service, who used to point out Major McKinley to the curious visitors as the leader of the House and a great man, acted as ushers and seated the audience of 800 or more that gathered about Major McKinley's coffin to pay their last respects.

A NOTABLE OCCASION

It seemed peculiarly fitting that the body of this distinguished man should lie amid the scenes of his great achievements as a statesman and legislator. How strong he was in the affections of Congressmen was shown by the large attendance of Senators and Representatives. His old colleagues in the House and members of the Senate, with whom he labored and accomplished great work of legislation, were inexpressibly affected as they gathered about his remains.

Few of the older Congressmen could hide their feelings. There was Payne, of New York; Hopkins, of Illinois; Bingham and Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, who served many years in the House when William McKinley was one of its foremost Republican members, and Allison, of Iowa; Hawley and Platt, of Connecticut; Burrows, of Michigan; Spooner, of Wisconsin; Cullom, of Illinois; Cockrell, of Missouri; Daniel, of Virginia, and others of the Senate who had the most pleasant recollections of their associations with Mr. McKinley when he was a member of Congress. The faces of these distinguished statesmen reflected their heartfelt Senator Hawley, an intense admirer of President McKinley before and after the latter entered the White House, tottered into the rotunda almost in a state of collapse. He had come from Buffalo with the funeral party, and, though broken in health and shaken by age, he was determined to pay his respects to the beloved dead.

sorrow.

It was a most distinguished and august body that gathered about the casket. There was President Roosevelt, sitting at the head of his Cabinet, conscious of the great responsibilities suddenly thrust upon him, but with sorrow depicted in every line of

his face. In full command of his feelings, it was only the firm set of his jaw that revealed the effort to preserve a calm exterior.

Across a narrow aisle from him sat the only living ex-President of the United States, Grover Cleveland, who now visited Washington for the first time since he resigned the reins of Government into the hands of William McKinley on March 4, 1897. Mr. Cleveland seemed affected by the services and the surroundings, reverently bowed his head in prayer and joined with the audience in repeating the Lord's Prayer at the close of the minister's invocation.

SERVED UNDER THREE MARTYRED PRESIDENTS

With President Roosevelt there sat all the members of Mr. McKinley's Cabinet. Secretary Hay sat on his left, a heartbroken, sorrow-stricken man. For the third time in his life he attended services held over the bodies of murdered Presidents. It has been his fate to have been intimately associated with the three Presidents of the United States who have fallen at the hands of assassins. He was private secretary to the first martyred President, Abraham Lincoln, and was Assistant Secretary of State under President Garfield. This third cruel blow was much more than he deserved. Besides Secretary Hay, there were the other members of the late President's two Cabinets.

SERVICES IN THE CAPITOL

Mrs. McKinley was unable to attend the services at the Capitol, but the other members of the dead President's family gathered near the casket and listened to the simple prayers, hymns and address that composed the service. The two hymns, which were special favorites of Mr. McKinley, were sung by a double quartet. Everybody was affected by the sweet music and touching words. "Lead, Kindly Light" and "Nearer, My God, to Thee" seemed to have deeper significance as the strains of the well-known tunes. rang through that vast rotunda and were re-echoed from the lofty dome.

There was a profusion of floral gifts in all forms of magnificent and costly flowers, sent from all parts of the country and expressing the love, affection and esteem of representatives of all governments, organizations and bodies of men. The railing about the rotunda was lined with exquisite floral pieces, while the flag-draped casket was banked with some of the finest wreaths and designs.

The funeral services were simple and beautiful. They were of the form prescribed in the Methodist Church. Two hymns, a prayer, an address and a benediction comprised all of it, yet the impression left at the end was of perfection.

When the noise occasioned by seating the late-comers had ceased a hush fell upon the people and then the choir softly sang Lead, Kindly Light," Bishop Newman's divine anthem, while every one stood in reverence. At the conclusion of the hymn Rev. Dr. Henry R. Naylor, presiding elder of the Washington District M. E. Church, delivered the invocation, while the distinguished company listened with bowed heads.

As the pastor ceased the voices of the choir swelled forth, and the rich, pure soprano notes of a soloist led the hymn "Some Time We'll Understand." The music was remarkably effective and touching as the notes came back in soft echoes from the fulness of the dome overhead. As soon as the hymn ceased Bishop Edward G. Andrews, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who had come from Ohio to say the last words over the remains of his lifelong friend and parishioner, arose. He stood at the head of the casket and spoke in sympathetic voice and with many evidences of deep emotion.

As the bishop concluded every one in the vast rotunda rose and, the choir intoning the air, hundreds of voices joined in the grand old hymn "Nearer, My God, to Thee."

The last notes died away softly, and with uplifted hands the benediction was pronounced by Rev. Dr. W. H. Chapman, acting pastor of the Metropolitan Church. This ended the religious

service.