The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-10-31
THE END OF MAN..
Doath the Most Expensive Episode
in Our Career.
Professional Grief Comes High and Is Not
Popular in This Country-so Notable
FuneraIs-ReIectfons Of
Clergyman.

what" was asked of well-known
undertaken, "does it cost a person to
die nowadays?'
Do you mean to just simply die, or
to die and be buriedp II the latter,
all the way from IS to IS. 000"
--- Death md funerals are not cheerful
subjects-to discourse about, but they
are Two Things to- which all people are.
SO morally certain TO come that they
may be considered propg subjects for
Dissatisfaction tho certainty OF the
coming fate invests the funeral, at
Leaf {, with no ordinary Interests 1t
becomes one OF the few c0mmonplaces
which never fail to impress one with
feelings Of curiosity, solemnity and
awe. In order that the last two may
not predominant, fashionable funer-
ais are heard Of the world over, while
lii many cases even this last solemn
rite has blended with it eccentricities
Which mot far from humorous
There are many people," said the flu
neral director, whose love OF singu-
larity is not limited to the scenes
which they themselves can witness
and enjoy. They may be said in one
sense to wish to live again on this
earth after their death, and to partici-
pate in their own post-mortem celeb
-riityy.This eccentricity is not CON
fined to the questions whether or not
their dead bodies shall be inclosed in
Collins for :nierment, nor whether
they shall be y buried standing
mp, sitting down, or PROSTATE
'':alnA their backs. it manifests it
seH@ also: in the ,yestments to
he worn by the deceased in the grave,
the procession or coptege to the place
Of interment. the selection and treat
mcnt OF the mourners, the position and
materials of the grave. the nature and
arrangement OF the tomb or monument
and the -provisienfe for Keeping it in re-
pair Individual whimsicalities these,
not belonging to any particular ma
ton, creed, age efppofession, and they
account for many of the peculiarities
OF funerals that are so observable"
'.But as TO the costp'
'".Oh, yes, the cost Well. as said.
it may run all the way from S. to
-;S5,6e9,z depends altogether upon
The ability topay and the desire OF the
late lamented's friends to be quiet and
=ttnassuming or ostentatious, but the
ordinary, gentcel funeral will cost in
The neighborhuod OF $3.50. This, In
-1e(edes- decent casket, enough car
! riages to accommodates the immediate
friends OF the deceased. the under
takers and the sections services.
This presumes that the family pos
sessesa burial lot and will not have
10 pay for that. and that no extrava-
cancels entered into in the matter oil
flowers or funeral .feasts.
: Going backward, and reducing ex.
pehses-c askets can be procured al
almost any price, even as low as So,
but the latter of course will be neither
siyer-mounted, nor made of rosewood,
saliar lined with satin. and fine hearse
: drawn by four horses. can not be util
! lied. But no man need be buried in
thepetter's= field il he dies possessed
of$lo.
Ola the other hand, the $3.50 ordi
narily paid can be increased indefinite.
". you might say. There are al
kinds Of very expensive caskets now
ddays, which are largely purchased
Some OF them are made OF expensive
and rare woods, with velvet trappings
ana silver mountings; others are made
OF metal. These cost lots of money
Sonrs~of them as much as 81, 800. ant
$1,000, Where they are purchased
ett4SF things are generally in proper
-tlon-hnndreds Of dollars worth Q
Z. rare flowers; scores OF carriages; thu
elaborate entertainment of invitet
asie~ts;;, and last, but not least, In al
ptoDapllity acostly monument. Fash
Hnahle. weddings are expensive
enough. but fashionable funerals ar
more so. They involve so much ex
Fensc that persons lin moderate cir
SHmslances are often in a straitswher
aaey find it hard to live. but can no
afford to die ;"
Arc there such things as profes
93onal mourners in ChicagoP"
Yes, there are,n said the under
ker, although their services ar
not Often called into requisition- Blu
occasionally am called upon to sup
lGys them, and am prepared to do SO
i'hhd such6a call the other day, an,
,uinlshed half dozen mournefs VIII
'so never seen or heard ofsthe de
o,asea,E ont wept copiously for him
hese people receive I've dollars eacl
,oI Their services, and to my mind
s'x,nlo'hng such grief "a they do Tor
s@anfer " worth the money!