The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-07-20
BURIAL CUSTOMS.

course and revolving, but others were sim
pie, touching, significant and beautiful
Tie MOST ancient Of these hume, Gus rites.
sprung from poetic feeling, delicate sensi-
sfbilities and elegant culture, and these but
slightly altered have survived through the
centuries. Of the pretty anl pathetic cue.
toms, none in more ancient and worthy to
perpetuated than tie practice of s,rew;ng
flowers. bougiis Of certain trees, aud sriigs
OF certain plants over the shroudcd corpse
the. bier and tie grave. The Romans
scattered roses over the body aud The tomb,
and in rendering this pious service to+stLe
living memory the Greeks made use Of
amnran,h, parsley and myrtle. The rrim-
tive Christians derked the coffin in tavs
or decorated Them with ga,iands Of willow
or Of cypress; they ais" crowned those
who died in the morning Of life with wreuihs
of flowers, and chnp!e,s Of some seen ted
evergreen were lnrne in front OF The solemn
train by the dearest friends Of the dcparlt d
and, on reacl'ing the grave, the Whole com.
pany gathered round il, and each threw
into it roses and sprigs of rosemary, or OF
some other plant sacred to the mourntui
occasion.
In some places the white rose was always
planted on the tombs Of young maidcrs.
aud Of unmarried men who were cut down
in the flower of their age. And when II
virgin or young man did, the. way that
led 10 The resting place Of tie sleeper was
scattered over with roses an.l eve'urec,s hv
. the youths Of both sexes. l, w:.s H.. Gus
tom, at very early day, for husband, to
slrew voies, lo>es, lilies. ana Purple t!"w.:S
on the graves of their wives The GENE
-teries Throughout France AZ. beautiful with
garands OF the simple ana vsc; Incoming
..azaMorttNe The. inhabitants @! the Npl;i.
of England throw springs Of b"x wool,
supplied at'the house Of the dead, INTO the
grave, just before the coffin is lowered in;o
it. .The simple people OF The rura, districts
Of Wales'exhiJit lheir ,c,iler r.men;rancr
Of the departed Ivy garui>hiug ,;.eir .,om,s
switlsslipssof bay sor rew; and in ttl!cr
places The sacred spo, is decorated with fla
grant Ho&ers.s& IL, =, =
=. : Tie e,Welsi,sare ,conspicuous<for the picus
care. HEY manifest for tLeir. silent ci;ics.-'
.:They tend these Loly resting places with 4
~d'Hgedt haea, keeping them, in tie fresh
ness antl! warmth Of their living love. clear
Of grass and weeds $50 That their c,.urch-.
yards have the appearance o: gardens. unS
; der the favorable Influence of large Means
aud elegant taste. Eotsiranger haud is
ever suffered to uproot an ini,uding weed.
.orblant a bush or herb in these lraliowr.!
enclosures. The simple stones ,ha, mark
the espcts where the loved repse are viii
tened .Irse times n year, and those. seasons
:. when this tender token ofscLershed afftc-
ton is exhibited, flowers and tw;gs of living
grssn are strewed over the graves. Al.
scentless flowers and plants are reIieiru>Iv
'excludedfrom ,lsese beautiful gardens.
Amolg The sweet. breaihed children Of
the soil Iilat are allowed to mn gle ilrir
beauties IN thrse grounds, sacred 10 tear,
and soft renenbratsers. are The pink and
polyan,hus, sweet Williams. gi!ifowe,s and
carnations. migmone'c, thyme, lyssod, cam
omilee and rosemary 1I1s;: corpse is GOV
ered-~ith oto,ifrrous tluwers, to;h before
and after it is l;l"sd in the cot!i", an,l
roses and sweet scented plants are si,riulI d
over tile room in which it. Iies.nwai,ing the
burial. The nearest relatives and deare.
friends conceiye it to be Their bounded ,ln
ty and high psiviegs 10 keep con>lan, viz Il
by ufs cold sleeper, and SO potent is this
beautdul sentiment, that probably ,be,c is
no instance upon record, as TO leave a dead
body ip the room BY: itself for single
minate,in tle interval between the death
and burial: Susb a violation O: lecercy
would le femephered for grhera'iods.' As
a.pfoof Of the deep and enduring affection
of;ags testss people, the author; RI fForn whom
weBass Just qFa.e'Sf, reI!ssus tia, lis father.
inaay,s grave in Gro; -;;;a:gs Church, has
beeRssdorned with flowers every Sunday
moreggaor twenty years. $
The custom ofp1aeiug coronals of flowers
fresh froabs tlls Bush, upon the Lrows of
virgins ~slio sarsoapsd-"vay in thsAIoo,n
ef you!b;- b;-oafriessthe mind TO the days that
ara ssainea.wiil the kldSu. Of I|ss Saint. shc
;veis,s ,ss A,tE reward " WNoiaaas block to tire
Hsipap besds,san. AfaKie, period and
Bf mary CENTURIES chapJsts>of rosca Sc fom
w,.n ~; u; snsssed*a 3 e. apsgf gl"ss
bier otayohng; ,naiden:fys 4 virgin who
Thastseeaiahe, ssms guWi.er.ofs summers ms
the beahtlsuiT lffls of. death. After the
" sad exequies were hung over the pew for
rnerly ecclbied by' the pure, worshipp-r.
Il e.t.