The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-10-11
Fascinated by Funerals.

"Do you see that nice.looking little
old lady over by the stained Window"
asked fashionable undertaken of the
reporter. II mean the quaint, respect
able looking little parsonage. with the
black satin dress and black Grape shawl?"
The reporter saw her.
WELL" continued the undertaken,
with AN appreciative smile, "she's as fine
in this city can produce. I send her an
invitation to all my nice funerals, and
have sometimes sent a carriage for her
when l knew mourners would be scarce.
She is really never happy unless she is
at funeral. She won't touch weddings,
as most women will; her sole amusement,
SO to speak, is first-class funeral" and
the undertaken looked oyer to the old
lady with tender professional interest.
81 have some other nice people on my
list" he went on. Zone of my most
graceful mourners lives In Forty.eigbth
street and seldom gets down this way,
but she hardly ever passes day without
funeral, and I never saw her at one
when she couldn't shed tears with the
best of them. She's one of the heart
brokenest ladies I ever had for 'regu-
lar Does she really feel bad? Well, I
should say she did; most decidedly. She
always has word to say to the family,
if she thinks they need comforting, and
is very careful to learn all the particu-
lars. Why, she can tell me all the details
about some of my own funerals that
had forgotten years ago. She's as good
as set of books.
"Oh, no, there's nothing hysterical
about these cases at all. I've got some
men that do just the same thing. There
is one now. He's q curious customer.
I sometimes lose sight of him for six
months, and then all of sndden he'll
turn up and not miss funeral. OF
course I couldn't ask the women folks
why they came. but asked him one day.
He said he couldn't describe exactly the
feeling it gave him, but he thought it
sort Of quieted his mind and soothed his
feelings like. He made one remark about
it that never could quite get the hang
of, though dare say it had certain
sort Of meaning for him. He said, i
haven't got any friends at all myself. 30
like to 60 to funerals.' A lady volun-
teered almost the same kind Of remark
to me once after she had been to four or
five of my best funerals. She said: 1t
a axes me. feel kind of friendly, you
know, and then they are kind to me; and
besides, feel afraid and solemn, and it
always loes me good
II think it would be unjust to call it
mere curiosity that bring them here,
though have noticed that some of these
people watch every detail with the most
intense curiosity. They seem fascinated
by the presence Of death, and their SYM
pathies are moved by the grief OF the
living. You might think they we're very
solemn people but the contrary is the case.
Some OF them are remarkably cheerful,
in fact. That little old lady 10 always
very pleasant and vivscious after the
ceremony is over. She always comes mp
and shakes hands With me, and 10 -
agreeable person - ono would wish to
meet.
There's an unusually lively and pleas
ant gentleman living in the ninth ward
who occasionally drops ir at my funer-
ais. He does not make il point to 60
to them, but, Is he says himself. he can
never got past them. He told me he was
obliged to 60 in, NO matter how Inn
portant business might be; he would for
get all about it - soon - he saw the
hearse and carriages. The first time I
saw him 1t funeral / thought he was
certainly one Of the nearest relatives. he
10 very large. roupd-iaeed, benevolent.
looking gentleman that would be OBJ
served in any crowd. On this occasion,
after he had looked ct the deceased per-
son for . few momsats hs became greatly
overcome with emotios, and sone one
led him 10 . chair. Each enc OF the
mournsss supposed, Of eourse. that he
vas known = The Others. He vspt