Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-07-22

scarcely have suggested to an unprepa-es
ol,seryer the nature of the subject which
had brought the sprightly throng together;
hut some allowance may be made for fbs
qualification Of discovering novel tonic
sc fashionable gossip. After all, the bflls
az mortality are not likely to be increases
by q change in method of burial. and
on the other hand, there is at least some.
thing new to talk about The skeleton At
the FEAST may be taken as an appro-
pirate symbol vi the new phase OF
social excitement The ladies, when the,
retire 10 the drawing room, will exchange
views as to the last sweet things In
shrouds or collins, while the gentlemen
below will occupy themselves over their
wine with cheerful dissertations on the
relative merits Of cremation and inter.
ment 1t would appear that the painful
sensitiyeness on the subject of m0rfalitv
which al one period afflicted the French
court, so that no reference to ii was toler-
ated, has passed away from good society
in England at the present day. The ques-
ton OF the incest way of being buried is
discussed with perfect frankness and
cauanimity and considerable part Of life
promises to he spent on the consideration
of what Is the most picturesque and poet
ical fashion of decay.
THE specimens of collins exhibited at
Stafford House are about dozen in num-
Der, and notice is given that they are
merely suggestive and do not practically
fulfill all the conditions essential TO their
principal use. They are all made Of
osiers. either white or stained, and in
shape are similar to an ordinary coffin ex.
cept that they are rounded at the ends.
They have, in fact very much the appear
ance Of extra-sized bassinets for very
large babies. Some are Of perfectly
plain character and are recommended as
inexpensive while others are of more
ornamental character, with stripes OF blue
or black and gold But of course they are
all much less costly than the boxes in
present use, though this Is consideration
which to most people will appear compar-
atively immaterial in such case. The
question is not one of expense but OF de-
cency and sanitary wholesomeness. 4
double basket Is provided for cases In
which charcoal is required, the powdered
dust being placed in the interyal-from
two to three inches-between the two bas-
kets. In most of the examples the meshes
of the wicker-work are too close for the
conditions of speedy disintegration and
thus one of the practical difficulties of the
experiment is how to make the collins
sufficiently open for this purpose While
at the same time strong and capable
of retaining proper hold of their contents.
The solution of the problem may possibly
be found i'm the use of a temporary outer
covering while the body remains in the
house, which will be removed when il is
deposited in the earth. No attempt was
made on this occasion to illustrate the
manner Of filling up the baskets with
ferns, lichens, MOSES, fragrant shrubs,
eyergreens, and so on, as proposed by Dir.
Haden, but there were a couple OF collins
in which the wicker was lined inside with
surface covering Of moss, and which GER
tainly looked snugger, as lady observed,
than the naked wieker-work, which rather
suggested cool summer wear. III Is ad-
mitted that in special cases Innings OF some
imperishable material for a few inches up
ward from the bottom will be necessary,
and in other cases notifications OF the
ordinary form, In order to insure COM
plete Enclosure of the body in wool, char
coal or other disinfectants. In appear
ance the wicker collins when filled up
with foliage must, We should think, be
less gloomy and repulsive than the
wooden ones; and to some minds there
may perhaps be a sentimental feeling of
relief in the idea that screwing down is
dispensed with.
''On the whole it may be supposed that
anyone, Judging by his feelings when
alive, might prefer, as a matter of taste, to
| be lightly swathed in herbs and osiers
rather than screwed down roughly IN
| hard, tight box; but, after all, the ques-
ton of the fttest mode of interment con-
Germs the survivors rather than the de-
parted one, and it is necessary to recog-
nize at the outset that, where there is any,
thing like natural feeling, it is hopeless
| to think Of reconciling the misery OF the
event with any kind of aesthetic enjoy
ment."