The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-01-18
The Dear Departed.

Doctors 10 not more widely diiler Ia their
methods Of sending people TO the shades
than the bereaved ia their styles OF doing
homage to tie departed. Il has been thus
from the earliest historical period. The
Galatians according 10 HerodOtus. cOnsid
cred 1t IN act OF liiial duty 10 eat their faith
ers and mothers The Baclrians disposed
Of the lost members OF their families in an
equally singular way They kept pack Of
mortuary hounds 10 which they fed out
their dead, and possibly our modern phrase.
gone 10 the dogs, could be traced TO the
Bactflan usage. Or il may be ola later origin
LOT travellers inform US that sacred dogs are
Kept IN some parts Of Thibet at this day for
the same sepulchral purpose. In ancient Ba-
learea they picked cOrpses. Alexander the
Great, We are told, was put down as soon
IL the breath was out Of his body, in new
honey.
And Queen Artcmisia 5y way q 5olus
Tue ashes galpec down u her husband Nasolus %
The COans roasted and potted their DEPART
ed friend; the Egyptians packed theirs away
IN spices; and the classic nations Of an
tlquity as general thing practiced crema-
ton.
IL IS scarcely necessary however 10 refer
10 the past in order 10 show that there is no
universal standard Of taste in funeral mat
ters. Almost every barbarous tribe has its
own patent recipe for dispOsing OF the rel
les OF mortality. The HOttentOts basket
them; the Kaiiirs use them as ground bait
for lions; the OrinOcOs place them where
the flesh 5 nibbled from the bones by hun
CRY fishes: some South American tribes
grind the skeletons OF their dead TO powder.
with which they afterward pepper their fool:
and the New Zealanders stretch dead bod
les on lofty platforms and leave them to the
crows and buzzards CIVILIZED individuals.
too, have their little eccentricities in rela-
ton 10 the post 8lOrtem disposition Of the
human clay One would keep the worms
from their flesh with metal sheathing: anoth-
er considers rosewood coffin with silver
mOuntings Indispensable; a third would
have his dead embalmel; fourth prefers
spacious vault 10 the sexton dark pit: j
sixth thinks that the iittest resting-piace
nJI tic body whcu its trials arc over is It
narrow bed under the sward
NoUaNING
The fashions or mourning the dead have
been and are as various as the methods OF
putting them away from among the living.
The Old Romans bottled their tears and nut
them into the tOmbs Of the deceased; the
Greeks mourned the departed in white: the
Egyptians In yellow In ancient Jewery
the relatives Of the dead tore their oaber-
dimes and poured ashes on their caputs.
and we believe that strict Hebrews DO tie
same now. YermilliOn Is the mourning
tint Of the Chinese; and the Turkish women
grieve for their lords in blue Il is only in
the most enlightened lands that black Is
worn in memory Of those who are supposed
10 have passed 10 brighter world.
We modern christians are artists in our
grief We have made afilictiOn. for one sex
at least, sort Of telegraphic system, with
appropriate symbols for all the stages OF
anguish. Our ladies' mark with admirable
precision the shades and gradatons Of
the!r grief FOR the departed. They may be
said TO have reduced mourning 10 an exact
science-tO have brought 10 absolute per-
fection the heraldy OF grief:
Fsshion sorrows 5v ~.
A, cur A1nsp4i de d.I
She keers coloT-se-gents Ler darling % school
In vosam-1ols grapes
Her rich widows she drzD=s fcaLes
ana curtains 5rishter eyes whence 10 tear crop "a
Ine erspy clo1i h<ateas, IS tie time wears .Fsy
Prom ebony hLackness % twilislt-t1-day
son Jet, - llglbrio1s . parprse give splac=
Aad tie series o. lsvsalers ,oLOEs apzce:
" TIL tie tw !verno-t1 r4sse1 Crr-tat - h-itq.
Of slzhs'
For willows o. fashion "a sorror,al g1iss-
A carnival gay the long penance srccees e
An- tie aaes Of toe flowers take TIE place Of tie Wess
The sorrow stores. where tender remem-
brance Is sold by the yard. 90 al immense
business. The death fashions change quar-
terly, Ike the ordinary modes, and tie dis
spend hours together IN gazing
through their tears al the latest sweet
things IN tne dlmlHusnd0 department Of
81 the trappings and the suits OF woe. Far
be l. from Is 10 say that fashionable mourn
ing does not serve 10 keep the memory Of
the loved and lost green IN the soul Of
widows; but tn question occurs. i
Why should their sorrow, II deep aud gen
line, need keeping alive with emblems.
Why Is It not permitted 10 20 out By little
Ind little IN a quiet way. without the ho.s-
ing OF new Tag every month or so 10 in
1icate the state Of the lachrymal thermom-
ster, Can il De hat the sumptuOus changes
which mark the gradual transition from
state Of black-and-black 10 full
blown bGtterhy-hood, are intended as hints I
hat widowhoOd on the wing is social ard
desires cOmpaniOnship. We have noticed
hat goOd-looking widows are almost
invariably dressed with 1reat care. Their I
attire IS Tilted 10 their shapes with = nicetv !
hat the unaffected cannot rival. and their Z
rapery has lowing grace about il that is
'are!y seen II the robes Of gray and volatile
naidens whose happiness has known no :
,loud- we mention these phenomena with
ut attempting 10 explain them. They are
'eyond our philosophy. hound Table
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