The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1885-05-30
A PARIS FUNERAL.
Tho Ceremonies Attendant Upon a
Funeral In Church

Partisan society exacts a rather
rigid obedience to the invitation con-
tanned in the "letter OF announce
ment,' as it is called, wherein is set
forth the decease OF some member OF
the human family more or less re-
motely connected with ones circle OF
acquaintance. And in truth an hour
spent in one OF tie great churches
during the funeral ceremony OF some
person Tor whom one cannot sincere
ly mour" chiefly because one has
never seen him or her, being called
TO the funeral by the simple fact OF
acquaintance with a relative OF the
deceased, is by no means disagree
able. "A busy Frenchman one dav
leproved me for taking SO much
amusement in business hours" for
he said, "You have been ut three
funerals this week by your own con-
icssion."
TIM cynical manner OF putting il
was perhaps founded on careful OBJ
sefvation. Men do not lose an hop
in the middle OF the day for idle mo-
tives in this busiest of capitals, and
80 it may be presumed that every one
who finds his way into a church IT a
funeral has some good motive be-
yond the desire TO pay respect to the
memory OF the departed. When the
funeral is that Of some celebrity, the
spectacle in the dim aisles OF the
church is very curious There is re-
produced in miniature one OF the
great cosmopolitan drawing-rooms, OF
which there are only half dozen in
Paris. Hostile painters eye each
other with mutual scorn from ada
cent rows OF chairs. The political
groups come together az compactly
and naturally as in the Chamber, and
scandal and SANDER do their work as
deity as on the street or at the
Bourse. The peculiar nature OF a
Partisan funeral renders conversa-
tion among the attendant throng quite
possible ii one have taste for il, and
running fire of commentary is kept
up upon acquaintance, as they sue
cessively appear. As for the ladies,
who are ranged by themselves, usu-
ally on the left of the altar, they be-
have with exemplary devotion.
A fashionable Paris funei al in church
Is an exqisite concert. Nothing can be
more charming than the sudden up
rising from behind the altar OF the
tremulous music Of the stringed in
struments, accompanied presently by
the spiritual voices of children. The
church has at her disposition treas
ures OF art which are not, on the
whole, extravagant in price, and to
the generous minded she gives a
musical feast which almost enables
them for moment to forged the
woes OF bereavement.
Certain little features connected
with Partisan funerals in church are
so different from our own that they
are worthy to be set down here. In
the first place, when the cortege or
procession reaches the portal of the
sacred edifice, there is small cere-
monial at the door. A gigantic
beadle, dressed in court costume,
with mace decorated with Grape,
and accompanied at a respectful dis
tance by mysterious party in long
cloak, who bears himself with the
grace of Spanish grandee, com as
down to meet the pall-hearers, who
are always in evening dress, as also
are the chief masculine mourners
and their immediate friends. Ladies,
1t Is needless TO say, are attired in
solemn black. sSmiting his staff upon
the pavement, the beadle then escorts
the procession down the grand central
aisle OF the church to a place below
the altar, while the pall-bearers de.
post their burden upon a little plat
form near the entrances Meantime.
people of distinction who arrive are
escorted forward and seated in order
OF precedence.
And now the music begins, and lit
tie bells ring hither and yon, calling
the small army of priestiy function.
aries to their respective posts in the
ceremonial. Down the long aisle
comes Q black-capped, white stoled
procession Of priests and acolytes
and these, headed by new beadlc
take their station about the coffin