The National tribune., 1910-05-26
PEOPLE.

people, among whom, doubtless, were
1nany anarchists and men Of desper-
Ate character, the possibility Of some
tragic occurrance was very generally
acknowledged. But every precaution
vas taken to prevent this, the London
detective force being augmented by ad-
9itions from Berlin, st. Petersburg,
Madrid, and other cities, so that for
tunately such fears were not realized.
it must be the greatest relief also to the
Queen mother and other of the royal
mourners to have the awful strain OF
the last two weeks at an end. From
the time Edward VII breathed his last
on May 6, to the disappearance of AL
exandra, led by her son, King George,
thru the door at the left of the altar
in st. Georges Chapel at the termina-
tion of the funeral ceremonies on the
Goth. hers has been the principal figure
in the series of dramatic pictures with
which the two weeks of lying in state
Of the royal body have been fill e.
Grave fears were entertained lest she
should not be able to endure the fright
full strain on nerves and heart, but
Alexandra has proved herself a true
Queen, and bravely performed her part.
Now she can retire from the front of
the stage and in seclusion, away from
the glare of the footlights, so to speak,
-aste the luxury of woe. The magnifi-
cence of Edwards obsequieS have never
been equalled. Dramatic pictures and
splendid spectacles have followed one
another in quick succession. The serv- |
ices held in the throne room, where |
the body of the King, resting on its
catafalque and guarded by the four |
soldiers in full uniform, standing mo- |
tionless as statues with heads bowed |
and hands crossed on reversed rifles, |
must indeed have made a picture full |
of intense dramatic feeling The re-
moval of the body from the palace to |
Westminster Hall, that lofty room with |
its broad fight of steps, on one of |
which Charles / was tried for his life |
and received the death sentence, fur
nished one of the splendid spectacles.
And what picture must that hall have
presented with the choir in white and |
crimson grouped on the upper steps of |
the wide flight at the south end, a lit
tie below them 100 of England's great
est Generals and Admirals in the gorge
business of full regalia; still lower the
relocated bandSmen, and at the other
end of the hall dazzling, glittering
assemblage of courtiers, officers, etc
Prominent among them were the Arch
bishop of Canterbury and the Dean of
Westminster, in their robes of office,
while around the casket, resting on its
purple catafalque and occupying the
center of the room, were gathered King {
George, Queen Mary, the Queen-moth-
er, and other members of the royal fam !
!iy, lIc ioy IN deepest mourn |
ing, with long walls on their heads.
For pure scenic effect could anything s
more impressive or magnificent be ]
imagined? And the next day, when {
some 100000 people were allowed to I
gaze upon the casket of their dead 1
King, when panic was narrowly es- i
capped on account of the vast numbers C
assembled for that purpose, a crowd e
representing all grades of society be- C
low the aristocracy from the well-to-do Il
Inllide class to the wretchedIy poor of f
London's slum districts, what a sight '
lt must have beeni But the most dra- a
matte picture, the most splendid spec a
.acle of all, was afforded by the SOL S
ann ceremonies of the last day. Lon
1on's millions filled her streets, and F
brilliant sun shone down upon them, e
when the casket containing all that was "
mortal of England's beloved ruler was !:
placed on the gun-carriage for its last C,
journey. Victoria's funeral pageant a
was nothing in comparison to this of II
The great reviewing stands, d
entirely covered with black, the funeral 7
decorations of royal purple, the wreaths a
# evergreen and flowers along the line p
" march, the flags at half mast, the n
olling of bells, mingled with the strain q
II funeral marches and the booming of al
minute guns, the great throngs of peo- k
lie standing with bowed heads, form m
d fitting mise en- scene for the daz- r.
ling, magnificent procession Of gilded OF
coaches, followed by the members of b,
he royal house on horseback, blazing ol
With jewels, and all the others who B
ormed part of that great parade. In W
he procession walked the Kings al
harger and his favorite dog, which E
ince the death of his master has w
hown pathetic signs of grief When II
he train reached Windsor, 125 sailors b,
With long white ropes drew the gun CT
arriage to the chapel. followed by that p,
company on foot, all the et
lands playing Mendelssohn's Funeral til
larch. Inside the chapel, the altar of pt
vnich was decorated only by two vases it
he central figure of the picture. Led cl
" King George, perfectly composed e,
nd looking remarkably youthful, never &C
o touchingly beautiful In the eyes of
Ter adoring people. she walked down
o take her place beside the bier of
Is she passed the standing assemblage a
ne turned her face to the right and left 10
With slight. ~gracious inclination OF -,
he head, but with unseeing eyes The n
of Canterbury and York ..
md the Bishops OF Winchester and f.
onducted the simple service. During n
mis- the Queen-mother, kneeling near nj
ne black opening which was ready to 4,
ecelVe the coffin, silently wept. Pres m
ntiy King George stepped forward and
'laced on the casket King Edwards IA
company colors" Of the Grenadier %
iuards, OF which he was a member. ~
square of dark crimson cloth. Then or
While the choir chanted Man that is r.,
'orn of woman" the coffin was silently q,
owered into its resting place: the 81
ierman Kaiser bowed his head as he a
melt; the Catholics crossed themselves. "
nd king George, raising his mother &c
nth great tenderness, led her from the &c
hapel. sc
DR.. Cook, the would-be North Pole er
eacher, is to be given another chance tn
the story told by his brother, Theo- tn
ore, be true. Capt. Joseph z. Bernier, AZ
the Canadian Marine, is soon to start to
n an Arctic expedition, and will 90
yer the ground traversed by Cook. or w
ne ground claimed to have been ira ap
ersed by Cook, as far as possible. He pu
'ill bring back with him the cases er
elonging to DR. Cook which Harry so
hitney left at Etah, and Will keen tn
is eyes wide open for anything that wi
.ay help to establish Cooks claim WI
heodore Cook says that he will stand an
y what Capt. Bernier reports, that he w
nows more about Arctic Sea exnIora- an
on than any other man alive to-day an
nat the Canadian Captain is under No
ollgation to him in any way, and will pa
ave therefore no reason for supnress- les
lg the truth. If he says his brother ro
ever reached the pole he will believe dit
I'm, ana hold his tongue forever more be