The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-18
MISS EMMA ABBoTr Ov CREMATION
A sight In Lemoyne'. Furnace TINT fntcnsiGed
her Desire to he Burned.

Miss Emma Abbott. the singer, came
home lately from hcrtour in the West She sang
In BROOKLYN the other night. and closes her
season of seven months duration in Boston
about the middle OF May. She happened TO be
in Washington. Pa. when the body Of Mrs. Pit
man was cremated. and witnessed the process.
1t was said at the time that shc wen; there to see
the cremation. hut was not permitted to do so.
She Is indignant nbout the story.
Il know was fifteen minutes too late. nj
though II was only by an accident that | was
present ut all. and the flesh was all burned on
when got there" she said to q reporter for
THE SUN; but l saw the bones Just M.
clothed in white snmie. mystic. wonderful
they were enveopcd in flames that moro than
rivallcd the rainbow in their brilliant cooring.
ms ono writer expressed II. watched them till
they had dwindcd away into hardly n handful
OF dust. but still continuing n beautiful white
moss. I have always had horror of the grave"
the fair singer went on. with shudder THE
idea Of being shut up in the dark earth. and
there stay till ones body became food for
worms and decay. even when was girl gave
me n dread OF death not often found in tho
young. II Is the becoming loathsomc-so
thing that those ono loved would shudder at
could they 80 into the srpulchrc IA the worms
they cruwlrd iii the worms they crawlrd out
They are ~ r. pulstvc. too, the surroundings of
burial. Nov. n cremation. you know. is clean
and nice. Tour body burns away Tor little
thing tina. would spread disease and pestilence
about. and make one mad with terror were IL
exposed to view. YOU have little parcel Of
clean. white bones. that you can stow away in
an urn: and Keep IN your parlor or bedroom II
When did this love for cremation first spring
up IN your heartf" asked the writer. as Miss
Abbott paused in an excess OF enthusiasm.
Having always had this-unreasonable u
Af thaa utr., frt nI
to invent substitute. When / was in Paris,
two years since. cremation WIS the topic of dis
cussion. but i thought then II was a long and
tedious process. Ny experience in Washing.
ton has taught mo Just the contrary. A short
nS hour or Two, and thls rrccptaele Of decay Is
q thing nf beauty. and JOY forever. And SO
cheap. Why. DR.. Lemoyne told me sl5 would
cover all the cost and ! gave him a. order TO
do, however. for my friends won't hear of such
thing. and scolt me well for my iqnces, on the
subject. I'm in the right. nevertheless. What s
flJ, compared to the price of burial IN costly
coffin in u fashionable ccmetrry? And. then.
how unsightly that costly coffin becomes when
you have lain In il a while. Both cleanliness
and economy. you see. are IN favor Of crema-
ton. and II ! haye my way shall give my body
=. You evidently have no religious scruplcs on
the subject"
why should |? The idea | know, Ia con-
sidered pagonish. hut il surely can make little
difference what becomes OF ones body after
death. Whether its receptacle is burned or
in that purer region, where no corruptiple body
will he required. Old. fashioned people, with
one foot in the grave-should | say one foot in
the retort. or would not that be a retort cour-
teous l-hold up their hands in holy horror
when / talk in this way. and point TO the clause
In the creed about the resurre tion OF the body (:
hut II burning Is TO prevent ones resurrect ion,
l would like 10 know what has become OF the
souls Of Cranmer. Servetus, Savonaroa. Joan OF
Are ST. Lawrence. and nl the other good per-
sons who have persisted in the fumes for their
creed or country -
The conversation turned to lighter topics
those people who pretend to think that II u
singer. young woman married is a woman
THAT'S narcotic misQuotc PAROLES sentiment
In Ais well that ends WE'LL / believe that
Lord Bacon says a man that hath wife and
children hath given hostages to fortune which
will prevent great undertakings. whether for
good or evil. l don't pretend to he exact. hut
that applies 10 n man. and not TO a woman
and a singer. A singer who has never
loved or suffered can never Doe great. II her
marriage Is IA happy one. she has revealed tp
otherwise never know were -, existence: and II
she Is unfortunate in her love. she all the more
becomes acquainted with the gamut OF pass ion.
It's Lecky. believe. who saws that st. Angus
tine. through his love affairs when n young
man in Carthage. learned that knowledge which
inspired his City of God and other writings
SO with singers, even II they do not teach so
lofty a lesson rs the saint"
Miss Abbott laughed as she bade the reporter
Rood-by and said " suppose hereafter | shall
be spoken OF as the singer who won't sing in
Traviata. believes marriage 10 be an educator.
and wishes 10 be cremateL."