Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-03-21
FASHIONS IN OaFPINs.

the most Striking tendencies of
wealth is to diminish veneration
for the memory of the dead, and
respect for the place where the re-
mains Of departed friends are bur
led to detach the feelings and al
fectfons, in fine, from everything
which is not calculated 10 promote
tho enjoyment of riches and the
pleasures Of the mOment.n Be
this as it may, il is certainly true
that modern extravaganza in fu-
nerais is beyond parallel, and the
outlay in burying the dead is only
equaled by the Osteflalion dis
played iii wearing mourning for
them. Tho rich coLduct their fu-
nerals in true Chuzzlewit styie.
and those who are not rich follow
them in this particular as closely
as they can. How frequently i Is
the case that families spend hun.
dreds of dollars OH funerals who
are not able TO spend tens of dol
lars on the living! And the outlay
demanded by custom, in bereave-
ment, oftentimes conpe. the ut
most rcunoiny for months. MANY
dead mems bones rest in unpai,i-
cotfiils, simply because the Kind
chosen was far more expensive in
proper ion than the house in Whicl,
they had lived. There i some
thing pathetic in all this of course;
but their is il great wrong at the
bottom of it which in time must
be- eradicated.
That many follow custom, and
not inclination, in expensive cof-
fins and funerals, is too evident in
cases OF public excitement. In
times of epideinics, and during the
prevalence OF some fatal disease,
any cause that can he seized upon
as an excuse for dispensing with
the silver-ladened coffin and the
long line or coaches is too eagerly
accepted TO leave the outside world
in doubt as to the presence Of Il
sentiment that is too universal to
be misunderstood. Those who
had not observed it previously
bad the opportunity during the
epizootic. Then horses were IA
subject of much comment and in
terest, and for the first time a
general sympathy was awakened
in their behalf. People who could
i'll afford to hire carriages, yet
who, under ordinary circumstances
in case of death, would have been
compelled TO do SO, made the cpl
zootic an excuse for dispensing
with the customary number OF
mourning coaches. This was but
one item of expense saved, and
this was but momentary-for, as
soon as the temporary cause was
removed, the custom was contin-
ued.
In collins there has been no
change, and the prices asked for
them have varied but little since
the close of the war, which saw a
great increase in their cost. Per-
haps they have not been so elabo-
rate or elegant before in the histo.
ry of the country; but that they
are superior to 9ny ever before in
use, and hence, for that reason,
are held at higher figures, is a
mistake. Other nations and other
people, have had as costly collins
as any this century has known,
and even in the far-off ages care
of the dead has been exhibited in
the manner in which they have
been coffined.
Urns for the ashes of the dead
were commonly kept in the an
cicnt houses, where, in the course
of time, the ashes of the entire
family were deposited. The richer
classes usually had mausoleums !;
but, if not, a room in the house was
set apart tor it, or the urn was de.
posted i'm public room, where
those who wished could pay for
the privilege.
1t was the custom to make cof-
fin without lids, with only black
pail of wooden stuffover them; and
farther back than this the dead
were buried in winding sheets.
The Greeks burned their dead
and inferred their ashes in urns
at more or less expense. In time
We ouail pOSSioIy nave " TeSOTt 10
this custom again, particularly in
the large cities, where buryine
grounds are always overcrowded,
and where the comparative near
ness of graveyards 10 a source of
unhealthiness to the living.
In the fourth century after
Christ, cremation was entirely SUI
perced5d by burial, and since then
it has not been known in Christen-
dom. The people along the Gauges
lay their dead on the banks of
that river, at low-water mark, so
that the tide may carry them
away. Other Eastern tribes bury
dead on the tops of high noun
tains, or sew them in coarse cloth
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