Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-23

and frightening the time during which
mourning is to be worn, until it seems as
though complete revolution were need
full in popular sentiment to bring things
back to their right state.
In no other Christian land could one
see, as / have seen here, a mother wearing
deep mourning for five years for young
daughter, even when God in his goodness
had left several other children. The con-
slant sight of the black Grape was not only
depressing to the wearer, but to every
member Of the family, until it seemed as
though they never could smile again. In
this case the mother was a Christian and
the father was not, and she lost good OPP
portunity to prove, by cheerful acquies--
cence in the Divine will, that she believed
that the Lord had done all things well. y
Gentlemen, as rule, dislike deep mourn
ing, and in this case, as in many others l
could mention, the head of the house
protested in vain against the depress-
ing black garments and begged for more
cheerful garments in his home.
An old lady died last summer, and her
three daughters now come to church SO
shrouded in Grape that they are not reeog-
nizable, and it is positive trial to sit be-
hind them, as they never lift their wells,
even in church. Now, when one consid-
ers that their mother was an.aged Christ
ian, who had lived out full life of useful
ness, and was glad to go to join her hus-
| band in the heavenly home, it does seem
strange that Christian daughters should
grieve as " those who have no hope"
h1I,n
length and weight, and then complain OF
pain in the head. This seems so senseless
that one loses patience, and little feeling
of contempt takes the place of sympathy.
And what shall be said of the startling in
congruity of diamonds worn with the
deepest Grape? Jewels are certainly sup
posed to indicate a desire for personal
adornment quite out of keeping with the
selfforgetfulness which true sorrow pro-
duces. And yet this incongruity can be
seen on our streets every day in the year.
And there is another custom equally strik-
ing and homogeneous, and this is the wear
ing OF flowers with deep mourning. | do
not mean a modest bunch of yiolets or
lilies of the valley, but huge bunch of
jacqueminot roses, as for coaching pa
rade. In such cases, which is intended to
make the deepest impression on the passer-
by, the somber mourning garb, or the gay
adornment of the flowers?
Expense is a great objection to deep
mourning. Almost every lady has black
dress which could be used, did custom
allow. But fashion has ordained that only
certain material in black, and bonnets of a
certain style, can be worn And so, while
grief is at its hight, and the expense of
illness and funeral still unprovided for,
the dressmaker must be called in and Or
ders given for costly mourning. Just at a
time when the loving heart cries out for
quiet and peace there must be choosing of
samples and fitting of costumes. Because
of the example of the well-to-do, this presses
hard upon the poor. In a mission church
in this city the expenses of a young girls
funeral $50 were paid from the church
fund, but the next Sunday her two sisters
appeared in fresh mourning, including long
wells, for which they had run into debt.
A carpenter in village of New Jersey
having died, his wife and five daughters
all dressed in the deepest black to do
honor to his memory, but when rent day
came they had not cent for the house
holder, poor woman who was dependent
on that rental for her daily bread.
Grape wells always seem to need adjust
ing, and appear to absorb in large de-
gree the attention of their wearers At a
prayer-meeting last year l saw the lady
who was presiding raise her hands fourteen
times (by actual count to arrange her
veil, and at times | did not wonder, as it
was continually falling over her face. But
was it sensible to wear any article of dress
which so interfered with her duties?
What a good thing it would be if the
Christian women of America would say:
ave shall take this matter into our
hands, and wear quiet, transformations
mourning as a protection to our feelings,
but we will not run into debt for mourn
ing we will not wear Grape wells over our
faces, to the injury of our eyes and general
health, and we will not proclaim our grief
to the world by black borders half an inch
wide on our cards and writing paper, ncr
will We prolong the time of our mourning
beyond reasonable limits"
Let us show by our influence and exam
pie that we are Christians, and that we
believe our partings from those we love
are but separations for time, according
to the Fathers will, and that joyful re-
union is surely awaiting us in another and
better world