Telegram-herald., 1889-12-15
IN ITALIAN FUNERAL
A Curious Incident Of Life ans
Death ia New York.
BUSINESS AID SORROW MINGLED
EAsssd Chuarsa Fellow the sfusie-Oai&
Tunes - Brass band alastns
Orlet aad OIes-A Description
OF an Itzlians lat Rids.

strong as ItalaH children usually are,
but by careful nursing be lived % bs
Eve months Ola Angelo gor along nice
Is until the cold winds II October came.
Thea ne cauglt s cold, and in one week
was dead Angeles death occurred at
: o'clock in Tie evening, on tine second
foor OF No. 50 Pax street. over lager
bees saloon. Ihe mother OF the child
drew the kitchen table u the middle of
the room ana spread over IL sheet
taken from the top bureau drawer IN the
corner. over the sheet she placed
wide piece Of cheap lace. which al some
time had evidently done duty Is a win.
dow curtain The lace work reached
down TO the hoor. Upon the lace was
laid a pillow lengthwise of the table.
Another pillow was laid at right angles
with the first ar the head OF the table.
Each pillow was trimmed with cheap
lace. When the lonely bier was all
ready, the mother, with reverent hands,
lifted the child upon the pillows. The
little cheap shoes, badly worn at the
toes and heels, were then removed, and
white slippers were put upon the baby's
feet. The useless shoes were placed in
the top bureau drawer bedewed with
tears.
By this time the news had spread and
the neighbors began 10 come in. These
began to decorate the room in a manner
usual among the Neapolitans. a bed
sheet was tackled upon the ceiling. Then
three more sheets were hung from the
ceiling in such n manner as TO inclose
the dead child on three sides. BY this
time the father OF the infant had re-
turned from millinery store in Divi-
sion street with some artificial flowers
and mortuary ornaments. One OF these
consisted of bouquet of white flowers
mingled with red and green blossoms of a
most vivid hue. Upon the bouquet was
perched a white dove with outspread
wings. This was placed upon the baby's
breast A chaplet Of artificial flowers
was placed over the brow of the dead
baby. Bright cOlored handkerchiefs
were busy upon the sheets. The whole
scene was picturesque and striking.
The infants face wore peaceful ex-
preston, as if he had fallen asleep
As the night wore on the watchers
dropped asleep in their chairs. But the
mother. who sat near the head Of the
baby, rocked TO and fro, and at intervals
called 70 the infant in Italian 10 return
to her 1t is the custom among the
poorer classes of Italians for the mother
not to eat anything until after the fune-
raj is over. Sometimes the mothers 90
without food for three days. In the
morning a male Italian learned OF the
childs death. He also learned from the
family that an undertaken was needed.
He turned across the street TO the shop
of Charles BacegalupO and informed the
undertaken that his services were re-
quired. By so doing he secured 10 per
cent. of the money derived from the fu-
neral expenses. The undertaken placed
n bow knot and streaIners of white Grape
upon the outer door Of the tenement.
Over this he hung a silver cord, inGicat-
ing that the silver chord Of life was
broken, as spoken in the book of Ecclesi-
astcs lie also placed a brazcn sconce,
in which seven candles were burning, at
the head OF the table upon which the
baby lay. together with figure Of Christ
upon the cross. The undertaken also
hired four coaches 70 convey tine mourn
ers to Calvary cemetery, paying $50
apiece for them. These were sublet 20
the mourners at the rate Of s1.25 a head.
The father of tho dead baby thought
brass band was necessary in order TO
make the funeral complete. The band
was secured at its headquarters in a lager
beer saloon in Mulberry street. Fifteen
pieces were hired at S2 per man. The
itinerary Of the band included 4 walk
around tho block and thence TO James
slip. 4 distance Of about one mile.
At 10 o'clock the coffin was carried un-
der tho undertaken arm across the street
% the room where the body lay. It was
about three feet long, and was made Of
cheap white wood covered with paQier
mache At intervals upon the sides and
top of the coffin were little decorations
evidently cut with a die out Of block tin.
These were made 70 represent Roman
urns. with a lion asleep upon the Top.
While the undertaken was putting the
baby in the coffin the band came straC-
Cling up the street
The men wore no uniforms. Thov
went into the saloon under the room
where lag she baby a white tosrse.
made 90 carry babies. also came 20 the
door, followed b7 the four coaches Tle
bard came out of tire saloon ana each
man blew few preliminary too.s upon
his instrument Then q svarra7 ItaI an
came down the stairs vvita the iItue
Ia h.s arms. lie vas followed ~ 2 bare
beaded woman carving The bouquets and
TIE dove These were placed cn top p
tle cofnn ss it 'sT In the hea-se. The
band ranged ,Jsef i1 irregrl Isr fashion IN
.-a mid r. - the s-reet Il srrs.k 30
81 rtsI Strauss rsltz and the p-o-osz rn
s-s-ted Iae oui7 ore who showed any
symptoms ~ E~ief rss the ro-a ~ t-e
asay Arta- frst sound r rae muse
-hillrsn began 20 gather from every
-e~-ion. Every Window vas SLED V.rn
reads. TIE crowd fled -ae slevs ss
sud literally crowded tre upaurns~s
Trers was 8 bait e. taa co~rer - haree-
street. ~ NE sscd to permit fae .osc1-s
70 Gates I'D
ben tHs cr-cessson s-arts1 arsi7
fftT cti-3rs1. froa 3 81 81 years -1
marched aasad Keeping SINE M tas
-1si1 nhich rss of t1= rso~f s-f
Erd. Anaorg 1hese ~ rrs- F-a 0
lissas EiTis ssyaa ~sa-s r. Esah car
I'D oveT 80 ssru t6rT az -fsrf aoout -
"a - - tasv q. rhe hes-ee ~ .ri-r
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