The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-11-15
NATION PAYS HONOR
TO UNKNOWN DEAD
BODY is LAID TO REST AMONG
HEROES OF UNITED STATES
President and Highest Dignitaries of
Land Trudge on Foot in Funeral
Procession

Washington, Nov. 11.-Home from
France, an unknown American SOL
dier, was laid to rest today with all
the homage a grateful people could
pay.
A white stone crypt in Arlington
National cemetery received the bones
of this nameless hero, who now sleeps
among the most honored chieftains OF
the country.
For him a people stood at pause a
little space, the rush and tumult of
nations hurrying life stilled in rev.
erence.
For him president gladly trudged
'afoot through the streets, chief mour-
ner to tell peoples proud sorrow for
the dead.
For him admirals and generals and
judges and statesmen flung off the
WEIGHT of dignities and years to walk
humbly with lesser folk and do him
honor.
For him the worlds most precious
tokens for the valiant were laid upon
his bier; crosses and medals and rib
bons and the tears of mourning moth
ers; comrades standing apart among
men for their high-hearted deeds of
courage alone might touch his casket;
cannon roared him last glorious sa-
lutte.
And for him, shattered, nameless
: body from some battle field in France
where his great sacrifice was made,
was provided a place for his long
sleep that "kings for such tomb
could wish to die" Yet in it all,
after all, there was little Of SORROW.
There was pride and circumstance and
the ordered movement Of martial pa
geant; but over and under it all there
was everywhere note that spoke of
the swelling spirit of brotherhood Of
the ration, the democracy that
brought the highest and lowest shoul-
der to shoulder about the tomb of the
unknown soldier who gave his all for
the flag.
There was nothing, lacking in the
spectacle. From the moment when
a November dawn peered in through
the high windows of the capitol ro-
tunda where the dead soldier lay in
state until the shock of battery sa-
lutte rocked the hills over the river to
proclaim that the dead had come at
last to his final rest, nothing that nu-
man mind could devise or human
hands contrive to do this soldier hon
or, had been left undone.
1t was little more than broad day.
light before the tramp of marching
men, the clatter of hoofs and the
grind of gun carriage wheels on the
great plaza before the capitol told
that the last parade for the dead was
forming. Up past the gray mass of
the building, under trees where only
yellowed leaf here and there lin
egred. the khaki tide Of funeral es-
cort for a general of the army rolled
to its place.
AS the troops gathered for the
march.to the grave, the first, far throb
! of the minute guns at Fort Meyer
over the river broke the morning 81
lence. Through the hours that fol-
lowed the distant, dull note of sorrow
sounded in measured interval, grow
| ing closer and closer, louder and loud
er as the cortege wound its way up to
Arlington. The knell of the guns
marked the way of the funeral train
step by step and eliminated in the
three crashing salvos that signaled
the last soldier farewell.
From s: 80 a. m. until far past noon
the distant booming wrote the story of
the minutes with but one halt, as the
nation stood silent for two minutes
Just after midday in honor of the
dead.
Up in the rotunda of the capitol
resting on the catafalque where Lin
coin. Garfield, Grant and Mckinley
ia +Lo oocLo+ had stood amid heap
ing piles of flowers with its silent
guard of honor, soldier, a national
guardsman, sailor and marine,
through the night at the four corners
of the bier. Then there began to ga
ther a little group of fellow soldiers,
each wearing hero's decoration, to
bear the casket to the waiting gun
carriage. They were led by Sergeant
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