BY HIS SIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 184, 4 August 1900, Page 3 (Supplement)

BY HIS SIDE.

MRS GLADSTONE'S BURIAL AT

WESTMINSTER

In accordance with, her husband's wishes Mrs Gladstone was laid beside the G.O.M. in Westminster Abbey on Monday, a bright golden sunshine streaming through the Gothic windows on the hushed congregation. In a quiet solemn way the ceremony was a national tribute to the memory of a- lady whose beauty of character as the wife of the greatest statesman of our time endeared her to the hearts of everybody. "The service was (says a. special correspondent") fixed for one o'clock^ but the doors were opened much earlier. Early came UtUa bavies of Mr Gladstone'^ old adli»r»nis, apd Mrs Gladstone's honoured friondsi.

HER HUSBAND'S. COMRADES. As the organ was softly singing Sir William Harcourfc walked slowly up from the main entrance, and took a seat near the pulpit. Behind him walked Mr Mprley, 'who came up from Scotland to be present to-day, and iive minutes later Mr Balfour and Lord Eosebery joined the group. Then, as the Abbey bell began tolling, others who fought by the side of the great Prime Minister filed in one by one. Itapdd/ly the body of ' the Abbey filled, aild from the Poets? Corner nothing could be seen but a vast, rustling sea of black- touched hero and there by shafts of sunlight.

FROM, THE LITTLE OHAPEL. Then solemnly from the quiet darkness of St. Faith's Chapel six tall candles were borne slowly along to where the black trestles stood. All around them in a wonderful disarray of colour were iscaJttered beautiful wreaths.

The organ modulated softly into the opening bars of Purcell's lovely setting" of Psalien, xc. and th.c treble voices of the. choir took it up as the. procession moved altarwards, headed by the Dean. Behind him came the four Canons—Cannon Duckworth, Canon Gore, Canon Wilberforce, and Canon Robinson—and then the Minor Canons. After them the coffin, wrapped in a wonderful pall of cream and gold, and bearing- the simple inscription:—

CATHERINE GLADSTONE,

Born Jan. 5, 1812,

Entered into rest June 14, 1900,

A beautiful cross of lilies lay on the pall.

The last of the mouiMers was Dorothy Drew, with lier golden hnir tumbling- from under her black bonnet, and her big blue eyes gazing wondering'ly into the dim. bea.uties above, her.

NO SADNESS OF FAREWELL. It was all strangely impressive, with the sun shining among the silver of the Dean's long hair, and the soft bustle of the people as they rose. The choir sang- "Rock of Ages" so softly and sweetly that there seemed no sadness in it. There was no terror of death in the funeral service today, and the effect of it all was the spirit of Tennyson's words —

"And may there be no sadness of farewell When I embark."

MR GLADSTONE'S FAVOURITE

HYMN,

The procession re-formed as the coffin was borne to the grave, the choir singing:

Praise to tho Holiest In the hoight, And in the depth be praise. In all His works most wonderful, Most sure hi all His ways.

The service at the graveside, with only the mourners around, was short and simple. Then, after the funeral prayers, the whole vast congregation joined in the fine old hymn, "0 God, our help in ages past."

THE WINGS OF PEACE. Handel's "Dead March" was played, all upstanding, and finally, to the lovely strains of Schubert's "Mafehe Solennelle" the people slowly went from the Abbey back again into the busy London life.

There was no tragedy and no gloom in the service. It breathed nothing but peace from beginning to cii'd — the peace that the lady of Hawarden has entered into.

The Hon. Alexander Yorke represented the Queen and Sir Francis Knollys the Prince and Princess of Wales, while the Duke of Argyll represented the Princess Louise.