clergymen.
Only intimate friends had been in
vited and men with whom Mr. Cleve-
land had come into close contact dur,
ing his long public career. Those vh1
came to Princeton to pay their last
tributs Of respect included many whom
he had selected as advisers while
President
eNarly all the surviving members OF
his Cabinets gathered arouni his coffin,
though many OF those present have
gained prominence in the succeeding
administrations.
President Roosevelt came to Prince
ton on a special train and left after he
had seen the body lowered into the
grave.
heaolng the Poem.
In one respect only did the services
at the Cleveland home differ from those
usually conducted by The Presbyterian
clergy, and thar was when the Rev.
Henry Van T'vke read Wadsworth's s
poem Character Of the Happy war.
rior"
AT the request Of one whose slight
est wish is scared" said DR.. Van Dyke,
referring to Mrs. Cleveland. there viii
will be no address made to-day. No
words Of praise could express the sor-
row in our thoughts and in our
hearts,"
He then in few words drew a COM
parison between the feelings of the
honored dead with those described by
a great English poet one hundred years
ago, and he read the lines beginning;
Who is the happy warrior? Who is he
That eNerv man at arms should wish
to be?
He showed the greatest emotion and
his voice trembled when he concluded
the reading and opened his prayer, in
which he said:
For his great duties in the State and
the high purpose with which he served
the country, blessed be Thy name. o
Lord
For the high powers given to him
and the strength with which he used
them, blessed be Thy name. o Lord
For the warmth Of his friendship.
for his love of the great outdoors, for
of g..
peace Of his death, blessed be Thy
name. o Lordl"
The Simple Ceremony.
DR.. Van Dyke asked that Mr.. Cleve.
lands name be held in perpetual re-
membrance
While there were few changes al
the last moment. the original plan of
simplicity was adhered 10 in every es-
sential feature. Mrs. Cleveland had
been relieved Of some or the work in
making the arrangements by Profess
sor Howard McClenahaa, Dean Andrew
f. West. Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Watt
son ilder and Dr. and Mrs. John II.
Finley, but she maintained a direct
supervision herself. and her courage
was commented upon b. all who came
in contact with her.
While the preparations were being
made for the services several friends
assembled in the rooms on the ground
floor of Westland. They were requested
10 retire while Mrs. Cleveland made a
final inspection. She then concluded
that II would be more convenient to
have the coffin in the reception room
than in the library. and this change
was made The four clergymen were
to remain about the coffin. the im-
mediate family near by. with President
Roosevelt and his party in the same
room. This kept practically every one
else in the library. which has connect
ing doors. and all could hear the SER
vices without keeping the relatives
under constant observation.
II Mrs. Cleveland he'd any fear that
there was danger of the collapse Of
some member of the family. there was
no occasion for It. They had all taken
their last look at Grover Cleveland
while the body was upstairs. The
heavy oak cover had then been screwed
down, ana was not afterward removed