The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-11-04
VIRGINIA PAYS
TRIBUTE TO PAGE

nAcuuOoo, NSsS NOV. os0vhRkus8
final tribute, to Thomas Nelscu Page,
who died suddenly Wednesday after.
noon while walking In, the garden Of
his boyhood home in Hanover county,
was paid today when hundreds Of
friends and admirers gathered for the
simple funeral service in the little
red brick church, "Old Fork" whore
the noted author, diplomat and schol-
N wAs christened more than half
century ago. =,
The little church was filed to over
flowing long before the hour fixed fo~
the funeral. Many people unable to
gain admission to the small audito.
rum stood on the outside with heads
barred to the sun of perfect Indian
summer day as the last rites were
conducted. High officials Of the state,
eminent lawyers; bankers, business
men, veterans of the Confederate
war, negroes and white men, women
and children in every walk of life
were there to pay their respects to
the dead statesman. Strong men
wept and the tears rolled down the
glistening cheeks of the older negroes
who knew Mr.. Page as "Marse Tom"
Distinguished as he was In the pub
lie life of America and the world and
keenly as his passing is felt, the grief
of none is more genuine or more over
whelming than that of the black SER,
OF ,ho sL>l
the background, the groundwork for
some Of Mr.. Pages best literary ef-
forts. They loved their master as
their ancestors loved his distinguish
ed forebears and nowhere is Mr..
Pages death felt. more keenly than
in the simple hearts of these South
ern negroes.
The auditorium of the little church
was packed with men and women
Every seat was occupied and dozens
stood against the high walls Of the
quaint edifice. In the center Of the
room was the giant wood stove, which
has heated the building for many
years. From the walls projected the
brackets whence oil lamps have shed
their rays on many distinguished
mon and women who have Worship
ped there. On the other side of the
building the divided stream of sPa-
munkey river flowed even farther
apart as the waters made their way
to-, ,thsa asea@~-. s.ShaSk .&ishAAAatase1as.
was the old road the dead statesman
trod as a barefoot lad and back Of
: church were the woods he roam
ed.
After the funeral service, which
was conducted by the Rev. E. L.
Goodwin of Ashland, assisted by
Archdeacon William Walton, an old
friend of the family, the body was
removed to Ashland and placed
aboard a train for Washington,
where the final services will be held
tomorrow, when officials of the nation
and foreign countries will lay tribute
upon the brow of the noted Virginian.
This service will be conducted in his
toric st. Johns church, after which
the body will be buried in Rock Creek
cemetery beside the grave Of Mr..
Pages second wife, who died last
year.
| A beautiful tribute was paid to Mr..
Page today by the Rt. Rev. William
Cabell Brown. bishop of the Virginia
diocese of the Episcopal church.
Bishop Brown, who was absent from
l. -
Pages death, hastily returned to at
tend the funeral today. He reached
"Old Fork" church this morning just
as the casket was being placed in
the hearse for the journey to Ash.
land.
ut was fitting that Mr.. Page
, should die on All Saints day." said
Bishop Brown. "His death Is great
loss to the state and to literature"