The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-24
HOP

was placed on board the Florida The Masons assembled at the club rooms anA | took the body to the consular dock, whereN a motor launch was waiting to take it out to sea. While the curtege was moving along the streets, not a was allowed
 to turn wheel, nor wagons were per mitted to pass, and everything was
 marked by orderly precision and solem-
 nity. 1 remembered a Mexican funeral
 that l had seen and thought that it was well to impress upon the mrespect for the oead. Arriving at the dock the military
 turned the casket over to the navy Just at that time I had to go out to the Flor ida to put the mail aboard and arrived
 there in advance of the funeral party. I
 was instructed to get aboard, the launch
 was ordered to shove off until after tht body was placed aboard. Coming along-t , side the ship, the crew was lined up anda stood at attention, while the massive cleo tric crane swung out and hoisted the coffin aboard with slings strapped around it. It was covered with the American flag, and as it was lowered to the deck the band played funeral dirge, while the
 men stood with bare heads.
 The funeral flower designs were very pretty and numerous and l wondered how they were gotten together in so short a tune Soon as they were placed the cashet and it was put away the order was given to make ready for sea, it being then past 10 o'clock. The launch from the Georgia, on which I went out. came alongisde. 1 got in with Mail Orderly
 Fitzgerald and went over to his ship. where we reported to the officer of the deck that I wished to return to shore at the regular hour I was given the frex- dom of the ship and shown over it tk Fitzgerald and the marines. I saw mA first Pinch gun at close range and went up in the coming tower, where the men are when it is in action. l do not see how they stand the strain on their ears, and nervous system while the gun is be- ing loaded and shot. And thought too, of the enormous cost of putting such a gun in action and the terrible damage it could do The Georgia has a fine post office aboard and it's bakery is model I saw the butcher shop and the butcher fast asleep as his work was done for the morning. Then there was the tailor shop, where the mems clothing was kept in re- pair In fact. there was everything one could think of.
 At II o'clock my boat came alonesidA and l stepped in the Florida got undert way and as she passed us the band played a solemn air while flags were lowered in resepct to Captain Owen.
 As she passed out of sight the last I saw was her flag futterins in the breeze and I thought of what the great President of a great country had said of that flag and l thanked God that my lot was cast with a people whose flag was born in the cradle of consciences who braved turmoil and danger to have the privilege of wor- shiping their God as they saw fit. And | thanked God too. that mine was a Christian nation. where the schools four ished where it's people built churches and kept them up, where the fires of liberty have always burned and I thought. too, that the flag flying fir, m the Florida had never been engaged in wars of conquest, but rather that it's greatness and lustre were achieved in defense of country and liberty of thought and conscience, and l said within my heart as turned to shore that the flag of my country should alwayS be the symbol of liberty and new free-N dom where no thought of conquest should have part. BILL SlhES.