The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-14
The Casket.
A New Undertaking in Journalism.
Hartford Courant.l

Hartford Courant
Since every trade must have its organ. Wa
have received from the city of Rochester. with
out surprise, mournfally hilarious sheet called
The Casket. This is not the successor of a liz
erary periodical which bore that name, and
was devoted to emb,lming the sentimenta
aspirations Of THOSE young hedglings in lltera-
ture who wrote not for pay but for fame. The
Casket is devoted to "subjects of vital impor
tance to undertakers and kindred professions. u
Why these "subjacts'' of the under
takers should be called "Vital" we do not see
nor do we know what are the kindred pro.
fessons"~-if undertaking has risen to the digni.
ty of ona of the professions. We have looked
in vain in the broad pages of this large auarto
for the advertisement of doctor--but we re-.
member it is not etiquette in the profession to
advertise. The object of this lugubrious news.
paper is evident, it is to make undertalipe
popular and to extend the business
The popular notion that uudertakers are g
melancholy race is derived entirely from thsii
functional appearance in public. The successful
undertaken is and has reason to be the most
blithe OF men in private; and company OF
undertasers off duty is, by report, jolly crew.
Naturally, for he follows the doctor, who is a
cheerful man, and he is frst-cousin to the
grave digger, who always sings in his trench.
We are all familiar with these contradic-
tory humorJ in human nature We have
seen an old Eogish print called "The
Merry Undertaker,' executed by one John
Nixon in the last century. 1t was practice of
haen al ID
eequests for keeping up an annual visit to the
tomb of the testator, accompanied by feast.
These merry meetings used to take place at
some ion; and we can imagine that at these
festivals the congregating undertakers laid
aside their official funeral woe, and appeared
with the jolly yisages that are proper to the
successful. In the last century, in ENGLAND.
there was an inn called "The Falcon" on the
lane leading from the Wandsworth road to
Batterseabrdge, kept by one Robert Death,
whose name i'll assorted with his good condition
and Jolly appearance. John Nix0p, one day
passing by his house, saw company of under
takers who had Just come from performing the
last rites for rich nabob in neighborine
cemetery, regaling themselves in mysterious
fashion at Deaths Door. The hilarious scene
80 impressed the artist that he made the pic
ture of it We speak of above, and very Tenier.
like comedy it is-the jolly undertakers, 10
cooked hats, wigs, aud small clothes. tossing
their full cups and paying court to the rustic
beauties at the Inn. The foreman of this
lively company at Deaths is Represented as
singing to the tune of '1've kissed and Pge
prattled with fifty fair msids," this song:
Dukes, lords have buried, and squires Of fame
And people of every degree;
But OF all the jobs that come in my way
A funral like this for me.
This is the job
That fills the fob.
o! the buryiDg OF nabob for me.
Unfeather the hearse, put the pail in the bag,
Give the horses some oats and some hay;
Drlnk our next merry meeting and quackery's in
With three times three and huzza etc.
The spirit Of this publication before us is,
however, business before pleasure. Its COL
uinns, which are only slightly in mourning,
ara black with pictures of hearses, caskets, me-
sslic cases. patent chin adjosters, funeral chairs
and all the improved" funeral psraphernalia.
There is casket pedestal, modern innovation
OF which 600 pairs are now in use; nothing will
take their place; the profession" who already
nave the black pedestals are now securing the
wnite to complete their outfit; for be auty, con-
venienee aud elegance they stand incompar-
able, ian ornament in the grandest Furnished
parlor or drawing ROOM" The professional
idea OF what is ornamental is peculiar, but we
let that pass. Second hand hearses are adyer-
tised for sale, white hearses, embalmers: situ-
a business is offered for sale, which has two
branches and recommended because one is
located IN fine healthy southern country
towD, and the other "in the finest and health
lest CITY in the sonth"-which we should re-
gard as anything but a recommendation: but
the advertisement adds that the two concerns
are DONG about 400 funerals per snnum, and
With good prospects for a considerable in
come''-which gives the chance q brighter
look; but It is only what might be expected, as
I lursner lnducsment that the younger mem
Der of the firm Is 'liUe business man.
This newspaper naturally runs to the liter
ature OF the grave, to sudden deaths and ex.
burials, aud perhaps may not bs
re garded as cheerful family paper. A sketch
with Portrait is given of a man who seems to
stand at the heao Of the professor, for the i'm
proVements he has introduced-ihe putting of
ondersakers and their assistants in uniform
fhr one thiLg. The only difference between
bis uniform and that of his assistants is Q
slight change in the collar of his coat; bat that
Is enough, his professional facs does the rest.
This man honored, by burying, three such
great men as General Worth, Daniel Webster
and James Fisk.
The reader must not imagine, however, that
with all the demand for funeral furniture and
Inc consciousness of prosperous undertaking
5hls is low spirited journal. Far from it, In
The facetious columns of short paragraphs we
get glimpse OF the scarcely restrained olity
of THIS occupation, and the familiar good fel-
oWship behind the pals and plate glass. The
,faft is looked after. One Clark of Niagara is
sven Mrs. G. was hard at work in the store. |
She knows how" What a fearful knowledge
% be complimented on John Furgeson of |
canada, IS as good natnred as ever, and though
ne 'squlnts" he sees everything ''transpiring."
Aslamazo undertakers seem little tardy.
Heaven keep 'em SOY. Grow s. Co., have en-
ployed seveDty-ive hands all summer "George
d. Humphrey Of Urbana, O., humps himself
around among as full storo of goods as
that part of Ohio can boast Of" George 81.
says he found out long ago that q man could
adncate people to any standard he chose
We are not informed what Georges STANDARD is
bat We suppose that W. +. Damon of Kenton,
u, has founo out, for he is "soon to move into
ns new and elegant residence. One LUX is
referred to whose front name is Louis:'' aud
Tanner, how is the wlfs?" when next you see
him. met him at Dayton recently with his
lew made wife doing the Soldiers Home aud
.he Gy psey Queens funeral" What 40 allur-
ing bridal trip for sensitive neophyte who does
cot yet, like Mrs @. "know how"
The Casket is determined to .'rsise the stan
lard of education" and it has some very ser.
;1s talk about the ''sneerng of the secular |
press" in regard to "the extravsgance of funer- |
lis" We trust that the religious press doesn't |
ndulge in 1t. 1t asks with indignation if put.
ing expensive caskets and rich trimmings into
he ground is money thrown away? 1t saws
hat these "artistic goods" have cost brain-work
md represent labor. These splendid caskets
.ad etceteras' art only for temporary exhibi-
ion? How many who glibly made this argu-
nent, will strenuously defend spending money
u the development of art; can see no objection
whatever to a liberal cultivation of flowers, or
he payment of large sum for one picture"
Ana yet how lew persons comparatively will |
'ver see the picture! An outlay for "au article |
II utility as well as beauty [see advertisement
proper use of money" The writer is an |
artist" and his business is "profession,"
'ud be kindly urges more cautious use of |
anguage in conversiDg alb ut mortusry ex.
,enses." Whenever family is Obliged to
lse funeral furniture it should ''buy the /
,est," just as it would "buy the best piano.
orte aud the best dress goods" This is only
cultivation of aesthetics"
We are impressed By this lively journal of
he grave with the necessity of "raising the
tandard of education" and the price; and so,
uccess to business.