Evening star., 1923-08-08

| bound the Casket to its funeral car.
/ Then il was lifted down. and with the
band playing Lead. Kindly Light" the
President was carried. tenderly and with
! the loving benediction of a nation upon
! him, up the steps and across the spot
where two and half years ago he stood
to take his oath OF duty.
Then the plaza was filed with cheer
ing humanity. Today it was once more
a picture of reverence and high respect.
but stilled this time by the hush of
! tragedy.
Lodge beside Cnsket.
Senator Lodge walked up the steps
beside the casket. and the empty
caiSsOn moved away. The dignita-
ries and the ministers followed along
step by step, for the progress up
the steps was very. very slow. Four
teen soldiers. sailors and marines
helped lift the load of sorrow up the
steep and long ascent to the chamber
where Lincoln and Mckinley rested
! in grandeur. and where now Harding
was to receive the last pouring out
Of great peoples love and gratitude.
tude
President Coolidge. Chief Justice
! Taft and former Vice President Mar
shall. who also had been allotted A
place in the procession, reached the
rotunda just behind the casket Mrs
Harding's car had driven TO an en-
trance below the big steps. so that
| she could be taken to the floor above
| by elevator.
Stnrt OF Services.
Then began a new scene In the
| great drama OF grief. As the body
was placed on the catafalque first
. built for Lincoln even a deeper hush
! seemed TO fall upon those within the
sacred precincts.
All Seats Filled.
The thousand seats that crowded
| the wide circle of the rotunda were
! tlIed, save for those reserved for thc
mourners. who came with the funeral
cortege in the parade of proud sorrow
| from the White House. long before
the marching hosts arrived in the
| plaza on which the building fronts
| Out there just a few months ago.
Warren Harding pledged his honor
and his life to the great task he was
| to undertake. Today. just a few
! yards from the spot where he then
| stood to send his oath of loyalty
moment awaited him while his coun-
! trymen testified before all men that
| he had kept that faith to the death.
| There was hushed murmur among
as they waited. All around the wall
| stood banked masses of flowers in
! every beauty of design and color
| human ingenuity could devise to do
| honor to the dead.
Then the distant throbbing of muf-
| fed drums stole in through the tall
| doorway that looked eastward to the
rising sun.
From the Senate wing Mrs. Coolidge,
| wife of the man on whom the great
| burden laid down by the dead chief
has fallen, came in alone to take her
place in the handful of big chairs
around the waiting catafalQue.
| The drums came closer, throbbing
in martial sorrow. timing the steps
| of the tramping column of the escort.
| chamber. Then the beat of the drum
mers died away and softly there came
from the clear sunshine outside the
swelling notes of band. Lead
Kindly Light" rang the appeal and
| trust of the hymn and a faint stir
rent through those inside. The casket
was being lifted from the caisson to
be carried tenderly up the long, wide
steps.
Aides Came First.
| First through the doorway came
| the dead Presidents soldier and SAIL
or aides, the glitter of their gold trap
pings that marked their post at the
| side of the r-in-chief shin
| ing from white uniforms. Behind at
slow steps came the generals and
the admirals Of the guard Of honor
for this plain man of the people. and
! then the caSket, carried slowly by
! the soldiers. sailors and marines to
whom had fallen this last honor
Standing with heads bent, the men
! and women who had waited long In
the big chamber gave their greeting
I in silence. The slow march of the
dead went forward to the catafalque
/ and the casket with single great
wreath resting on the flag that
wrapped 1t about was set gently in
] MI xx-hi ha
grounded muskets and bayonets fixed,
took up their watch, a soldier and
a marine at the head, a soldier and
a sailor at the foot.
Side by side at the head of the
casket the aides of the President
took their places. Then. from the
Senate corridor, Mrs. Harding came in
on Secretary Christians arm and with
Gen. Sawyer close beside her. She
took her place and about her were
family and the close friends of the
dead whose official duties did not
call them to other posts in the funeral
chamber.
There was some delay as the high
officers Of the guard of honor found
their places, and as the group Of hon.
orary pallbearers. each a noted figure
in the nations life. came in, followed
by the diplomatic corps. The diplo-
/ mats were in the formal ceremonial
dress each nation prescribed Tor the
occasions of state. The scarlet or
gray or blue of their state uniforms
lent new touch OF color to the
| scene.
Then came President Coolidge with
bowed head. He stepped to his place
with eyes misty with sadness. Then
came Chief Justice Taft in his black
robes and leading his comrades OF
the Supreme Court; then the cabinet
officers, senator's and Representatives
and Gen. Pershing with his staff.
j Az the confusion OF tha seating