The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-07
HEART IF NATION
 MOURNS PASSING
 IF LATE LEADER
All Classes Represented In Crowds Greeting Members
 Of Official Party

VI SAi
 ON BOARD HARDING FUNERAL TRAIN AT CHICAGO, August G. CBy Associated Press,) ,)-The heart of America, that great prairie region between the Missouri river and Lake Michigan, was filled anew with sor row today as the funeral cortege of the republic moved eastward through the states of Iowa and Illinois, and then onward towaI Washington.
 Leaving Council Bluffs, on the banks of the Missouri, in early morn ing hours, the special train bear ing the body of President Harding travelled steadily eastward to arrive late in the day at Chicago. Trans ferred from the Chicago x North western railroad to the Baltimore & Ohio here, it sped eastward into the darkness on the last portion of the long and sad journey from the Golden Gate.
 Never in the history of any nation, perhaps, have such scenes of poign- ant sorrow for the dead and such manifestation of deep sympathy for bereaved loved ones been witnessed thousands marked reverently the passing of the funeral train. To those aboard the train it seemed as though the American people had moved into the two states traversed and were standing silently with un- covered and bowed heads. Eyes grew misty and throats choked al the dis play of emotion by sorrowing people.
 All Glasses Represented.
 The old and the young, the weak and the strong. and the rich and the poor were there. It was proof of patriotism and loyalty that America will not. soon forget.
 Those who stood mourning the passing dead included among their number some who remembered the passing from Washington to Spring field, in Illinois, 5S years ago, of the funeral corteGe of the martyred Lin coln. There were more who recalled the sad days of 1901 when a similar train bore the body of Mckinley from Buffalo to Washington and thence to Canton, O.
 Mingled with the expressions of grief always were the manifestations of sympathy for Mrs. Harding. who, during the day, left her room and spent some time in the black -draped and flower walled chamber of the last car. where rests the bier of her husband. Through it all she still re- mained the bravest of those aboard the trains, in keeping with her promise not to break down.
 Brother Joins Train.
 The bereaved widow was joined in her sorrow during the day by Dr, George T. Harding, Jr., brother of the late President. Dr. Harding. ac- com2anied by Dr. Carl F. Sawyer of Marion, Ohio, met the funeral train at Dixon Ill, having been brought there from Chicago on a special train over the Chicago a nd Northwestern.
 Much of the day was spent by Mrs. Harding in rest. preparing herself for the trying hours to follow the arrival of the train in Washington tomorl ow. She also has been g. ing some thought to her plans for the future.
 While no definite decision has been reached, it was thought probable by some of the closest friends with whom she has talked that she will make here home at least for some time after leaving Washington with her brother, c. B. King of Marion. Mir. kling for several years has spent the Winter at Rockledge, Fla, and the President and Mrs Harding visit ed him there last March during their southern vacation trip.
 Many Touching Incidents.
 As the train drew near Chicago. the largest city through it had passed and in which MT. Harding was chosen by his party in the 1920 na- tional convention as it's leader there were many touching incidents, all expressive of the sorrow of the great city Steel mills along the tracks be- came silent and their workers, leav- ing their machines formed a line outside the buildings, along the rail- way, on top of freight cars and even on the roofs. All stood reverently with bowed and uncovered heads as the cortege passed.
 United States mail planes flew low over the train which for some dis tance ran through a shower of blos- sons dropped from the planes
 World war veterans in uniforms of the army, navy and marine corps, grouped In formation, stood in the files of those gathered at every sta tion.
 transcontinental express train, headed for the Pacific coast from Chicago. was stopped between Dixon and Sterling and its passengers were gathered on the rear platforms of the observation cars. The women as well as the men stood rigidly at sa- lute and among the former was one little gray-haired woman.
 SOUTHERN AUTHOR DIES ..~ RICHMOND. Va. August 6.-Dr. James Powers Smith, soldier, clergy