The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-08-14
THOUSANDS LIND RAILWAY
TRACKS AS CORTEGE STRUG-
GLED ACROSS STATES,
SILENT FIGURES BOW In GRIEF
Heads Barred in Prayerful Silence in
Greatest Continuous Tribute in His
tory. Band Plays Nearer My God
To Thee" as Train Arrives.


WASHINGTON, D. C.---Washing-
ton said farewell to President Hard
and the dead president was gone,
him all the funeral honols that be-
loved leader can receive at the hands
OF his nation. Now he goes, followed
BY the benediction of a great people
to begin his long sleep at Marion.
Warren Harding left Washington
forever. His short, eventtul moment
of power and heavy care was ended;
his eternity of rest began.
Yesteryear the flooding tide OF des-
tiny bore him eastward to take up the
challenge OF leadership the millions OF
his countrymen had thrown to him:
Today. that tide ebbed westward
again under the setting sun. The sing
ing rails bore him back to the quiet
town in Ohio whence he came.
Grim voiced distant guns spoke
the nations farewell as the funeral
train drew out. A legion of armed
men stood. with rifles and sabers at
salute. Great folk and small in their
thousands, stood silent and with heads
barred in the fading light of evening,
an dthe dead president was gone.
But behind him, there, in the halls
of the senate where long he moved in
his happiest hours in the capitol, or
again. here, in the bleak, lonely
rooms OF the deserted white house
were passed the heavy days and nights
of care that brought him to his I'M
timely death, fingered brave memories
L, ko Oh
know filled mems minds as they
thought of him.
There were memories OF Harding,
the president; memories that dealt
with his devotion to duty, his loyalty
TO those who worked with him, his
high courage in office, his utter love
of country. But there were other
memories Of Harding, the man; Hard
ing, the kindly, thoughtful, Joyous
comrade. the friend of all who offered
friendship worthily; Harding of the
great heart and modest, simple ways
no pride of place could change. And
these were the memories treasured
closest tonight in the sorrowing hearts
in Washington.
Brave Men Weep.
Harding was gone from Washing
ton, splendidly, httingly gone as went
the day that for him had brimmed
with honors as brimmed with the cup
of life, heady with its draught of
greatness scarce tested at his lips,
when death so ruthlessly struck it
aside. Gone from, the place and the
comrades of his greatness-gone with
his loving care of brave woman to
shelter him on his last journey.
For il this whole day of porhp and
that men have made to
surround the great, there was moth
ing more touching than the dauntless
courage with which Mrs. Harding
carried through the public ordeal. AS
her black gowned figure passed out
of the crowded stone circle where the
funeral rites were held every glance
was for her, every sympathy. There
was admiration that brought the
clutch of smothered sobs to many a
throat at the brave, simple dignity OF
her carriage that still could not hide
the depths of her woe. There were
eyes turned misty then that had shed
no tear before.
1t ran in mems minds that this
brave little woman had waited long to
be alone with her dead had even, be-
cause OF the greatness OF MS place,
found courage TO loan him here to
the nation whose service had demand
ed his life that he might be rendered
the honor men would do him. Even
she had crushed back her tears and
come thus to pray in public over the
bier when her heart cried out to be
alone with her dead and for the sur
cease of unchecked tears and the IN
innate things of sorrow.
With Highest Honors.
But ii could not be. Dead, the ma
ton claimed him; as living, it swept
him to his high office. And there was