The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-08-19
TAKEN TO Old Home
mrs. WILSON is Laid TO RSST
amid GIRLHOQD SCENES

hU44D
THOUSANDS PAY TRIBUTE
Services at Grave Are Brief-Marked
by Impressive Simplicity as the
Body of the Presidents Wife is
Lowered 20 Rest Beside Graves of
Her Parents Close to Old Home.
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, wife of the
nations president, was buried at
Myrtle Hill Cemetery at Rome, Ga.'
Tuesday. Her grave is beside those
of her father and mother, almost
within sight of the house in which
she lived as a girl. Tuesday night
the president was speeding eastward
on his return to Washington.
Although thousands Of visitors
came to Rome Tuesday to do honor
to the memory of Mrs. Wilson, a Sab
bath-like quiet prevailed. The spe-
cial force of police, augmented by
members of the Georgia National
Guard, found little to do beyond
warning traffic from the streets
through which the procession moved.
It was exactly $3.50 when the pres
ident's special arrived, and few
| minutes later the casket, covered
with gray broadcloth and surmount-
ed by a single wreath Of flowers, was
lifted from the funeral car by eight
of Mrs Wilson's cousins and borne
to the hearse.
AS the train steamer slowly into
the station church bells throughout
the city were tolled solemnly. A
wide space had been cleared at the
station and the thousands Of people
assembled there stood back respect
fully. Those who bore the casket
were: Edward T. Brown, Atlanta;
Robert M. Hoyt, Wade c. Hoyt and
Nathan Hoyt, Rome; B. P. Axson,
Savannah; Randolph Axsan and Ed
ward T. Brown Jr. and Frank c.
Bebreath, Atlanta.
The president, followed by Secre-
tary and Mrs. McAdoo, Mr. and Mrs.
Sayre, Miss Wilson, Prof. Axson and
other near relatives and members OF
the party, quickly left the train and
entered their carriages The process
sion then moved through black
draped streets to the First Presby-
terian church.
More than eight hundred relatives
and friends Of the Wilson and Axson
families were 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 tab
llet to the memcry OF Mrs. Wilson S
| father. Banks of flowers were piled
high about the calafalque upon
which the casket was placed.
AS the president entered, follow
ling the casket, Chopin's funeral
march was played softly upon the
organ. Simple, short services were
conducted by the Rev. G. G. Snyder,
the local pastor. The president and
his daughters, with Secretary NC
Adoo and Mr.. Sayre, occupied the
front pew in the centre, and back of
them were other members Of the
family and DR.. Grayson and Secre-
tary Tumulty Two old fashioned
hymns, girihood favorites Of Mrs.
Wilson, were sung by the church
choir. The Rev. DR.. Snyder then
read briefly from the Scriptures and
spoke of the beauty and charity OF
Mrs. Wilson's life and character.
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.
School girls, dressed in white and
holding aloft laurel branches, stood
in line along either side Of the
streets, through which the procession
passed. Behind them were thousands
of people, with heads bowed. silent
and sorrowful. The entire city was
draped in funeral black in honor Of
the sad occasion.
The cortege was close to the cem-
etery when rain began to fall. The
storm rapidly grew worse, the down.
pour soon becoming torrential. A
tent erected over the grave gave
partial shelter to the little family
group, but the thousands of people
who came to witness the burial were
without protection.
Services at the grave were brief
and marked by impressive simplicity.
The president stood with head bowed
as the final rites were performed.
He made no effort to control his
grief. AS the preacher read the bu-
rial service, the presidents form was
visibly shaken by his strong emotion.
and the tears streamed unchecked
down his cheeks Others of the
party wept silently. When the final
benediction was pronounced the pres
ident slowly returned to his carriage.
His eyes were as those of one dazed,
but his step was firm and his face
was stern and set.
After the casket was lowered to
it's final resting place, and the grave
filed, vast heaps of flowers, the trib-
ute of the nation, were piled high
over the tomb.
On the way to the cemetery the
procession passed the house where