Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-12

chief he had been.
After President Harding and most
Of the dignitaries of the government
had turned aside at the White House
the procession headed by its solid
blocks of soldiery and the battalions
of sailor comrades, moved on with
Pershing, now flanked by Secretary
Weeks and Secretary DENLY for the
long road to the tomb. II marched on
always between the human borders of
the way of victory, the nation had
made for itself of the great avenue; on
over the old bridge that spans the Po-
tomac on up the long hill to Fort Myer
and at last to the cato of the great
cemetery beyond where soldier and
sailor folk sleep by the thousands.
There the numbering guns of the ar
ullery swung aside the cavalry drew
their horses out of the long line and
left to the foot soldiers and the sail
ors and Marines the last stage of the
journey.
Ahead the white marble of the am
phitheater cleaned thru the trees. 1t
stands crowning the long slope of the
hills that sweep upward from the river
and just across was Washington its
clustered buildings and monuments to
great dead who have gone before, a
moving picture in the autumn haze.
People in thousands were moving
about the great circle of the amphi-
theater. The great ones to whom
places had been given in the sacred
enclosure and the plainfolk who
trudged the long way just to glimpse
the pageant from afar were finding
their places. Everywhere within the
pillared enclosure bright uniforms OF
foreign soldiers appeared. They were
laden with the jeweled orders Of rank
and merit worn to honor an American
private soldier greater than any there
In the majesty of his sacrifice.
In the tribute his honors were paid
to all Americans who died. Down be-
low the platform. placed for the cas-
ket, In a stone vault, lay wreaths and
garlands brought from England's
king and guarded by British soldiers.
To them came the British ambassa-
dor in the full uniform of his rank to
bid them keep these tributes from
overseas safe against that hour. Above
the platform gathered men whose
names ring thru history. BRAND.
Foch, Beatty, Balfour, Jacues, Diaz
and Others in brilliant array of place
and power. They were followed by
others Baron Katos from Japan. the
Italian statesmen and officers by the
notables from all countries gathered
here 70. tomorrow's conference and by
some of the older figures In American
life too old TO walk beside the ap-
proaching funeral train.
Down around the circling pillars.
the marble boxes filled with distin-
Huished men and women, with a clus-
Ter OF shattered men from army hos
pitals. accompanied by uniformed nur-
ses. A surpliced choir took Its place
to await the dead.
Faint and distant the silvery
strains OF military band. stole into
The big white bowl of the amphithea-
ter.
The slow cadenccs and moaning
notes OF a funeral march grew clearer
and the rolled mutter of the muffled
drums.
At the arch where the choir waited
the hero comrades of the dead lifted
his caskct down and followed by the
generals and the admirals who had
walked beside him from the capitol. he
was carried to the place OF honor.
Ahead. moved the white robed singers,
chanting solemnly. Carefully the
casket was placed above the banked
flowers and the marine band played
sacred melodies until the moment the
President and Mrs. Harding stepped
to their places beside the casket. Then
the crashing. triumphant chords of
the Star. Spangled Banner, swept the
gathering to its feet again.
A prayer. carried out over the crowd
by ampliflers 50 that no word was
missed, took a moment or two. then
the sharp clear call of the bugle rang
attention" and for two minutes the
nation stood and paused for the dead,
Just at high noon. No sound broke the
quiet as all stood with bowed heads
1t was much as tho a mighty hand
had checked the world in full course.
Then the band sounded and in a
mighty chorus rolled up the words OF
America, from the hosts within and
without the great open hall of valor.
President Harding stepped forward,
beside the coffin to say for America,
the thing that today was nearest to
the nations heart. that sacrifices such
as this .nameless man, fallen in battle
might perhaps be made unnecessary
down thru the coming years. Every
word that President Harding spoke,
reached every person thru the 1mpli-
fiers and reached othet thousands
upon thousands in New York and San
Francisco. Mr.. Harding showed
strong emtion as his lips formed the
last words of his address. He paused
then with raised hand and head bowed
went on In the measured rolling period
of tho Lords prayer. The response
that came back to him from the thous-
auds he faced from the other thous-
ands out over the slopes beyond per-
haps still thousands away near the Pa
cific. or close packed in the heart of
the nations greatest city, rose like a
chant. The marble arches hummed
with the solemn sound.
Then the foreign officers who stand
highest among the soldiers or sailors
of their flags, came one by ono to the
bier to place gold and jeweled omblems
for tho brave above the breast OF the
sleeper. Already as the great prayer
ended the president had set the Ameri-
can seal or admiration for the valiant,
the nations love for brave deeds and
the courage that defies death upon the
casket.
Side by side he laid the medal of
honor and the distinguished service
cross. And below, set in place with
reverent hands. grew the long line of
foreign honors. the Victory cross.