The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-01-11
Costly Funerals

eho City nanor, |
MONDAY s,naa was appended to the l aea;s,
kindly send no tiowers.n T TiieAcs VI
an absolute novelty in fuper rIS Is N
some time ago we remarked un noas
!. OF such aolice. 9 FSo v
that such notices are multiplying e
that the feeling which prnmn. uss, shOt
becoming general, and this Seems ~, u
a gratifying thing. sO'ms tot
There is nothing more ersoos,,
this custom of floral tributes siul ny
gin and n. meaning. To strew ' t n a s
or coffin OF a child or voung QUO v sral
with white flowers is fit and ,t sOa
at once as q tribute, and as az ai,ectll
sion OF bereavement. But even s 4
case 1t is necessary to the express;vauaI
OF the ceremony that it sho.lS ha u.
taneous and enforced. 1t isns ~ spel
y necessary that there sbonld nOs
the slightest commercial faint pnOu
transaction. A mourner gtrewip pvl
coffin flowers which he has 1as.
presents a sight which nobod9 weu
think of remarking upon, excent Inv ~
spirit OF reyerential sympathy r Il
well enough that if flowers can not
gathered for such a purpose thew sbouI
be bought. But in that case lisht fsaI
ing would surely dictate that III
should be the simplest that can he III
In our recent usage we have con,nIsti
y lost sight of these condifios1
People who never knew the Sa.l
when living, but who ham.
to know some member of the famiE
feel called to testify not their own n
reavement, but their notion of tho i
reavement which somebody else HI
sustained, though a sincere mourns|
does not care for the sympathies n
those who know nothing Of what he bs)
lost, and the expression of their svm
pathy, never grateful to him, NAV be
come impertinent and even maddeniue
Moreover, neither ones respect for n,
dead nor ones sympathy with the sur
viVors can be expressed in money. Va
an attempt so to express it is The d
sence of the existing system of "aors
tributes" Men think to dischsrs
themselves of their duties to the dan
and the living by ordering SO many dOl
lars worth of cut flowers, the amour
being regulated by the intimacy Of thsi
business as well as social relations wit
the mourning family, and their sens
of what is required Of them. Thus tn
simple flowers which should be strew
by mourners are converted into hug
mortuary trophies of crosses and crown
and anchors, which represent no fee
ing whatever but that of social obligI
ton, and with which the givers of the
had nothing whatever to do except
pay for them. They vie with eat
other in expense, and the result is tn
a funeral becomes a scene of horrib
and vulgar display.
1t is no wonder that sensitive 81
self-respecting persons should ha
found the pass to which the funer
show business has got altogether int
cradle, and should have taken means
stop it in the cases of funerals in thu
own families. 1t is quite time. I
sides, having become SO repulsiye
right feeling. it has become a severet
on many. Mourners who would mul
rather not have this load Of floral syI
pathy from casual aequaintances q
bereaved. Funerals are SO costly
other ways as to be burdensome to fan
lies in Strengthened circumstances.
is impossible to reform this altogethe
for it proceeds from that "passions
prodigality" in sacrificing our substan
to those we have loved and lost, viii
is a deep trait of human nature. /
in this respect we can correct it by q
ing in rational and considerate W.
by retaining from sending flo
tributes" to any burials but those
our own near friends; and even tn
by sending simpler and less pretentlt
offerings. The usage which has Lat
prevailed is extrayagant, offensive, a
of no advantage or consolation to
but the tiorists.-NeD York World.