The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-05-04
Regular Mourners.

never pcTIIllJ 'It1 lilAiS W iltCuu iuAOI-
ais when | am in charge"
The speaker was well-known up
town undertaken, who stoed> beside a
carriage in Kensington recently, and
spoke to some one inside the vehicle. A
streamer of black Grape fluttering from
the door-bell of neat three-story dwell.
ling near by, and a long line of carriages
preceded by hearse told that funeral
was in progress. The first, second and
third carriages had been filled with the
near relatives of the deceased, and as the
fourth vehicle drove up woman, dressed
in shabby black and with her face closely
yelled, came down the steps of the house
of mourning, and opening the carriage
door herself, got in and sank back into
the farthest corner. The action, quick
as it was, did not escape the eye of the
solemn-faced man standing on thelsteps'
of the dwelling. Quietly advancing to
the curbstone, and in voice just loud
enough to be heard by the person for
whom bswas intended, he spoke. With,
out worl the unwelconle occupant
alightea, drew her rusty black shawl
more closely about her shoulders, and
walked slowly up the street. +
That is an annoyance peculiar to
Phifal elph Ia. said the undertaken to a
reporter who happened to be witness
of the episode, land is probably more
sofan institution IN Kensington than in
Mnay'other sectionof the city The Ameri-
Fan custom of exposing the dead to the
gaze of the general public, which has
b seen in vogue for more than half cen
Jury, has naturally led to abuses, of
which this is one of the most marked. 1
s refer to the attendance Of persons at
z Minerals who. haveno possible interest in
5 The deceased nor connected BY the most
remote tie of blood or marriage. Not
only do. they mingle their tears with.
those of the mourners, but they actually
force themselves into the carriages and
ride to the cemetery, there to Witness the
final scene with apparently as much emo
ton as the nearest and dearest rela-
lives. "~ssssss4ss
81 ssTaere are very few funerals taking
place north Of Girard Avenue and east
of FoarthsStreet, continued the speak.
Ser,. as he closed the door of another;cab,
''where you-Will not find whatwe term
regulars. They are, an evil tolerated.
simply. because the. solemity of the oc-I
casien~pfeve such measures being
taken as would prevent a repetition of
the annoyance. The fainter to use
!. another trade phrase, is a similar
nuisance, but not seen as frequently as
a. hermore ubiquitous sister. The fainter
= swoons suddenly while looking at the
corpse, and is only revived By copious
draughts Of brandy. She usually picks
outsa softchair to fall upon, and is quite
expert at assuming graceful position.
The precise object of the fainter I have
= never thoroughly understood. Whether
TO gain sympathy, or whisky, or to dis
play an attitude, is a question. Of the
ystwo. characters, sheweVers the regular
is the most familiar and the most auda-
cious. Atan ordinarily large funeral, say
of twenty ormore carriages, she is seen
most frequently. The body is laid out
in the parlor as a general thing, some
times a day before the funeral, and
is there viewed by the relatives and
friends. The neighbors usually testify
their esteem for the deceased by calling
at the house, although they may not be
acquainted with the family. In many
cases this visit is expected. and it is
looked upon as slight if it is not made.
English people, however, show de-
cided aversion to have any one gaze on
their dead, except those very near to
them, but custom is so arbitrary that
{ the'residents of any neighborhood, and
especially in this section of the city.
would feel insulted if they were not al
lowed to take the last look. As I said
before, one of the aoufgrowths Of this
custom is the regular funeralgoer. She
reads, besides her weekly story paper OF
sensational trash, the. marriages and
deaths In the Ledger. She notes care
July ALI the funerals that are to take
place within reasonable distance of
her home, and appears to have an
especial weakness for interments at the
3 Palmer Street. burying-ground. IF two
funerals occur In the same dav. one in
the morning and one in the afternoon.
the regular, is delighted, and makes q
strenuous effort to attend both. She
dresses herself early in the morning
and, provided with large hand kerchief.
she repairs to the house of death. The
first thing the regular does is to make
q mental estimate as to whether the
: Grape on the door belongs to the under
taker or to the family; to speculate as to
whether the coffin handles are solid silver
or plated; to take an inventory of the
furniture, the carpets, and the probable
cost of the coffin
''She examines the quality OF the
shroud, and passes judgment on the pro-
fusion or poverty of the floral offerings.
Then she makes a critical survey OF the
mourning worn by the grief stricken rela-
uves, and is usually able to tell whether
1t is owned or borrowed, and if the latter,