masses that had to be
welded into shape. Marshals on foot and on horseback proceeded by the
side of those in rank and file, and they certainly wore successful in
preserving regularity of procedure. Mourning coaches and cabs
followed, and after each was a procession of women, at least a
thousand in number. Young and old were there--all decked in some
shape or other with green; many green dresses--some had green
feathers in their hats, but all had green ribbons prominently
displayed. The girls bore all the disagreeability of the long route
with wonderful endurance; it was bitterly cold--a sleety rain fell
during the entire day, and the roads were almost ankle deep in
mud--yet when they passed me on the return route they were apparently
as unwearied as when I saw them hours before. As the procession
trooped by--thousand after thousand--there was not a drunken man to
be seen--all were calm and orderly, and if they were, as many of them
were--soaked through--wet to the skin--they endured the discomfiture
resolutely. The numbers in the procession have been variously
estimated, but in my opinion there could not have been less than
50,000. But the demonstration was not confined to the processionists
alone; they walked through living walls, for along the entire route a
mass of people lined the way, the great majority of whom wore some
emblem of mourning, and every window of every house was thronged with
ladies and children, nearly all of whom were decorated. All semblance
of authority was withdrawn from sight, but every preparation had been
made under the personal direction of Lord Strathnairn, the
commander-in-chief, for the instant intervention of the military, had
any disturbances taken place. The troops were confined to barracks
since Saturday evening; they were kept in readiness to march at a
moment's notice; the horses of the cavalry were saddled all day long,
and those of the artillery were in harness. A battery of guns was in
the rere yard of the Four Courts, and mounted orderlies were
stationed at arranged points so as to convey orders to the different
barracks as speedily as possible. But, thanks to Providence, all
passed off quietly; the people seemed to feel the responsibility of
their position, and accordingly not even an angry word was to be
heard throughout the vast assemblage that for hours surged through
th