Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-05-09
About Funerals.

Funerals are sad necessity in this
world, and whatever may be dispensed
with or added to in the progress of civili-
cation, we can never dispense with these
sad rites that attend our exit from this
world. Funeral rites vary greatly among
different peoples. The savage tribes fill
the air with noisy grief and lamentations
loud and long. In higher states of civili-
cation the effort and the tendency are to
restrain the outward show Of grief so far
as noise is concerned and be more sub
ducd in our mourning. Still we have
some customs that are more honored in
the breach than the observance" One is
the fashion of wearing mourning for a
long time after the death of friends. 1t
is an expensive fashion. Where is the
good of advertising the fact of our be-
reavement to all, whether friends or
strangers, wherever we go? This is what
mourning costumes say, II have lost
near relative within the year." Our
friends do not need the constant remind
CA, anu dS III SCAS ~ 10 AO NOACClu
of theirs. Where is the difference be-
tween the loud lamentation of the savage,
and the loud mourning costumes of the
christian2 1t is but a difference Of
method
Another custom that we ought to abol
ish, as soon as possible, is the making a
spectacle of the dead. l we'll remember
the advice of somewhat brusque pro-
fessor of Mathematics, in my younger
days, in regard to this: Gentlemen"
said he, "never look at corpse unless it
is one of your friends, it is very bad taste. :"
No one of us boys had ever thought Of it
before. Probably none of US ever forgot
it afterwards. And yet as soon as any
one thinks of the matter the correctness
of the Professors advice is seen at once
That is one of those pertinent words that
needs no argument. We take the last
sad look at the faces of our friends when
they are about to be hidden from us in
the cold grave, with breaking hearts and
fearful eyes, but why should we look
upon a stranger whom, perhaps, we never
saw before. But the most cruel and
wicked thing about our funerals is the
great expense attending them. And the
tendency is to increase the gaudy show
rather than otherwise. The hearse gilt
tiers with silver mountings without, and
gold mountings within, while the coffin is
bedeeked with spangles from head to
foot. We all know the trimmings are cheap
silver washed handles, and screw heads,
and tacks, but they shine, and glisten,
and-cost. Families are burdened to
keep up the display, so they will not ap-
pear mean and stingy among their neigh
bers. 1t is the solemn duty of the rich
and well-to-do to set a better example
among their neighbors. If there is any
where that display is in bad taste it is at
a funeral Yet the undertaken dons a
badge to slyly advertise his business, and
pins one on each pail bearer. All this
says, ''This is my business, gentlemen, la
dies, all. This is my business can
give you sendoff in this style. Glad to
receive your orders for any goods in our
line" The gay nodding plumes upon
the hearse, the badges and gilded trap
pings of the undertakers, and collins, and
hearses, the expensive mourning apparel,
mock the hideous deformity of death, and
all call loudly for reform. Let US have
rafarm Who 6oroe foLo tho 1oo 4 IN <h;o
matter? L.