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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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must always stand in a prominent place and attracts much more attention than the deceased does, and of course they intend to. They wouldn't accept the invitation to sing otherwise. It always just seemed so incongruous and so unlovely to me.

Anyhow, that was done on this occasion. Somebody pronounced the benediction, and that was that. Then we all filed out. Of course, the President went out first. We all looked as solemn as owls. You would have thought from the expression on every man's face there that he was personally heartbroken over the death of Speaker Bankhead. It has always astonished me to see at these State funerals the degree of theatrical demonstration of grief that there must be. They all do it so naturally. Certainly all death is a serious matter and I don't expect anybody to be light-hearted and casual about it, but it is, after all, an official occasion. One should be dignified about it, but there is no reason for being heartbroken, which is a very personal experience. That's the look that should come over your face if you can possibly summon it. I think the deadpan look is better myself on such occasions, but none of us know whether we're capable of the deadpan look or not.





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