The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-20

idling, ike the Bulgarans, comics death; but
just as the latter considers baptism not as the
admission of the infant into the Church of
Christ, but as mere sprinkling with water
for which the papas receives so much, so he
looks upon death the discharge of mere
animal function
When he is given over by the WITCH he pre-
pares for the passage from life to an unknown
world with sang .froid strongly resembling
courage, but which is merely the result of a
fatasm arising from apathy. He bargains with
the papas as to the price OF his burial orders the
mortuary feasts, and, in short, prepares himself
very quietly to repose in the grave which is
already dug for him. During ali this time the
room is filed with women, shrieking and groan-
ing IN a manner sufficient almost to kill healthy
man.
At the moment of death, all pots, kettles, and
other utensils are turned upside down, in order
TO prevent the soul of the departed taking refuge
IN one OF them, and therefore commencing a
system OF annoyance against the family, candles
or tapers are lit around the body; and the head
is dressed with flowers; n great eiton (picture
OF saint is placed upon the breast the body is
clothed in its best clothes, or in some specially
made Tor the purpose, and pair of slippers.
while all the members of the family run outside
and scream lamentation, which is generally
after this fashion,
"Ohl Tanaz Boze Boze
Who will cut wood for us now?
(Shrieks and howls.)
'Who will kill the sheep,
Or who will take care Of the poor buGaloes?
NoHTlthS anu HOWlS.)
''who will carry the corn to the mill?
Who Will beat us as you used TO do,
Oh, Tanazi
(Shrieks and howls.p
Five minutes afterwards an ARABIA with a
couple of oxen or buffaloes, is brought round,
containing a ladder, on which the corpse is
placed without either shroud or coffin; but only
two men accompany it, one to drive the other
to act as sexton; arrived at the cemetery, the
bodyrs thrown into the grave, u few spadefuls
of earth thrown upon it, perhaps stone is
placed, and all is over. No burial service is
ever said. for although minimum sum of forty
piasters must be paid to the papas for every
burial, he never appears, nor in any way Off
ciates; if the family choose to have masses said
Tor the soul off the dead, they must make q new
bargain, but in the country it is not much the
fashion.
The same evening there is Il great death-feast
of relations and friends in the house of mourn
ing, which is repeated in ten days, and again at
the expiration of one month, three months, six
months, year, and three years. these are called
in Bulgarian pOminhi commemorations. If the
every morning for forty days, and throws water
over it, $50 that he may not die of thirst" Be-
sides the pominki, the Bulgarians hold feast in
| the cemetery on Palm Sunday and after much
eating and drinking, leave the remains upon the
| graves of their friends, who they are persuaded,
! will eat them during the night on Easter Monday
| an Easter egg is placed on each grave.
The Bulgarian mourning, which is worn only
| by women, consists in wearing every article of
tclothing inside OUT with u.s. it varies in dura-
ion according to the consanguinity of the rela-
| tiOn lost; that of widow is fixed at one year.
| AppletonS Journal