Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-04

and worked from Washington to Sc
attic and in which he had suffered
from Seattle to San Francisco. Out
side it was garlanded with ferns and
cypress greenery.
Beside IT the columns of the sta
ton were wrapped in greenery and
banded with black crepe to form a
frame for an open window in its OBJ
servation compartment.
Inside the car was hung with black
to typify a nations mourning for
stricken leader and in the observa
ton section the broad windows.
through which Mr.. Harding SO often
had gazed with pleasure and won
der at the mighty western peaks,
were covered over with black. From
the roof hung garlands of purple and
white asters and on the floor, its
length parallel to that of the car, was
a low black bier.
Wherever there was a place TO fas-
| ten them cypress and ferns had been
attached, so the President lay sur
rounded by evergreenS, symbolic af
immortality, and by the flowers and
ferns that typified the great outdoors
he loved so well.
Overhead the lights burned. as they
Will burn while the train makes it's
Journey to Washington
That room will be occupied while
the train speeds eastward sailors and
soldiers will stand guard there. Men
who had known Warren Harding from
boyhood will go there and stand
awhile. silent, gazing on the casket
of we'll loved friend. A frail. silent
courageous figure in black will steal
there softly and sob. But just beyond
was another place. that no one will
enter or occupy - the room where
Warren Harding lay during the first
struggles with his final illness.
Presidents baggage. the things he
knew and used and labored with. No
one will use them now.
Mrs. HardingS room is in the mid
die of the car. where springs and
! Orders exert their greatest effect to
lessen the strain of travelling, yet not
50 far but that she can go alone in
the dark watChesSto keep a vigil be-
side her helpmeet.
Down the platform beside the train
little crowd awaited the coming of
| the Presidents body. Its members
, were also members of the Presidents
! own party on the westward trip,
| waiting to begin their last journey
| their friend. Opposite were passen-
gers from a train four tracks away,
| whose departure WAS delayed until
| the presidential special should have
gone, so that the funeral train might
! have clear track.
Planes Drop Roses.
Overhead airplanes from the Army
4
cled, long Streamers of black fly
| ing Rom their wings in token Of
! official mourning. Clusters of roses,
loving tribute to the dead, fiuttered
| above the train.
Then outside the muff1ed beat of
| drums was heard and through the
| archway could be seen the presiden-
array to pay the final honors accord
! ed the departed commander-in in chief
! More drums, more troops ana sailors
| and marines passing, band playing
| a dead march, the guard of honor,
| officers of the country's three serv-
| ices, each with sword hilt wrapped
with crepe, took up its station in the
| archway.
Faces Show Sorrow.
| A hush fell, John ]. Pershing, Cen
| eral of the United States. trod SOL
\ EMMY to a post beside the train and
! stood erect AdmiralS. generals and
| other officers of the Army and Navy
marched in solemnity, heads erect
, but many faces drawn with emotion,
| and took their stations beside the
| train.
| Then the casket. wrapped in the
| American flag its occupant had serv.
| ed. and bearing on it's. top wreath,
was borne in on the shoulders of a
/ stalwart group of men from all three
! of the countrys armed services Gent
! ly. deliberately, they laid it down
! upon the platform beside the car,
stepped up on that grim rostrum and
| lifted it through the window. The
glass was closed, the cortege brok e
up and all the solemn picture. with its
background of grave-faced men and
| black clad women was ended.
Then others of the official party
clambered aboard the train. Police
men cleared a line to tho rearmost
car. the car where the Presidents
body lay. and Army and Navy officers
formed lines on either side of 1t. The
airbrakes squeaked as trainmen tried
them. Loving hands carried to the
baggage car, away down the platform
behind the crepe-kung locomotive, the
mass of flowers that>had stood beside
the presidential car. Seven o'clock,
the hour set for the trains departure,
came and went.
Mrs. Harding Still Brave.
Then down the aisle. edged with
Navy blue and gold and Army olive
drab, came Q slender figure, black
clad and STOPPING slightly. 1t was
Mrs. Harding. She was on the arm