The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-04-16
FASHIONS III FUNERALS.
short Evening Services, Amid simple Flo
gince. the FOrn..

short Evening services, Amid simple Flo.
gance. the forn..
Ne. Yu.x N,r'.iI
Custom changes in the disposition OF
the ..ead as in everything else: There
is now what is rsco.ni cti Il, q .asiIiOn
for .nerals. .uLlic funerals have al
ways consisted OF pemp. parade. and
splen.,or. 1t is in the funeral Of private
persons that society has laid down rules
defining the proper form. There Is 10
longer any sitting up with the corpse.
This is an old custom and Is still in
vogue in the remote and rural districts.
No end of engagements have cen made
or marriages brought about hy sitting
up with the corpse The real su. stan
tial reason for watching Is to see
to the attentions that the body requires.
Bodies never used to lie put on ica or
EN- aimed in the country. Tl.cy were
laid ont on board in cold room and
cloths da,npened with a solution put Oh
the Fa to prevent discoloration. The
undertaken now takes charge soon after
d, ati,. and the boly is in his hanls
Until put in the grave. AS a sanitary
measure it is placed in an e-Eox or is
Ell aimed. Irivacy, but elegance
witl.al where it can bc Afforded, has
grown to distinguish funerals in sew
York. The recent changes in the habits
have been great. The announcements
in the newspapers have tho addition,
The funeral will be private, : riends
arc invited" or .lleasc send no Tow
crs." Icspite these seeming efforts at
simplicity funerals have become fear
| fully expensive Things. Fro ,uently pri-
| vate funerals cost 500 to 81 600.
The fashionable hour for the funeral
services is ! clock in the evening. The
iody reposes in the caskct on a cata
falque in the parior, generally against
the wall on one side OF the room. Tae
blinds are closed aud the shades are
tightly drawn. The gas is only partially
turned on and the globes are often
draped to soften the light. lowers
rest on the foot of the tasket and .
broken column, an anchor. or sOms
other floral device stands at the head.
The family and friends sit in the room.
The minister reads tho simple service
for the dead. and at the conclusion
offers prayer without passing 4 eulogy.
The quartcttc, in the intervals and at the
termination of the service, sing from
the landing above in the hall. hr
friends, when all is over, take last
look at tho face and depart only al
hour is occupied.
In the morning the family alone go to
the grave with tho body. An,cvening
service in the parlor of private resi-.
dence is weird and strangely impressive.
There are funerals where every reason.
able provision is made that cost only
$40. In such case the coffin is a white
wood stained in imitation of walnut
Metallic co ms are little ploycd. A
wooden casket is used, covered with
black broadcloth and trimmed with
bla, silk velvet. Burials in New York
city arc not permitted unless the caske'
is enclosed III . inc box Theoretically
sealed. This is for sanitary reason.
lndertakers use no prevention t.
avoid contracting disease. They prefer
to handle bodies after eating though
In cases of infectious diseases, as al
ordinary precaution, persons who have
had the infection are generally engaged
to take charge of the Eodics. There ar,
deaths from the undertakers now ano
then from incubation. One had hi.
hand inoculated not long ago and diet
in a day. Ampntation has sometime.
in cases Of incubation been resOrted tt
to save life.