The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-03-08
A Chinese Funeral in Philadel-
phia.

Lee chung Pock, young Chlnaman
who labOred at ironing shirts for E.
Hop, in little room in Locust Street,
below Ninth, died of consumption day
or two since. The deceased Mongolian
was only 10 years of age, and had been
in this country about six years, four of
which were spent in California, where
first he planted his feet on American SOIL
AS Lee Chung Pock was alone in the
city, without a brother or relative of any
kind, the funeral arrangements fell up
on E. Hop and the deceased China
mans fellow-workmen, All Sing, Chin
Fun and All Charley. A consultation
was held, and it was agreed that, as
their accommodations for q large
funeral were not great, and the general
depression in business had emptied
their pockets, to spend much money in
laying out the corpse would be unad-
visable. The main rites of the Chinese
mode of treating the dead, however,
were carried out. E. Hop and the three
workmen, after the death of Pock, com.
menced weeping and lamenting. Glover
and cassia and myrrh were sent for and
placed in a bowl, out of which, no
doubt, Lee Chung had often eat
en- rice. Spices were placed over
layer of ashes, and then set
on fire, and candles were lighted
and placed on table beside the cot on
which Lee Chung lay. The proyerb of
the Chinese is: "One living is a man,
but dead is a spirit" and the spirit of
Lee Chung was therefore considered fit
to receive the odor of the incense; the
light of the candles is supposed to light
the spirit of the dead on it's dark way.
What is called a " bridge ladder -" was
then prepared by All Charley. A long
pole was found in the cellar, and on it
Charley placed lot of sticks, which d.
minished in size as they neared the top
of the pole. 1t is the Chinese custom
for the nearest relative of the deceased
TO take hold of the lowest stick and turn
the tree around, but as Lee Chung had
no relatives to perform the sacred Office
E. Hop officiated. The idea of turning
the bridge ladder is to help the spirit
on its way up and the bridge part is to
aid in crossing the river. The little
devil, which the Chinese believe is fur
nished by the kings of Hades to conduct
the dead man to the internal regions,
was not supplied with money, as he
usually is. An ordinary coffin was
bought, and it was so small it
was found impossible to put the
five coats and three pairs of trowsers
on him ordinarily placed upon the
dead Chinese. E. Hop, All Sing, Chin
Fun and All Charley all got together,
and in loud cries informed the ten kings
of hell that Lee Chung was dead. In
stead of keeping the body the great
length of time that the Chinese think nee
essary, Lee Chung's body was put in a
carriage and taken to the Ronaldson
Cemetery, at Ninth and cambridge,
where a number of Cinnamon in this
city own lot.
A Times reporter who was present at
the interment said to Chin Fun: " Why
don't you put some food in the grave
with the body, as they do in China?"
"No makee suchee tingee in Melica,"
said Chin; "likee Mellican nance"
"But the American don't put in
food" said the reporter.
"You no unerslanee. You no be-
longee here. Me Gomez and puttee Lee
in gravee. " r g. /
Lee was placed in the ground, and
the seven or eight Mongolians who had
come to the burial returned in their car
riages to the house.
Lee Chung is the only Chinaman who
has died in this city within the past two !
years.-PhilacIelphia Times. |
A GENTLEMAN of Eastport, Me-, on
MS way home the other evening, was
startled by an outcry, apparently from
some one being assaulted. The words,
. Let me alone; you can not have my |
money; take that!' were heard. Fol-
owing up the cry, the gentleman, with !
several others that had joined him,
deserted, through the gloom, a man run
ling. Overtaking him, they found a
,erson considerably in liquor, who
tated that man had tried to rob him.
ioing back to the place of assault, they
that the innocent cause of
he drunken mans fear and desperate
ifforts of resistance was a post, which
le ran against in the dark and mag
ned that he had been struck. Il
THE Shakers bury dead brother orr
lister in a simply planned coffin. with 8 7
White cloth over it, and thareis no os-
entstious. tearfui funeral.