The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-08-09

CUSTOMS.


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The Subject we'll AnRly Ged-SOmO OF IL
Inconvenience aud IneOpgFuitIss-A
Society to Reform the Present Fash
Ions,
1t appears that our present mourning
customs impose upon US a great amour
Of cost aud worry at On especially mop
perfume period, says the London Spectator
And from this the inquirer proceeds tc
ask what ia the reason why the unwel
come expense and bother are incurred
why ahiiation Of mind more than that o
body should be proclaimed by attire? why
it should be more important to associate I
particular color with R,ief than will
rheumatism, biliousness, influenza or any
other illnsss2 Natures, Of courae, differ
widely, and there are some who probably
in consequence Of having been aCCus'om'
ed from their earliest years TO 70,
gard black az the emblem OF death and
sadness lind come amount Of relief and
comfort 10 wearing mourning when
friend dies, and feel . aRlislBC'
tion in marking The especial event
with especial garments. Bnt all are not
Of this way Of thinking, aud there are
many whose inClinations are Just the re-.
verse. The sort Of selEConsCiOusness and
s%trAngeness Of feeling which usually az.
company brand'nsw clothes are distgstelul
to them in q time OF trouble, and they
wish N o'go about Ia Whatever they are
In the habit Of wearing, without any fuss
or alteration. Sorrow may be none the
less true and deep becSuss 1t shTihks from
o%slentatious parade-from wearing the
heart on the sleeve for davis to peck at; 1t
may feel that the i~nadequscy OF outward
signs to give 1t expression makes any at.
tempt at doing so a mere mockery, and
may prefer TO conceal itself, as far ~ pos.
slble, under its wonted exterior. How can
the real grief be represented ittingly by
Grape and hAtbsBdsP And II no real grief
exist, then the whole affair is nothing but
a miserable exhibition OF humbug aud
hypoCrisy--an appeal to the world for sym
pathy and COMMUNICATION upon false pro.
lenses. What sort OF sorrow il ielt by reIa.
lives who say, sob! vi must put the chill.
dren! into mourning for Uncle So.Rnd.
so-he's left ns something 10 his will" or
else, II shan't trouble about black for
Cousin SuCh.an'one-he's left me moth.
ing;" as the Gase may beP II would be
surely more honest for such pretended
mourneTB IS these 10 aesume signs OF re
joicing or woe, according as they do or do
not find themselves the possessors Of
fresh riches. Even when sorrow Is really
felt, i.s intensity and duration will not be
alike In all cases where the relationship is
the same, because no two husbands and
wives, brothers aud sister, or other re!a'
tons, will love one an 1ther 10 exactly the
same degree: and, on thid account, there
must necessarily be something foolish and
unreal in q practice which assumed that
the depth and strength Of regret may be
reCkoned on according 10 nearness Of kin.
ls grief to be bound by a hard and fast
ruler 10 be made 10 conform to so many
inches u black border on cards
and writing paper2 10 be sent 10 the
'mitigated' and 'unmitigated' departments
OF mourning warehouses, In order 10 ex.
press itself correctly in graduated shades
OF black, gray or VIC et2 More or less Of
shopplness and hollowness Is almost 10.
separabIe from the wearing OF mourning
according to the present custom yet there
IL that about death which is apt to put
human nature essentially out OF time for
all that Ia artificial and sham. Again, how
can any one who believes in the teslrrec.
ton reconcile 1t with his conscience to
make everything connected with death,
dark, gloomy and melancholy II ne has
that sure confidence which he processes 10
have IN W the departed being safe from
oil future dangerp, and, having passed 10 a
state Of bliss far beyond what is ~attainR.
ble upon earth, why does he not rel lice in
their happiness? Does he think them ont
Of reach ~Otsympathy, because out Of sight2
Or is he too selfish TO lot the thought Of
their gain outweigh that Of his own loss7
In 1875 aMourninR Reform AEeoCiation
WIS., started by three ladies, and has Ger.
Iainly commended itself to the public to
some extent, seeing that Il now numbers
400 members. II %discuurages the use Of
mourning stationery, wearing Of Grape,
and putting OF children aud servants into
block recommends that mourning should
be shown by q black band around the arm,
or by a black scarf; and aims generally at
minimizing mourning. Should any one
desire further Information on the subject,
We have no doubt 1t would be gladly sup:
piled by the honorary secretary, FSllhsld
Malvern. This reform Is a matter In
which We believe that the assistance Of
the upper classes would be particularly
effective, aud thai, II people OF
u~ndeniAble wealth and position will take
it up, they will thereby confer a boon on
many poor and less it%lusntial ones, whO
lear to incur the reproaCh Of poverty II
they should attempt by themselves to
shRke or the burden pressing on them,
but who would gladly follow IN the wake
Of persons Of rauk or millionaires, who by
their circumstances, are secured from any
danger OF such a charge. And to conclude
with a practical suggestion, we would re.
mind every one who wishes well 10
mourning reform that he Cai materially
and eaeily help II on by stating his views
on the subject Ia bis will, aud requesting
bis friends 10 carry them out at his
InNn1ua