, 1874-03-29
DISPOSITION OF THE DEAD.

To the Editor Of The Chicago TRIBUNE:
SIR: Certain notions and ideas seem, like the
comets, to move in fixed and calculable orbits.
They appear at regular and definite times, pass
ont of cur sight, and then appear again. This
peculiarity is noticeable By al constant readers
Of newspapers. They come to learn that some
antique joke, some poem, come short story, will
certainly be printed once in certain number OF
years; and they get SO that they can calculate
with eome degree Of precision when it will turn
up again.
Just now the proposition to burn the dead. in
stead OF burying them, hs:s come due, and ls the
subject Of newspaper letters and editorial CON-
ments. Five years ago it d1ifted oi1t Of sight,
pass over in month, as it did before, and will
not be heard again for another 1ustrum. Tho
time has not yet come when this subject seriously
demands attention. The earth has yet room for
her deaa, aud On the prairies of the West, where
even grave breaks the fiat monotony Of the
landscape, generations yet unborn may sleep
without elbow5ng one another. Even in Chjca-
Co. popuious as it is, there s space for patrician
aud proletariat under the marbles OF Rosehill
and the wooden slabs OF the Cs'unty-Farm. Be-
sides, Abraham Was buried iu the cave he bought
Of Ephron Moses Vas buried in the land Of
Moab and. therefore, there is belief that dead
people should be buried still. The precedents
are sll that way.
Yet. apart from this practical question Of
lack Of room, there are sentimental reasons why
ed. We all like to respect public opinion, and
honor the dead, whom We loved. or feigued to
love. Ono nation does this By eating the depart
ed and thus keeping them III the family; anoth-
air may freely feed upon them. We do it by
paing marble or granite ubo1e them; by strew-
ing their graves with rose5 aud lilies, when they
are not too expensive; and by sentimental
Journeys to the swelling gTave-mopnds over
ado. Eut the feelings which send us Oh these
piCnmaees are only partially satisfied By the
Eight OF tombstone verdant turf. 1t is Flora's
face we want to See, and not the greer soil that
hides it. We want to retrace the iinetments OF
them.
That emotion, too. is very strong one which
sends Us to Chicago graveyard in winter or
early spring. Do we know whether ire cry from
cold or sorrow; whether our eyes burn from
suppressed tears or the lake-vind kachae1 |
Weeping for her children would hare been rather ]
Il ridiculous sight had her nose been blue with
frost and her feet soreIy perplexed with chill
blains. Sooner let rs sit by D cheerful fire in |
front Of picture Of the lost, and gaze at i.
smoke. |
The Egyptians took their fathers, made num- |
mics OF them, and kept them, thus preserved, |
in their houses, and even borrowed money on |
doing with the dead what they were !
often unable to do with the living. But our |
houses are too small for more than few gen |
erations, and the flavor Of mummy is not tile !
thing for delicate noatrils. They would be !
Il 'e1tta-hazardous risks" and no insurance COM
pany would hare anything to do with under |
writing our ancestors.
But, if ne are not to bury the dead, and crema- |
lion is uncongenial to the living, and mumm1es |
are al Inconvenience in the house, what shall we |
10: Can't some one suggest plan OF dispoRi- |
lion that Will be at once m improvement oyer
he present practice, and . departure from the |
,astoms Of cur ancestors? Z.