Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-10

the crowds along the sidewalks and
the guardsmen standing at salute.
The route led around through East
Center street and beneath the win
dows of the Marion Star building.
Up there, big, vacant desk stood
in n book lined room with a simple
band Of black and white stretched
across its workmanlike surface. Be-
side 1t stood the draped officec hair
of the dead editor who was passing
slowly below through the silent
street. Here Warren Harding had
toiled long, hard, but happy hours
in fitting himself for the great task
the years were to bring him. Here
he endured the common joys, the
common sorrows that all his coun-
trymen know. Here he achieved
what was once, when he was a print
er at the case. his highest ambition,
the chieftainship of such a paper as
the Star Here. perhaps, the first
thought of senatorial honors set his
pulses pounding: here, perahps. as
he leaned back to rest moment
from his work in that crepe-wound,
vacant chair, the first dream of the
presidency was born.
Certainly it was here that the quail
tiles of human sympathy and patient
tolerance and kindness for all men
were cleaned from the experience OF
the years to set Warren Harding
high in the love of his friends. And
now he was carried slowly by. over
the road home his feet had known so
well, carried to the old father, wait
ing at the door.
Through the doorway that was
almost too modest and small, the
great casket was borne. With diff
ticulty the bearers lifted 1T through
while Mrs. Harding waited bravely
to follow and the cabinet members
stood facing inward on either side
OF the walk to add to the dignity of
the Homecoming of their dead chief.
Warren Harding was home again
in his fathers house. In the front
room to the left of the doorway
his casket was placed, where flowers
banked the walls almost to the CELL
ing.
Again the armed guards Of the
dead took up their posts beside the
bier; the draping flag was laid sack
and the long cover lifted to slow
once more the still features. Til IN
the door was free to all who might
wish to come and the sorrowful
procession of old friends and neigh
bors, of men and women and chill
dren from all around began it's sill
ent walk
Tonight no check was placed in
the way of the thousands who came
thus and again tomorrow there will
be opportunity for those who could
not come .olay to pay their respects
to a dead reiShbor. Then will fol-
low the simple religious service; the
funeral that will be no more strik-
ing, save for the thousands who
crowded to witness it and the grea
place in life some among those thous-
ands hold, than that of any ctner
simple American. and the long days
of the Homecoming from San Fran
cisco was over.
There was one striking contrast in
the scene here in Marion today from
that in Washington yesterday. There.
no mournful drapery covers the great
government buildings and the tokens
OF sorrow in houses and stores were
a rarity. 1t was not that Wash
ington felt no sorrow, but that pre-
ccGent long established is against
funeral draping of the national
Capitol.
Here in Marion the flowing of
black drapery is everywhere and
hardly n house but has the pictured
face of the dead President in the
window. always with a bit of crepe
or 4 mourning border about it. r'ar
! and wide over Ohio it is the same.
| In all nearby towns and hamlctS
there are ceremonial trappinss of
sol row and everywhere the face of
Warren Harding. last of the Posi-
dents Ohio has given to the Nation,
is TO be seen.
4, o'clock this evening. a lire
of persons, six to eight abreast and
extending from the Harding home
to the office of the Marion Star, Il
| distance of six blocks had been
formed in the line passing the bier
of. the dead President. Some If
those in the line had waited patient
ly for more than two hours TO get
Il final look at the face SO familiar
to them