The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1884-07-13

r0r crrIayrng n. saIu nothing about whas
had seen and went after the doctor
as fast rs could. He told me that the
movement of the hands was u mere mus
cuiar action. which proved concllsivelv
that the man had died of Asiatic chol-
era, contraction of the muscles nearly
always occurring after death from that
cause. remember having seen then
the body of young lady who died of
cholera, and one of her feet was bent
under SO that the toes nearly touched
the heel"
There have doubtless been great
changes in funeral arrangements and
all that sort of thing during your forty
five years experience"
Great changes? ] should say so. |
remember the time when it was custom
airy among the best families here to
provide for the dead very plain.
wedgcshapcd mahogany coffin, lined
with common cambria muslin A bun
die of shavings was put in under the
muslin as Il pillow for the head. To
show YOU the difference between then
and now, made cedar-wood casket
Il few days ago for a wealthy gentleman
To be buried in that cost three hundred
dollars. 1t was elegantly finished,
lined with the finest satin and covered
with black silk velvet that cost twelve
dollars a yard.
II suppose man could be decentlv
buried forty years ago for Il hundred
dollars"
"Neycnty-iive dollars was considered
then pretty big sum, and that was to
cover all the expenses. Now one hun
dred and fifty dollars is about the aver
age price, but some funerals cost five
hundred dollars. In the old days near
| ly everybody WAS buried in church
yard. or some other small bu"ying
ground within the city, and the coffin
was frequently carried on mems should
ers instead of in hearsc. Very few
carriages were used and there were no
large cemeteries. DO YOU know there
are about three hundred burying places
in and about Philadelphia? Since the
opening of the large cemeteries the
smaller grounds are seldom used, but
they are all well filled with the graves
of people who died in the old times
Are metal collins or baskets much
used nowp"
"No; the hardwood casket has almost
entirely superseded them. That is gen
orally covered with cloth or velvet,
though sometimes the hard wood finish
is preferred. 1t has straight sides and
is much more slightly than the old
wedge-shaped coffin A great improve
mcnt in the outer case has lately been
made and is now coming into use. 1t
is rectangular box made of a material
that is not only waterproof but impcr-
] iSbahlp The base of the material /.
said to be kind of lava. the very stuff
the Egyptians used on the cloths they
wrapped about the mummies. That s
said to be a fact.
i've heard a good deal about old
ladies who attend funerals regularly foi
the sake of the ride to the cemetery and
back; do they keep up the practice"
"Oh, no; we've got rid of them. They
spoiled their own game by coming too
often. As soon as we got TO know THEN
faces we left them out of the carriages.
An old driver told me once that he had
the same old lady in his carriage six
times in one week, and every time she
insisted on being driven to her home
after the burial. Another old lady was
one day put by mistake in carriage
with some of the family of the deceased,
and on the way to the cemetery she
asked if it was II lady or gentleman that
was dead
"One more question, please. Is Phil
adelphia the only city where they bow
The shutters with black ribbon for GER
tain time after death in the family"
Yes, believe it is; but it is not done
here rs generally now US it used to be.
1t was the fashion some time ago To bow
them for year. | think one or two
weeks is the present limit 1t is an old
custom that is falling out of use. Good
day. Remember me when you need al
undertaken
"Ah, you are very kind. Many
thanks. -IHtiddeiphid Times