The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-12
WIFE OF PRESIDENT LAID TO REST IN
 LITTLE CEMETERY
 OF GIRLHOOD HOME
tcontInued from Page onel


 (Continued from Page one) back respectfully. Those who bore the casket were: Edward T. Brown, Atlanta | Robert NJ. Hoyt Wade c. Hoyt and Nath- an Hoyt Rome; B. P. Axson. Savannah; Randolph Axson and Edward T. Brown, Jr., and Frank c. Gebreath, Atlanta. Party Leaves Train The President, followed by. Secretary and
 Mrs. McAdoo. Mir. and Mrs. Sayre, Miss | Wilson, Professor Axson and other near relatives and members of the party, quick 1 ly left the train and entered their car riages. The procession then moved l through black-draped streets to the First Presbyterian church.
 More than 800 relatives and friends of the Wilson and Axson families were al- ready gathered in the quaint little church. which Mrs. Wilson used to attend when her father, the Rev. Edward s. Axson. was pastor there The church was draped in black, with intertwined wreaths of white flowers. On one wall was white | marble tablet to the memory of Mrs. Will sons father. Banks of flowers were piled | high about the catafalque upon which the casket was placed
 As the President entered, following the
 
 1 softly upon the organ. simple, short service was conducted by the Rev. G. I G. Sydnor, the local pastor The Presi- | cent, his daughters. Secretary McAdoo and MT. Sayre occupied the front pew in | the center and back of them were other members of the family, Dr. Grayson and | Secretary Tumulty. Two old-fashioned | hymns. girlhood favorites of Mrs. Will 1 son. were sung by the church choir. The | Rev. Dr. Sydnor then read briefly from the scriptures and spoke of the beauty and charity of Mrs. Wilson's life | As soon as the church service was ended | the casket was carried to the waiting | hearse and the short journey to Myrtle | Hill cemetery was begun Schoolgirls, dressed in white and holding aloft laurel | branches, stood in line along each side of the streets through which the process | sion passed Behind them were thousands of people. with barred heads bowed, silent and sorrowful. The entire city was draped in funeral black.
 Rainstorm Arises The cortege was close to the cemetery when rain began to fall. The storm rap | idly grew worse, the downpour soon be- comnig torrential. A tent erected over the grave gave partial shelter to the fam | fly group, but the thousands of people who came to witness the burial were with out protection.
 
 l marked by impressive simplicity The President stood with head bowed as the | final rites were performed. As he stood | there with his daughters MT. Wilson | made no effort to conceal his grief. As the hushed voice of the preacher read | the burial service, the Presidents form was Visibiy shaken by his strong emotion
 and the tears streamed unchecked down his cheeks. Others of the party wept si-
 lehtly, softly. When the final benedc- | ton was pronounced the President slowly | returned to his carriage. His eyes were
 as thost of one dazed, but his step was firm and his face was stern and set | After the caslSet was lowered and the
 grave filled, vast heaps of flowers the i tribute of the nation, were piled high oyer | the tomb
 l On the way to the cemetery the process 1 sion passed the house where Mrs. Wilson 1 lived as girl and another spot above
 the banks of the Etowah river where tra- dition has it that she promised to become the future Presidents bride. Nearby was
 a statue to the women of the south, the | inscription on which was written by the President a few years ago. On every side | were scenes which recalled vividly to him
 the days of his young manhood and sweet memories of her who now lies in a grave l in her old home.
 l Within less than four hours from the
 hour the funeral train arrived the Presi- uent ana niS party were once more on 1 board the President special cars and the | return journey was begun. | President Wilson remained by the grave of his wife until the casket had been completely covered with concrete and steel. At the head of the grave there stands plain, whiet stone bear 1 ing the names of Mrs. Wilson's father and mother It is understood the Pres- ident will later have a larger monu- ment erected. As the President returned to his pri- vate car he passed between double lines of national guardsmep standing at attention with their arms at pre- sent" Several of Mrs. Wilson's former sch oolmates were greeted by MT. Will son as he stood bareheaded outside his car. The special train left here a min- ute after o'clock and soon afterward the President retired for the night. He had slept but little since Mrs. Wilson died and showed the effects of his sor- 1rowful vigil
 Professor Axson tonight sent the 1 following telegram to Mrs. Edward El- l lott, Mrs Wilson's only sister, whose l illness in California prevented her l from attending the funeral "We have buried sister between father and mother"