Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-04-25
OBSER TATIONS OF a RETIRED
VETERAN.

FEIERAN.
Death is an exceedingly trying thing to
the living; often more than to those that
pass away. Sometimes for the lonely
traveller who is about to enter the gloom,
Divine hand holds steady light; but
that is for the departing alone, and those
who stand at the bedside can see nothing
but their loved one going helpless, soil
tary and without sign into the unknown
land. 1t is touching to see even stran-
ger go thus, but to see our own is agony
Next to the death bed, in point Of
anguish, comes the trying moment when
we must put them from our sight. So
long as they are within reach, even though
cold and lifeless, the sting is palliated, but
the final moment, when the word forever
comes between them and US, is one of fresh
and cruel suffering. One would think that
human ingenuity would be taxed to make
this last moment less grievous to bear, but
it seems to me that with most of the fune-
rails 1 have seen, that ingenuity is drawn
upon for precisely the reverse effect. Indeed
it appears to me- that funerals are arranged
rather with dramatic effect to make them
as hard to bear as possible. It strikes me
that if ever any we'll meant -custo N
deserved the name of the refinement of
cruelty, it is that by which we are expect
ed to stand near the open grave Of our
own and hear the first shovel of earth
thrown on them. 1 know of no sound on
earth so dreadful or so full of tragic
meaning. It has always occurred to me
| that if hearts ever break, that would be
| the supreme moment of stuff ering tlaJ
would break them. I have seen strong
men who had borne up through all the
agony of losing their best beloved, up to
the moment Of that dreadful sounG, and
at it break down like children. Aud yet
it is all the unhappy result of custom
| there is no necessity for it. The living
CON follow their dead to their last home
without being torn by those cruel ceremo-
MES if different arrangements are
adopted. A short time ago | attended the
| burial of an old friend of mine in large
city, and was struck by the attention
paid to ameliorating every incident of the
| funeral. When theprocession arrived at
the cemetery. found grave, the whole
| interior of which was lined with pure white
| cloth. at each of the fouts corners the
| cloth was caught up with bouquet of
| flowers. On the bottom of the grave were
| scattered flowers. The new earth taken
out, was piled several yards off and over
| it were strewed fresh flowers. Over the
grave stood a bier draped in white cloth
| and on that the burial casket was placed
| by the pall-bearers. The officiating min
lister offered prayer not two minutes in
length, and then the family and the
assembled company left. All that fol-
lowed, the lowering of the casket and the
filling of the grave, was done after every
one had left, by these who are paid for
that duty. If any of the family looked
back as they went away they saw nothing
repulsive; the evening sun lit up the
flower covered casket rest ing on its bier
of pure white, and the open grave with its
white walls adorned with flowers. The
| whole scene was such change from other
funerals that l have witnessed chat 1
wondered the beautiful and humane Gus
tom was not more prevalent. 1t is not
expensive; don't suppose that the whole
arrangement cost SIS, and yet no money
can estimate the relief it must give to the
friends of those who pass away from US.