Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-12-28
FUNERALS In ENGLAND.
CEREMONIES DENOTING SORROW AT
A LOVED ONES DEATH.

Methods Followed for Ages-Difference Be-
tween the Customs of Villagers and Lon
doners-Tne American Funeral Car
riage" Not Popular.
From gay to grave let US turn from the
London wedding to the London funeral. If
the former is full of most quaint and
curious customs, the latter is grewsome with
ponlp and circumstance. Woe is shown in
somber trappings indeed. The queen has set
the example Her Affections have been full
sore and many. Her grief has been reveled
in most ecstatically. To those who believe
in the grand words, 81 am the resurrection
and the lfe," there seems most superstitious
fetch worship in the custom of making pill
grimages to the tomb where rest only the
ashes of the loved one
OF course, the wearing of black is entirely
a matter of taste and temperament. 1t IS
unknown among many religious sects But
it is out Of the pale Of religion and under
guidance alone of individual preference.
Naturally there are those who are SO sad
dened by a death that the bright sun and
bright colors are alike painful to their vision.
To such the chastened character of black
garments alone accord with their feel
ings. Who shall say, then, that this is not
perfectly natural-nay, even poetic? But the
extra wide bands of black on letter paper
this seems a needless thrusting of grief on
other peoples sympathies
In the rural districts there are numerous
pretty customs relative to funerals. The
window of the room in which the death oc-
cured is always opened Immediately the
breath leaves the body to permit the spirit to
take flight After this the inside blinds are
closely shut. Also the house door is left ajar
on the day Of the funeral until after the re-
turn of the mourners. Because they say,
''to shut the door would be to shut out the
corpse To leave it open is to show a willing
ness to welcome the return of the disembodied
spirit" In the counties Of Somerset and
Hampshire the usual shroud of the simple
village folk is white cotton wadding sheet,
wrapped about the ordinary underclothing.
The coffin is borne on the shoulders of family
friends to the cemetery, the other mourners
following afoot.
THE HIRED CHUTE" IoURNERs.
In London all is reversed. Only men go to
the cemetery, and these the intimate family
friends. Women never go, and retire to
their chambers for the day to weep silently.
There is service at the cemetery chapel,
and sometimes a second one at the grave
itself. Only when the deceased has been a
great public man is there a service at the
church he attended in life, or in some noted
church, as st. Pauls, Westminster abbey or
the like, which is called ga mourning func-
ton" Again there are memorial services
every year for noted people,
Grape never figures on door handles or
bells. The blinds are down, the door knocker
muff1ed and very often straw is laid down in
the street to deaden the sound of traffic. 1t
is also an unwritten law for the immediate
neighbors to draw down their blinds. Thus
we know that the s'King of Terrors" holds
grim court within the house with muffied
knocker.
Those who observe olden rites employ
''mutes" to stand one each side the street door
to weep. These ''mutes" are furnished with
long Grape streanlers on their hats, and they
s'weep" for SO much the hour.
Truth compels the fact that these tears are
often the result Of copious rotations of gin
from pocket TASKS. They seem like pen and
ink sketches, every one dron exceedingly.
This, by the bye, is a Nineteenth century
survival Of a custom of the early Romans.
Another Roman custom, that Of 'funeral
baked meats" is still adhered to- Poor in
deed the London family who have no funeral
banquet provided for the mourners.
1t is regarded as barbarous or american,
don't you know" to keep the body less than
a week or ten days. The humid atmosphere
helps this "fad" somewhat. Little ice is used
and often none at all. Of course, in the case
of contagious disease the law steps in, COM
pelling immediate burial. No one can be
buried lacking burial certificate from the
parish physician. Thus the law aids the
physician in a way. Lacking the medical
guaranty an inquest is imperative.
HEARsE HORSES MUST BE BLACK.
Floral displays are even more extravaganza
than in America White flowers, colored
ones and Everlasting" ones, these are heaped
up in wholesale manner. The Everlasting"
ones come from Africa, and are sorts of dried
white pinks, sometimes called wrath flow
ersi They are graceful if ghost like bios
SONS. They are symbols of hope, and are
regarded, strangely enough, as ominous of
good. Then there are Dresden china floral
wreaths, used on graves; also composition
ones.
The funeral hearse, called ga car" is open
at the sides, without glass. Or it is boxed in
quite dark. The american funeral carriage'
is the one with glass sides, but they are not
popular. The hearse is ornamented with
huge waving plumes Of coal black. The
horses are jet black and have tails sweeping
to the ground. Their names are long and
full They walk solemnly and are specially
trained. They have to be broken to their
work, as they have originally tendencies to
break over the traces from excess of animal
spirits.
This allusion will be understood obviously.
The drivers sit up high, with pail of black
velvet thrown over their perch like seats.
The horses heads have decorations of huge
black ostrich plumes. An English funeral
crawling solemnly alohg is an impressive, if
somewhat grotesque, spectacle Most passers
by uncover the head, as on the continent. It
Is mute reverence to the ''dumb monarch
Ali passers by are hushed and reverent
Funeral cards Of invitation are sent to
friends Mourners also wear funeral me-
mortal rings. Funeral etiquette here is
labored and STRICT Undertakers say they
seldom have bad funeral debts.-Annie Wake
man in San Francisco Chronicle.