Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-03-03

L lie CUSTOM pl hutA my thN NNaA AZ NtsN
gown and cowl Of monks has greatly
passed into disuse. The mortal relics
are treated with growing contempt, as
I the superstitions 81 the people gradually
/ lose their concrete character. The soul
T is the important matter which the church
now looks "a. SO the cold clay IN carried
of To the cemetery with small ceremony.
Even the eoilins of the rich are lammed
away into receptacles too small tor them
and hastily plestercd out OF sight, The
poor are carried OF ON trestles and hnd-
Z died into their namelcss graves, without
following or blessing. Children ale
buried with some regard 10 the old On
entail customs. The coffin is of some gay
and cheerful color, pink or blue, aud Is
carried open 20 the grave by four of the
dead child's companions, a fifth walking
behind with the rihhened eotfln-lid. |
have often seen these touching little
parties moving through the bustling
streets, the peaceful little face asleep
under the open sky, decked with the
fading roses and withering lilies.
In all well.to-dO families the house Of
death is deserted Immediately after the
funeral The stricken ones retire 10 some
other habitation, and there pass eight
DAYS in strict and inviolable seclusion.
On the ninth day the great masses for
the repose Of the soul Of the departed are
said in the parish church, and all the
friends of the family are expected 10 be
present. These masses are the most inn
portant and expensive incident OF the
funeral. They cost from two hundred
10 one thousand dollars, according 10 the
strength and feryor of the orisons EN-
ployed. They are repeated several years
ON the anniversary of the disease, and
afford most sure and flOurishing revenue
60 the church. They are founded upon
those feelings inseparahle from every
human heart, vanity and affection. Our
dead friends must be as well prayed for
rs those OF others, and who knows but
that they may be in deadly need OF pray
ers +, To shorten their fiery penance by
one hour. who would not fast for n week?
On these anniversaries a black-bordered
advertisement appears in the newspapers,
headed by the sign Of the cross and the
ReqRieSsd, ia Pace, announcing that on
this day twelve months Don FulaHo de
Tai passed from earth garnished with the
holy Sacremeuts, that all the masses this
day celebrated in such and such churches
will be applied tot the benefit of his spirits
repose, and that all Christian friends are
hereby requested to commend his soul
this day unto God. These united efforts
at stated times are regarded as very eff
cacious.
A luxury Of grief, IN those who can
afford il, consists in shutting up house
where death has taken place and never
suffering il 20 be opened again. | once
saw beautiful house and wide garden
thus abandoned in one Of the most fash
ionable streets of Madrid | inquired
about il and found il was formerly the
residence Of the Duke Of -. His wife
had died there many wears before, and
since that day not door nor a window
was opened. The garden gates were red
and rough with rust. Grass grew tall
and rank in the gravelled walks. A thick
lush underground had overrun the
fhower-beds and the lawns. The blinds
were rotting over the darkened windows.
Luxuriant vines clalnbered over all the
mossy doors. The stucco was peeling
from the walls in great unwholesome
hlotches. Wild birllssang all day in the
safe solitude. There was something i'm
pressive in this spot Of mould aad silence,
lying there 80 green and inplacable in
the very heart OF great and noisy city.
The duke lived in Paris, leading the
rattling life Of a man OF the world. He
never would sell or let that Madrid
house. Perhaps in his heart also, that
battered thorougfare worn by the patter-
ing boots Of Mabille and the Bois, and
the Quarter Breda, there Was green
spot sacred TO memory and silence, where
no football should ever light, where no
living voice should ever be heard, shut
out from the world and its cares and
pleasures, where through the gloom Of
dead days he could catch glimpse Of
white hand, flash of a dark eye, the
rustic of a trailing robe, and feel sweep
ing over him the old magic Of loves
young dream, softening his fancy 10
tender regret and his eyes TO a happy
mist
:" Like that which kept the heart OF Eden green
Before the useful trouble OF the rain"