San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-16
ALPINE FUNERALS.
CEREMONIAL VISIT TO THE BED
OF THE DYING.

Funeral Meats and Drinks-Respects Paid
to the Dead In Carinthia-Nasivs soci
ETY. Of the AIps-soenes and Features
After the Burial
In the remote country districts 1t may also
be said that the funeral begins before the
death. As soon as any man or woman Is
supposed to be in the last agony not only all
neighbors and friends, but perfect strangers,
are informed Of the fact and expected to pay
ceremonial visit The guests simply enter
the sick room, take a long look at the dying
man and 60 their ways No prayer 10 said.
hardly a word 10 spoken; yet even the chance
wayfarer who declines to enter the house OF
death on such occasions II considered
strangely heartless
After death the stream Of visitors ceases.
but only for short time As soon a. the
body has been prepared for burial a long Ia
BILE Is spread In the room where II lies and
covered with wine, spirits and cold viands Of
every description, and here open house Is
held day and night till the funeral starts for
the churchyard Whoever comes, known
or unknown, rich or poor, Il not only al
lowed, but urged, to eat and drink as much
as he can Beside the coffin at least two
huge wax candles, which have been fetched
from the church, burn dimly. and near them
two old women sit or kneel They are paid
for their services, and supposed to pass their
time in prayer. From time to time they are
relieved by others, and they then usually
make a somewhat heightened pause at the Ia,
ole before going home. After the return OF
the funeral the chief mourner invites every
one who has attended it to a hot meal, which
is as sumptuous as he can afford. and which
usually ends in hard drinking
FUNERAL IN cARINrHIA.
Customs of this kind are not prevalent In
Carinthia or Upper Carniola, funerals are
there conducted with perfect quiet and de
cency. Yet in some observances one may
find either the germ or the relic Of much that
shocks US in other districts On the whole
the arrangements seem to be adjusted to the
present religious beliefs and requirements of
the community. and it Is easy to see bow
they might degenerate into such excuses as
have been mentioned A simple account
of funeral in Carinthia will show this
better than any amount Of abstract argu
ment
As soon as the body has been placed in the
coffin and the room put in order, the latter Is
thrown open TO the visitors In Roman
Catholic country it Is natural that rich and
poor should alike wish to say a few prayers
for the soul of one who has been their friend
their companion or their benefactor Among
the educated classes certain hours are ap
pointed for the purpose, among the poorer it
is usual to keep the house open day and
night During the greater part of the time
the mourners pray silently, but at certain
hours one of them repeats aloud the prayers
in which the others join. On leaving the
room each OF the visitors is offered piece Of
bread and glass Of wine or spirits, and the
poor are apt to be offended if the offer Is re
fused Among a hospitable population this
custom cannot be considered strange. but it
must be confessed that, though the refresh
ments are usually consumed in perfect 81
lence, it is open to abuse. Beggars will come
six or seven times in the day for the sake of
the dram with which their devotions are re
warded, and as it often happens that no
member of the family is present, and as no
one would like at such a season to be guilty
Of an ungracious act, it is very difficult to
keepa proper check on such persons
THE NATIVE SOCIETY.
The native society of the Alps is some
what peculiar in its character. The better
class of the officials have, for the most part
been educated in the same schools and many
of them have there formed lasting friend
ships with each other. In later years they
rarely meet, except at the annual meetings
of the societies Of which they may happen
to be members; but the old affection still re-
mains unimpaired When the news of the
death Of an old forester or priest spreads
from valley to valley it therefore awakens
many kind memories Of old times, and on
the day of the funeral old companions will
often come some thirty or forty miles, even
when a railway cannot be used, to pay the
last tribute Of respect to the dead In tho
towns these visitors put up at different inns:
only those who are very intimate with the
| family think Of entering the house Of mourn
ing.
At the appointed hour they gather outside
the door, accompany the funeral to the
churchyard, and on its return speak a few
words Of sympathy to the family As a
| rule, no refreshment Is offered them ONLY
| the bearers Of the coffin, who are usually in
y