The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-18
Irish Wakes.
from the Dnhlin unIyarsitv No

from the Dnbn University MagazineI
There Is no doubt that the custom of wax
ing and watching originated with the Irish in
an aticctionate feeling toward their dead rela
tives, whom their natural kindness prompted
them not to desert, as 1t were, nor to leave 10
the attacks of evil spirits, who hover In their
fancy around the body to do it an injury.
Hence the lights and holy water. The same
idea in almost the identical form, prevailed
in Cleveland, IN Yorkshire, where, indeed, it
is only just extinct. "The Lyke Wake" or
Lake Wake,' was maintained sometimes for
q few days after the body was laid In the grave,
and there were more superstitous practices
than in Ireland. In addition to the light and
the holy water plate of salt was placed on
the breast these were held to be etficacious
for the watcher as well as the dead. Above
all, the door was always either wide open or
carefully closed, lest some fearful apparition
should enter. The reader of "Guy Manner
ing will remember Meg Merrillies opening
the door wide when she was busy in her
CHASTITY ministrations about the smuggers's
corpse. She also chanted some dismal verses,
something similar TO the "Lyke Wake" dirge
which Is sung in Yorkshire, but properly be-
longs to Cleveland:
"Ths ae night this ae night
Every night and allie,
a fire and leet, and candlelight
ana Cnrlsle receive tne sale"
In parts of the north of Ireland there was
at one time some forty or fifty years ago,
rather romantic custom, that when very
young unmarried woman died, her coffin
should be carried by young girls only to the
graveyard AS this was situated perhaps
some fifteen or twenty miles from where she
lived, it followed that the bearers should be |
changed every second mile and on these oc- |
casioDs there was generally an escort of run
ming volunteers who in this way often did
their thirty miles IN day This custom is
called shifting the coffin" and good many
was the result of these excursions
but the idea was nevertheless pretty and pas
toral. The Irish peasantry have an Unborn
taste for funerals, and in the amount of honor
done to the departed they lose sight of the
actual loss they have suffered.
"Och sure, thin, it was fine burryn'; there |
was sight of people and power OF cars"
is as great a eulogium as can be accorded any
man, and will quite console the survivors.
And the reverse, "Och, thin, he did not leave
enough as would bury him decent" in fact,
they think more of how they are TO be buried |
than of keeping life itself The poorest and |
the most mprovident lays by something for
his or her wake, and have myself known
cases of paupcrs in the hospital who were &C
under their pillows little store
to save the disgrace of parish coffin, that be-
ing the greatest and last misfortune that could |
befall them. Douglas Jerrold was much struck
by this phase Of the Irish character, and.it is
he, think, who tells an affecting story of
young girl whom he found in a cabin, busy,
at her needle. II see you take IN plain sew
ing; this is some bridal grandeur" he said,
taking up what looked like an elaborate night
dress.
"Tis no wedding grandeur" replied the
girl, proudly. Sure, t is my own shroud let
life bring what it may, PLACE God III have
lacent wake''