The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-07-23

dcrtAkers upon the needy and ignorant
classes OF the community. Ii doubtless
brought smile 10 the lips OF many per.
sons ola practical turn of mind To notice
that those OF their fellow-cilizens whose
powers are most sorely taxed 10 find
bread for their living dependents arr the
readiest To lavish money on displays of
empty pomp and ceremony over their
dead. The poor man burdens his shoul-
dcrs with unnecessary debts b. cause he
would bury his friend In "A style cons0nant
with the ideas OF propricty prevailing In
his order of society; and the practical
philosopher AT The other end of the social
scale either smiles sardonically or reads
him lecture on the sin of impro,ilence.
and then turns about and does an equally
foolish and wicked thing IL Is true that
the rich man does not incur Obligations
which he can never hope To repay; but he
saddles himself and his neighbors with a
sense Of the necessity OF observing certain
usages which have been handed down
from past generations, bu' which are al
most indefensible in the light of modern
reason. Though often tempted 10 break
away from the restraints thus imposed. he
has not the strength TO do so. Here and
there is To be met person Of true indie
pendence, who refuses to shape his actions
by the prescribed pattern Who despises
]
the face of Dame Scandal. He is rare
soul, though, and ought not TO be counted
In "A general estimate.
Can any thing BE- more revolving in
principle than the notion that so tender
thing IA the expression of heartfelt grief
must be- run in "A mold Yet " Society
has written out the laws which shall gov
ern the mourner in all his goings out and
comiHgs in. She executes them by the
potent authority OF popular opinion; for
the threat Of Gossip" whispered in the
ear of the rebellious man. produces
magical effect. The first rule sanctioned
by tradition affects the preparations for
the burial Of the dead. The house is
closed To every sight and sound OF
healthy life the blinds are drawn al
all the windows; chilly. vault-like air
pervades each hall and room: whoever
enters Is oppressed with the horrible still
ness. and dares not speak IN his natural
voice. The next rule Is that friends and
immediate neighbors shall call and offer
their coincidence. This would be well
enough In it, way were II not made toe
often an occasion for prying into the pri-
waite affairs Of the afflicted survivors. The
instances are rare, we believe, where a
sincere mourner is thankful for compul-
sorry comp partnership AT such "A season.
/ Then come the funeral exercises, which
usually are made lugnbrious and CHASTITY
\ and unwholesome. The virtues of the de-
parted one are dwelt upon. not i'm a spirit
OF Joy. but In manner which begets
/ doubt whether the possession or such am
/ liable qualities Is not, after all, a thing 10 be
deplored. The body j. then borne away,
dust Is committed 10 dust and ashes 10
ashes. and the cloud of gloom which rest
ed over every thing in the home is--dis-
PEELED? BY no means The solemn hush
I must not be- rudcly broken; there must bc
no music, no laughter. no NOISY prattle OF
! chidren's tongueS-fOr A time az least.
! No more sunlight i Ia bee admitted than
r. absolutely necessary for purposes OF
reading or work. More calls Of condo
lence follow. Some are protracfed to the
dime nsions Of visits; Others are merely
limited at by the dropping Of a card; and
all bear the unmistaKable stamp OF for
mality.
The matters we have enumerated are
often however. of secondary importance
compared with the social ordinance which
forces upon the mourner black dres
a badge of woe. Apart from the question
of the expense of the cnange of wardrobe,
we have the authority of scientific ken for
saving that c@lors exert a marked influ-
ence on the health and spirits Of human
beings. Yellow. for example. has very
depressing effect. and violet il said 10 be
even worse Both OF these colors have
been adopted by other races than our as
symbols Of bereavement. but IL l. lett for
Us 10 assume the absence ofall color for a
similar purpose. Black i generally con-
ceded 10 induce an unhappy temperament
and sad forhoding; yet the tvrant OF 20
cial Custom DEGREES that black cloths shall
constitute the mourner's sole outward APP
pArel for long period, and that the change
from black to col0rs shall take place by
almost imperceptible gradations.
We have sketched merely tiEe outlines
OF a code Of fashion which has come "a be
so generally recognized as 70 have much
the force Of legislative enactment. we
have no objection TO it, acceptance by All
who feel impelled thereto by something
better than dread OF the towns talk
but we enter our protest against the en-
! forcement OF these u~ages IN cases where
they are either oppressive 10 the pcunl-
, ary means, or rcpugnant 10 the tasic 81
the persons most deeply concerned. LEI
society remember that all men are not ere
, ated Of the same mind, or endowed with
equal shares of property, aud withhold rs
J ungracious comments upon case OF iude-
pendent thought and action. TIE man
who has the brightest face, who most
/ kcenly enjoys the warm sunlight, and VINO
1 uo'- hDt S'aNt iiVhi 10y ~ WY t'N
/ death may be- just as sincere mourneI
! a. he VINO MAKES his eyes fountain 81
/, tears and his dwelling a dungeon Of hiI-
! terne.s. His sorrow " hidden away w
his heart. aud he thinks II, prrhap. the
more sscredly cherished because Y y hol
painted on n banner and waved IN thc
face of the world.
But. while defending the greatest ia'l-
: tnde Of opinion and conduct in sucl mat
: tiers. we cannot forbcar remarking liir se-
@ perilcial contradictions between ne Hoe-
y Urine Of immortality preached AZ the teii-