The Washington times., 1923-08-04
SILENT TRIBUTE
PAID FUNERAL
TRAIN
Crowds HatIess at Stations.
Mrs. Harding Bearing
Up Well.
Continued from First Page)

UP well.
Continued from First Page)
towns and the silent groups
of people became more fire.
quent, speed was of neces.
sity slackened.
J. The crowds that stood al
respectful attention at every
crossroad and ehamlet had
eyes only for one thing
the silent, grim-looking car
on the rear of the train hold
ing the remains of Warren
G. Harding, twenty-ninth
President of the United
States.
Applause Is SiIenced.
Four weeks ago he crossed the
continent and daily traversed ter
ritory much the same as that
through which his funeral train
passed today. Four weeks ago
there were bands, hurrahs, ap-
plaus, noise and acclaim every
where. Today there were the
same crowds and the same &C.
claim, but it was the silent
acclaim of a reverential and re-
spectful people awed by that
which has shocked the nation.
Every heart on the train and
in the crowds that came to pay
their final respects to the dead
President went out to the woman
in the rear car who insisted upon
staying as near to her husband
as possible. The President and
Mrs. Harding occupied the car
Superba on the outward "trip
across the continent, and Mrs
Harding insisted when the ar
rangements were made that she
be permitted to occupy the same
compartment on the return
journey.
Mrs. Harding Holds Up Well.
The adjoining compartment-that
of the Presidents outward journey
was vacant; ten feet father on, in
the observation space, rests in sim
pie stateliness tho catafalque on
which stands the fIag-draped casket
At each Of the four corners is a
guard OF honor. Two soldiers, q
bluejacket and a marine form the
guard; and through the long night
they stood guard as the swayine
train swept through village and
plain toward the Capital.
Mrs. Harding is standing her be-
reaVement in a manner that clal
lenges the admiration Of all who see
her. Only occasionally does hel
emotion get the better of her. Then
she breaks into fit Of weeping.
But 1T is never for long. BY an
effort that is plainly visible, and
hence all the more pathetic, she
seems literally TO get grip on her
tangled nerves and she says, az
won't break down." It is almost a
prayer; the tears stop.
Whether she can retain this truly
remarkable hold upon her feelings
during the arduous week ahead of
her Is another question. Her health
always precarious in recent years,
and particularly so since her break
down last autumn, may give way
under the strain. That much Is
recognized by the doctors, and they
are making every effort to avoid it.
1t Is a cruel week ahead Of Mrs.
Harding. Four days en- route to
Washington with the body of the
man whose staunch helpmeet she
has been for more than three
decades, a day Of sorrow in Wash.
ington, in the White House; an
other day en- route to Ohio, to old
TV~tn rA 20
finally the Homecoming to Marion,
where final services and burial
will take place on Friday, offer a
test of endurance which might
well challenge well person.
Retires to Bed Early.
Mrs. Harding was utterly ex-
hausted when she boarded the train
at San Francisco last night. Hard
ly had the train moved out Of the
city's environs before she had re.
tired.
In the remaining compartments
in the car Superba, which carries
the remains OF the President, are
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles E. Sawyer
and Mr.. and Mrs. Malcolm jennings
of Columbia, lifelong friends of the
Hardings.
VI AC . Ii OIII San +
last evening was a sad scene. An
entire city gathered in reverent
homage.
From the airplanes showered flow
ers, while the funeral cortege
moved from the Palace Hotel to the
depot. The thousands packed be-
yond the police lines about the
Palace Hotel stood in GREATNESS at
tention as the band played the
"Star-Spangled Banner"
There was a pause, then the
hymn that President Harding had
loved most in life-"Lead, Kindly
Light"-came softly as eight men
of the army and navy service car
ried the body Of Warren G. Hard.
ing to the waiting hearse. The
funeral cortege was marked by its
simplicity.
Mrs. Harding remained at the
hotel until the train had been made
ready for departure and then was
driven quickly to the rear of the
train.
SPANISH WAR VETERANS