The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-03-23
GOING INTO lOURNING G..

The following is from Mrs Moor's "Life in
the Clearng<."
"And then, this absurd fashion of wearing
black for some months and years for the dead
Jet us calmly consider the philosophy of the
thing, its use and abuse. Does il confer any
benefit on the dpadl Does it afford anv con-
ISOLATION to the living? Morally or physically
does it produce the least good Does it soften
one regretlu pang; or dry one bitter tear, or
make the wearers wiser or better II it does
not produce any ultimate benefit, it should be
at once discarded as a snperstitiouS relic OF
more barbarous times, when men could not gaze
on the simple, unveiled face of Truth, but OBJ
scured The clear daylight OF her glance under a
thousand fantastic masks.
The ancient were more consistent in their
mourning than the civilized people OF the pre-
sent dav. They sat upon the ground and fast
ed, with rent garments, and ashes Strewn upon
their heads. This modification Of the flesh was
a sort OF penance inflicted by the self-tortured
mourner for his own sins, and those of the dead.
If this grief were got Of lasting nature, the
mourner found relief for his mental agonies in
humiliation and personal sudtring.-He did not
array himself in silk, and wool, and fine linen,
and garments cut in the most approved fashion Of
the day, like our modern bpaux and bellies,
when they testify to the public their grief, for
the loss of relative friend, in the most expen-
siY" and becoming manner.
Verify, If we must wear our sorrow upon our
sleeve, why not return to the sackclolh and
asheS as the most consistent demonstration of
that grief which, hidden in the heart, surpaS-
seth show.
But, then, sackcoth is most uura1agable
material. A handsome figure would be lost,
buried, apnihiIated, in a sackcloth gown; it
wo0d be so horribly rough; ii would be 50 hor-
rlhly rude; if would " ound the delicate skin Of
a Inc lady it coed not be confined in graceful
folds by clasps ofjrt, and pearl, and ornaments
IN black and gold. E'Sackcioth Faush =
away with il. 1t smells of the hnotted Sconrge
and the charnel house." We, too, say, "A~ay
with ~ True grief has no need of such mis-
cradle Provocatives to woe.
The barbarians who cut aud diSfigure their
faces for the dead, showed a noble contempt Of
the world, by destroying those personal ahrac-
tons which the loss of the beloved had taught
them to despise. But who now would have
the oritude and self-denial 10 initiate such an
example? The mourners in Grape and French
'''tO NbNu idlIitf Nic lttjiStiNeS ltldIl SdCTl-
hce their beauty at the shrine of such mon
StrouS sorrow.
How ofteh have I heard knot ofgossips ex-
claim. as some widow of gentleman in fallen
circumstances glided by in her rusty weeds,
what shabby black that woman wears for her
husband should be ashamed to appear in
public 10 such faded mourning"
And yet, the purchase of that shabby black
may have cost Che desolate mourner and her
orphan children the price of many necessary
meal. Ah, this putting of poor family into
0'ack, and all the funeral trapping for pail bear
ers and mourners, what terrible affair it is !
what anxious thoughts what bitter heart-aches
1t costs
Bot the usages of society demand the sacri-
nee, and it must be made. The head of the
'amlIy has suddenly been removed from his
earthly tolls, at most complicated crisis of his
AFFAIRS, which are so Involved that scarcely
enough can be collected TO pay the expenses of
the funeral, and put his family into decent