New Britain herald., 1915-04-29
|G ELkS SAY
bye TO BUNNY
Brothers Pay Homage to
Melton Picture Actor.

ne Of happiness, usually
n lights and resounding with
laughter, was quiet last
But it was not deserted. On
Ary, 1T held more people than
even on gala nights. But
p in sorrow and departed in
the lodge room, where he
n himself the obligations of
i, the body of John Bunny,
who made the world laugh,
kte. There it remained until
4 this morning, when it was
Evergreen cemetery.
broug'ht John Bunny to the
D from his Brooklyn home in
afternoon, and before the
No. /, the mother Of all Elk
hey placed the coffin. About
Dove 1t they banked blooms.
hn his wife, his children and
brother.
|were others from players in
Innate who knew him In the
when he was often glad to
small salary, and from those
Nv him in the motion picture
hen all time was working
10 wished, and his salary the
himself set, from his brethren
Tasonic fraternity, and his
Elks, from theatrical man
ad from friends who knew
through the screen.
i the early evening these
nd brethren began to assem-
le clubhouse. At first they
pairs, then so many at g. time
elevators ran express to the
or.
ear Flowers for John.
ushers met and found places
It'll the great lodge room floor
ripple tier Of lodges that sur
Were filled with men and
Most of them wore carna-
In usher in the outer room
the blossoms with the
ssIave a flower for John"
uninitiated the red flowers in
corsage looked out of place
raj service. But the initiate
q understood. 1t was the
i of the Elks. And the cro~S
til even the outer room was
and the overflow spread into
! rooms downstairs.
dow Near Breakdown.
dow, heavily yelled and lean
savily on the arm of a stout
pm none needed to be told
dead mans brother, George
I of New Britain, Conn, and
sons, arrived shortly after s
he hour set for the service,
taken to seats near the altar
i a private entrance. Until
moments there had been
Mrs. Bunny's ability to at
service. Up to the time that
left their home, in accord
/ the last wishes of the dead
brethren in the Elks and Ma
1T pay him their last respects,
up bravely. Then she broke
But mind mastered a weary
nen j. E. Dearden, exalted
led the lodge to order, Chap
hur Van Buren, offering the
yer of the ritual. Thrice the
!, James H. Carroll, called the
slowed upon the dead man at
,hn II. Bunny-and then
ynn by william Stephens, in
bert A. Reilly, esteemed lead
ht: J. II. Chris Mitchell, es-
oval knight, and Frederick
h. esteemed lecturing knight,
TO the virtues OF Bunny.
" testified the lights in the
re gradually extinguished un-
the lamps above the chairs
tn a dim radiance and Will
phens read, ''He Giveth His
Sleep" his words punctuat-
bs from the widow and more
OF the 1900 present was glad
arkness that covered the fur
Of handkerchiefs. They were
med to weep, but somehow
coined the semi-privacy.
he officers of the lodge placed
ranth upon the coffin, there
9 testimony, and the Elks had
lr last tribute to their own.
of ST. Cecile.
recess. and then the breth-
t. Cecile, the world-famous
lodge" of Masons, so-called
fact that it's members, most
professions that engage men
meets only in the daytime,
IN the centuries-old service of
r.
sunny was young in Masonry
ire than a year ago he was
into it's mysteries--but in
Iod the members of st. Cecile
now a different John Bunny
st of the millions to whom his
! familiar knew. They saw
,us, deeply religious side the
lid not show, and with st.
anne men whom the Grand
d honored with high rank.
ssively the ancient ritual was
led, in due and ancient form
nren deposited twigs of acacia
, oaR~ ~ - uyarchfnf,1I M n Of n y