The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-03
The Folly Of Mourning.

The Folly Of Mourning.
Natufss, of course. differ widely.
Hnq there are some who (probably in
sonsequence of having been accus-
omed from their earliest years to
regard black as the emblem of death
end sadnessl find some amount of
Ee'ief and comfort in wearing mourn
lHsewhen friend dies, and feel a
#flsfaction in marking the especial
event with especial garments. But
are not of this way of tn linking,
apQ mere are many whose inclina-
tons are just the reyerse The sort
q seii-consciousness and strangeness
oI leeling which usually accompany
urand new clothes are distasteful to
tpem in a time of trouble, and they
Wish only to GO about in whatever
thEy Nre iifa.sthe hahit&0f uearina..
I ftlssMout any fuss u alt tefation. 90f4
row may be none the less true and
deep because 1t shrinks from Ostenta-
Gus parade,-from wearing the heart
on the sleeve, for DAVIS to peck at it
may feel that the inadequacy of out
ward signs to give 1T expression
makes any attempt at doing so a
mere meckery. and may prefer to
conceal itself, as far as possible, un-
der its wehted exterior. How can
real grief be represented fittingly by
Grape and hat bands? And if no real
grief exist. then the whole affair is
nothing but miserable exhibition
of humbug and hypocrisy,-an ap-
peal to the world for sympathy and
commiseration upon false pretences.
What sort of sorrow is felt by rela-
tives who say, "Oh! we must put the
children into mourning for Uncle So
and-so, he's left us something in
his will" or else. II shan't trouble
about black for Cousin Such-an-one,
he's left me nothing" )" as the case
may be? 1t would be surely more
honest for such pretended mourners
as these to assume signs of rejoicing
or woe, according as they do or do
not find themsel yes the possessors of
fresh riches. Even when sorrow is
really felt. its intensity and duration
nf hn nli in al xx,h
the relationship is the same, because
no two husbands and wives, brothers
and sisters, or other relations, will
love one another in exactly the same
degree and on this account, there
must necessarily be esomething foolish
and unreal in practice which as
Sumes that the depth and extent of
regret may be reckoned on according
to nearness of kin. More or less of
shoppiness and h0llowness is almost
inseparable from the wearing of
mourning, according to the present
custom F.; yet there is that about death
which is apt to put human nature
essentially out of tune for all that is
artificial and sham.
Again, Row can anyone who be-
lieves in the resurrection reconcile it
with his conscience to make every
thing connected with death dark
gloomy and melancholy? If he has
that sure confidence which he pro-
tesses to have as to the departed be-
ing safe from all future dangers, and
having passed to state of bliss far
beyond what isattainable upon earth,
why does he not rejoice in their hap
piness? Does he think them out of
reach of sympathy, because out of
sight? Or is he too selfish to let the
thought of their gain outweigh that
of his own loss 4?
In 1876 Mourning Reform Asso-
citation was started by three ladies,
and has certainly commended itself
to the public mind to some extent,
seeing that it now numbers 450 mem.
bers. 1t discourages the use of
mourning stationery. wearing of
Grape, and putting of children and
servants into black; recommends that
mourning should be shown by a
black band round the arm, or by a
black scarf; and aims generally at
minimizing mourning.-Ec.