Evening star., 1923-08-08
Nation Bids Tender Farewell !
To Harding, Martyr to Office
Continued from First Page.)

TO the dead.
Among the barred heads were many
touched now with gray that thus
honored martyred Mckinley as he
was carried over the same way to the
same crowding. honors and diGnities
that today awaited his fellow Ohioan.
But to the younger folk. who have
known this wide thoroughfare only
in it's days of joy and triumph. this
slow-moving parade of sorrow
brought sense of personal loss and
depression. They saw the Unknown
carried westward through the great
street to his matchless tomb. but
there was triumph and the high i'm
pulse of loyalty to the flag in that
pageant. There was little of human
grief. The way of his death glorihed
the sacrifice.
a man whose name the world had
come to know. whose sturdy figure
and kindly eyes were familiar 10
every one here in Washington II
seemed but an hour ago he had rid
den away, smiling nodding gay
farewells as he set out on his long
journey to be greeted everywhere
with the cheers and shouting of his
fellow Americans. Now he was dead
and the cheering and the shouting
were over. suddenly, terribly over.
Full Realization Comes.
Not till last night, when. under dimmed
lamps and with half-seen troopers
riding ahead through the silent streets.
the casket was carried by to the White
House from the funeral train, did full
realization come to Washington of the
sad day that had struck for the nation.
Until then it was terrible, but far away.
With that curious!y silent spectacle I'M
pressing deeply the minds of the thou
sands. who waited so patiently through
a day and half night to witness il,
today's pomp and panop!y OF sorrow
had new meaning.
The day of honors and OF sorrow
was ushered in beneath cloudleSs sky
but with the hot haze of midsummer
almost obscurinS the sun as 1t mounted
in the east to look for the last time
on Warren Harding among the scenes of
his greatest iabors. Now and then.
however, as the crowds of watchers
began 70 gather along the funeral way
ftful brcezeS ruStlcd Il benediction
among the branches OF the elms and
NAPLES that line the historic avenue.
Mrs. Harding Braves Strain.
Mrs Harding, who recrossed the
Threshold of the White House but a
short time before midnight after her
long journey homeward with the
dead, was up at 7:i5 this morning.
REFRESHED by several hours sleep. she
renewed to the few close friends and
relatives about her in her house of
sorrow her determination to bear up
bravely through all the trying fu-
neral hours---a determination, which
had carried her three thousand miles
through scenes OF sorrow which never
have been surpassed in the nations
history.
Shortly after she awoke and while
the city was stirring itself in prep
Pration for the great events of the
day the widow of the great White
Mansion. who had been so lately the
first lady of the land. had her break
fast alone in her room on the second
floor, across the hall from the bed
room which had belonged to him who
row slept at the foot of the great
stairway.
The morning sun. despite the haze
that gave a touch of unreality to the
funeral day. raked the great crystal
chandeliers in the east room with a
Salvo of light and gave a new glory
=, the majesty amid which the dead
President was sleeping his last sleep
within the portals which had held for
him so much of hope and promise.
With the dawn the tale of tribute
told by the floral offerings that al
ready hid the walls of the great room
was taken up again by others who
desired to pay need of praise and
gratitude to the kindly leadership of
the sleeper.
morning was from the scouting feet
"a great anchor of asters, white on
blue. II was laid reverently among
the offerings of princes and of bare
great, smoothering profusion of beauty
and fragrance.
Wreath From Alaska.
In place of honor near the cas-
ket was, one wreath that would have
brought n tear of gratitude to the
kindly blue eyes of the President
could they have been opened once
again to behold the grandeur of his
last rest amid the flowers. 1t was
from the government of Alaska, a
woven mass of purple and white or
chids, yellow roses, lilies of the val
ley and snapdragons, set there to
Symbolize the appreciation OF a far
land to whose interests the fallen
Chieftafn had given his last hours of
health and strength
Two hours before the sad march
from the White House to the Capitol
was TO begln the crowds were gath
reverent homage during the last
journey OF their leader along the
avenue where he had passed so many
times before with the high light OF
unselfish endeavor in the eyes that
now were closed forever
outside the Capitol the watchers
came came earlier than elsewhere. in the
might fnd a way into the rotunda to
see the simple funeral rites But the
llttie lnclosure beneath the dome
couId hold only handful of the many
thousands, and the places of honor
there had been reserved for the high
est government and diplomatic Off
ctRls and the friends who in life had
stood closest to Mr.. Harding
AS he would have desired. the cere
monials chosen to express the nations
last loving farewell were of the sim
plest. The pastor of his own church
IN washington and the chaplain of the
House of Representatives were the
ofnclating ministers The brief scrip-
ture reading selected included the
verse he had kissed on his inaugura-
tion day as. with hand uplifted. he
took his oath of duty and pressed his
lips against the Bible that had been
Washington's. 1t was the eighth
verse of the sixth chapter of Micah:
He hath showed thee, o man. what
Is good: and what doth the Lord re-
quire of thee, but to do Justly, and to
thy God?"
The thousands who could not be
given places in the funeral hall were
formed in line at a distance so that
after the services they might file past
the casket to pay their last reverence,
paid similar tribute in the same
chamber to Lincoln and Mckinley and
more recently to the Unknown Dead
Hours beforehand the long line, four
abreast. began to form In the deep
shadows of the Capitol grounds
state funeral to a President when
many were injured In the crush of
eagerness to pass in tribute past the
coffin of Mckinley, a wide space in
front Of the Capitol itself was kept
cleared of all except those who had
cards of admission.
Casket Opened Last Time.