The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-09-23
AT A CHINESE FUNERAL.
The Remains Inferred Along with Roast
Pig and PulIets.


The friends of Lai Poy did the proper
thing by him, the other day, and gave
him a nice, quiet ~send-off" on his road
TO that exclusive realm of bliss eternal
reserved for the virtuous children of the
Flowery kingdom. Poy was somewhat
in hurry to undertake the trip, and ac-
celerated things with a knife and q
header into pit When the young men
at the laundry where Lai Poy was visit
ing, found their friend dead with his
throat cut and three gashes in his head,
Wah Lee, the dead Chinaman's boss, was
informed and he in turn informed the
Chinese consul of the facts, and then a
meeting of Lai Poy's friends was held
and it was determined that poor Lai Poy
should have as fine coffin, as much
roast pork, and as many fat pullets as
any other Celestial who had had a fash
ionable burial. The 9th of July was Sc
lected as the time for taking Lai Poy to
the cemetery of the Evergreens, but the
programme was changed. All day long
on Monday Lai Poy's body lay upon ice
in a box in the stable of a Mott street
undertaken. The hostlers washed car
riages and groomed horses within, and
young America and mature China
banged packs upon packs of fire crack
ers without. The master of ceremonies
was Ye King, little dried-up Chinaman,
the head partner in tea firm of Park
row. At the last moment he decided
that it wouldn't make any great differ
ence to Lai Poy if he waited until the
morrow. Anyway, Lai Poy had no
voice in the matter.
"Him belly good Chinaman," ex-
planned old Ye King, laying down his
pipe and gazing meditatively out of the
grimy window. Slim come Melica six
years ago, and catchee plenty money.
Him plenty friends. Fire fire-crackers
to-day, bury um to mellow, plenty nice"
Accordingly Lai Poy's friends dropped
around to the undertaker's shop early in
the morning for last view. The dead
Chinaman had been dressed in a white
tunic-the mourning color-and a natty
black skull-cap with the reddest of red
buttons on the top, Lai Poy during life
prided himself on the length, thickness
and texture of his cue. The thoughtful
undertaken had disposed this essen
tial to unquestioned entry into the Chi
nese- heaven so that its proportions and
beauty might be appreciated as it lay
over his bosom. The plate said that Poy
was in his 32d year when he elected to
die. Old Ye King was justly proud
Of the arrangements, for the coffin was
4 snowy, veneered affair, and the COM
position handles and buttons were inn
posing, Sixteen mourners entered four
carriages, the hearse door was snapped
shut, and the procession started for the
Evergreens. Some of Lai Poy's friends
wore blue, others soft brown silk, one
rom the consuPs office pale lilac tunic,
md one carriage with the nearest friends
lad occupants all in white. The other
nourners carried a huge hamper,
wherein were deposited little roast pig
III covered with icing and things, two
at pullets Drowned to a turn, biscuits,
candies, nuts, pot of excellent Sou
Jhong tea, punk, and praying papers of
,ilt. The friends smoked Scent cigars
md looked grave. When the cemetery
estial hill, the plot owned by the Chinese
and the body of Lai Poy was
deposited beside eighty-nine of his com-
rymen who learned all about the mys-
cries of the Chinese eternity at earlier
periods. The little pig and fat pullets
md the biscuits and things had fair
tart with La. .Poy, and were buried to-
,ether, while old Ye King burned punk
md incinerated little three-cornered bal
Oons of gold paper. Then they drove
,ack to Mott street and had tea.-New !
YOr< TTibune