New Britain herald., 1923-08-08
Old, Old Hymns Played

Old, Old Hymns Played
Military bands, interspersed In the
columns. played old. old hymns that
stir and comfort.
There was no sound of movement
in the great crowds that lined the
way until that fateful burden under
its colorful, glorious bunting had been
carried by on silent wheels to be lift
ed to the catafalque in the great stone
chamber of the Capitol rotunda.
There in keeping with the simpli-
city of the man. who lay dead, the
funeral services were of brief, impress
of honor beneath the dome. the body
was to lie until nightfall, while thous-
ands upon thousands filed past the
bier with bent, uncovered heads to
bid farewell. 1t was a few minutes
past ten o'clock when the great pro-
cession of sorrow swung out from the
White House gates to begin its pill
grimage up the historic avenue.
Tenderly the president had been
carried for the last time from the
White House and placed on the ar
tillery caisson.
AS the funeral hour approached,
the casket was opened SO that near
relatives and friends might have their
last look there in the east room at
the features of their beloved dead.
Wilson and Taft
Former President Wilson, himself.
broken by the cares of the chief mag
istrate, came to the great portico to
take his place in the cortege. Chief
Justice Taft, the only other living ex-
president, also was waiting when the
casket, enshrouded in the Stars and
Stripes, was lifted from it's setting of
flowers to be borne to its place in the
rotunda
President Coolidge, who enters Thus
with heavy heart upon the duties Of
the highest office in the land, arrived
to take his place also just at the hour
set for the departure.
AS the cortege was forming under
meath the shadows of the great trees
through which many presidents have
looked out upon the world, sometimes
in triumph and many times in sor-
row, the bell in st. Johns Episcopal
church, across Lafayette Square.
known as the church of the pred-
dents, began tolling its doleful Eanant
at the passing of a great heart Into
the galaxy of immortals.
With Body At A. NJ.
Only as the procession started did
it become known that Mrs. Harding
had been with the body in the east
room for half hour at one o'clock
this morning. She was alone at times
While officials were gathering she re-
mained in her room, alone with her
grief.
Before the casket as it was carried
down the steps, walked the two min
later at the funeral in the rotunda-
They walked side by side. DR.. A
Freeman Anderson, pastor of Mr..
Harding's church here, and DIR. James
Shera Montgomery, chaplain of the
house of representatives. Then came
the military and naval aides.
Chopin's Funeral March
In Pennsylvania avenue the long ST.
lence that hitherto had been disturb
ed only by the champing of the rest
less mounts of the troopers was brok-
en- by the strains Of Chopin's funeral
march played by an army band. There
was only a brief delay then until
the last journey OF Warren Harding
from the executive mansion to the
capitol mile away.
A bugier sounded attention" The
cavalry opposite on the avenue came
to a sharp salute with their blades
flashing in the sunlight There was
a flourish OF drums. the guns Of Fort
Meyer awoke the echoes with q ga
lutte.
Mrs. Harding came down the steps
heavily veiled, her frail figure max
ing a pitiful picture amid the splen-
dor and pomp of the great honors TO
which she had helped and inspired
her husband 10 achieve. On one side
ei her walked eeeresary Chrisfian
t6aatianed en- Eleventh. R1ea-l