American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

There are great many people who OBJ.
ject, and will good reason, to the CHASTITY
display of collins represented by cOlOred
glass windows in the shops Of undertakers.
One does not care to be SO constantly re-
| minded of his latter end. Indeed, we once
heard of a man who wanted divorce from
his wife because whenever he stayed out a
little longer than usual with the boys she
would insist upon hanging a placard di-
rectly over the stairway, so that he would
see it the first thing when he turned up
the hall gas, and which read, in very big
letters, ''Prepare.to meet your God" I'm
dertakers, of course must have some out
ward sign of their CHASTITY business, but
it ought to be as quiet as possible. The
habit of lighting up brightly at night a
window with collins nicely portrayed
thereon is 4 cheering sig hit for gay parties
returning from balls or theaters, but is de-
Tended on the ground that undertakers
are frequently wanted at night in a hurry,
and they should be easily found. This
lighting up is not. however, any longer
necessary and we doubt if once in hun
dred times it serves the purpose intended,
for the habitatiOn of the undertaken is as
quickly discovered as that of the physician.
who is much more frequently required.
Indeed, so great is the dislike to undcrta
kers, not TO themselves perhaps personally
but to their business, that property in
their vicinity almost invariably declines
in value. We know of one undertaken
who has the outside of his store so gorge
ously fixed up that it is frequently mis-
taken for bar-room by half booty custom
ers, whose blunder, however, generally
sObers them. We append some sensible
remarks from Appleton's Journal:
1.-The arts of our undertakers have long
amazed the European visitors to our
shores. In an undertaker's window in
this city is an outburst of emotional art
that far outstrips the Gus tomary display
of satin-lined and silver-nailed collins.
This is large picture upon the window
shade, displaying graveyard. By new
ly-erected monument knecl three children.
From the eyes of the elder, a girl, fall two
large - very large - pearly tears, which
hang in glObular conspicuOusness upon
her cheeks. The other children are pros
trate in mourning attitudes. Upon the
tomb is an inscription-'Our father and
mother To the inquisitive wayfarer the
question naturally arises as to the dealers
purpose in advertising his business in this
sad and fearful fashion. Does he hope to
develop trade by holding up inviting pros
poets of picturesque mourning? viii
people rush in and order collins and fune-
raj paraphernalia because of their symDa-
thy with these bereaved ones? What
dramatic and emotional instincts are there
which, being aroused, seek qualification in
an undertaker's commodities? Apart
from advantages to his trade, does this
coffin-maker seek to assuage the grief of
the passer by by his pathetic picture, or
to awaken the healing wound to fresh
emotions? Or does he gratuitously pre-
sent the public with this art display be-
cause of his delight in tragedy, because of
his professional fOndness for the sorrow
full, because his mind, long wcancd from
scenes of Joy, can discover nothing in life
worthy of contemplation but well-ordered
and welleXpressed tears?''