The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-08-10

dWd dJ Will lutIE OWL IL uduU6.
The weather was clear early in the
day. but later the sky became over
cast and those waiting in line to
enter the house began speculating on
chances of rain.
1t was announced by Colonel Lain.
commanding the troops here. that it
had been decided to fire a salute of
twenty-one guns as the cortage enters
the cemetery and three salvos OF ar
tinery Immediately after the cere-
mony A battery has been brought
here from Mansfield. Ohio, for that
purpose.
column of people standing four
abreast stretched nearly a mile down
E. Center st. from the Harding home
began moving past the casket early
today. At $50 a. m. the lire was five
blocks long, waiting for the door to
be opened
Long Line Passes
Twenty-four thousand, according to
estimates of Army officers handling
the crowds, looked down upon the
dead face of the President Thursday.
this morning. There was no sound
except the chirping of crickets and
the shuffling of feet.
Thousands more were trooping in
town by automobile, in rickety buggies
and surreys and on foot. Some of
the dust-covered pilgrims looked as
if they had tramped miles. Mingling
with them were gailygressed. smart
looking women from the big cities,
laughing and chattering with their es-
corts as though it were a lark. Hun
dreds slept in the Hobbies Of hotels,
and were UP at dawn in the strug-
gle for food in the restaura nts, some
of which ran low on provisions.
Those going through the house were
admitted by a side door, where sol
diers stood to assist the twisted Grip
pies and the old folk who stood In
line hours before even getting with
in sight of the building.
Enter Living Room
The line filed into an old-fashioned,
rather small. living room, with a bay
window. In times past 1t was the
scene OF happy family reunions. when
Mr.. Harding came back from Wash
ington for a visit Today II was
crowded with flowers, dimly-lit with
electric candelabra, and on the right
of the column Of mourners stood a
casket, on a low catafalque.
The guard of honor, stiffly at at
tention, still as wax figures, was
drawn up beside the coffin. Each per-
son was given time to pause for the
briefest instant. glance for fieeting
moment down at the Presidents face,
then those behind came on and those
in front found themselves out on the
porch. Here, at the steps. two husky
young soldiers had the task Of help
ing each person down the front steps.
The work was strenuous, as the men
and women and children came through
at the rate Of forty minute.
Marion Nations T~rter.
Marion today was the Nations CEN
ter for the second time in three brief
years. In JOY it opened it's gates
when from every quarter men began
to seek. the front porch Of an unpre-
tentious home on one Of it's shaded
streets, to cheer for the man who
had made Marion renowned. In sad
ness today it received back many of
those men, come now to walk with
bowed heads behind the mortal clay
of the same man.
Distinguished Americans from all
points within reaching distance of
this little town mingled with the hum
bier mourners. Thomas A. Edison,
Henry Ford and Harvey S. Firestone,
the Presidents companions on happy
camping trips, came to stand by his
tomb.
Virtually, the entire personnel of
the Federal Government of the United
States was in or nearing the city.
But no man, no matter how high,
could detract even the slightest atten-
ton from the wooden home on shady
East Center ST., where the body lay.
The coming of the new President OF
the United States attracted no atten-
tion whatever.
At p. m. the house doors will be
closed. All the world. svsn M&don,
Continued on Page 15l