The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-15

A CURIOUS INCIDENT OF LIFE AND
DEATH IN NEW YORK.
How the Mourners Mingled b"s'ncss ana
Sorrow Ragged Children Follow the
M..,e-caIa Tunes by a Brass Hand.
MingiIng Grief and Giee
lsneclal corrcsnondence.l

strong a. Italian chtldicH usually arc,
but by careful nursing he lived to he
five months old Angelo got along nice
~ until the cold winds Of October came.
Then he caught q cold. and in one week
was dead. Angeles death occurred at
S o'clock in the evening, on the second
floor Of No. % Park street, over asIager
beor saloon. The mother OF thc child
drew the kitchen table to the middle OF
the room and spread over It sheet
taken from the top bureau drawer IN the
corner Over the sheet she placed a
wide piece Of cheap lace. which at some
time had evidently done duty as win
dow curtain. The lace work reached
down TO the floor. Upon the lace was
laid pillow icngthwise Of the table.
Another pillow was laid at right angles
with the first 1T the head Of the table.
Each pillow was trimmed with cheap
lace. When the lonely bier was all
ready. the mother, with reverent hands,
Fitted 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
;he top bureau drawer believed with
tears
By this time the news had spread and
the ncighbors began TO come in. These
bean 10 decorate the room in Q manner
usual among the Neapolitans. A bed
sheet was tackled upon the ceiling. Then
three more sheets were hung from the
ceiling in such manner rs 10 inciose
the dead child on three sides. BY this
time tho father Of the infant had re
turned from millinery store in Divi-
sion street with some artificial tlowers
and mortuary ornaments. One Of these
consisted Of bouquet of white flowers
mingled with red and green blossoms of q
most vivid hue. Upon the bouquet wa
perchcd white dove with outspread
wings. Xhis was placed upon the baby's
breast 4 chaplet OF artificial flowers
was placed over the brow of the dead
baby. Bright cOlOrel handkerchiefs
were busy upon the sheets. The whole
scene was picturesque and striking
The infants face wore peaceful ex
preston. rs il he had fallen asleep.
As the nisht wore on the watchers
dropped asleep in their chairs. But the
mother. who sat near the head Of the
baby. rocked 10 and fro, and as intervals
called to the infant in Italian TO return
TO her. II Is the custom among the
poorer classc, Of Italians for the mother
not 60 eat ANYTHING until after the fune
raj is over. Sometimes the mothers g
without food for three days In the
morning a male Italian learned of tho
childs death. He also learned from the
family that an undertaken was needed
lie turned across the street to tho shoI
OF Charles Bacegalupo and informed the
undertaken that his services were re
CURED. By 50 doing he secured 10 per
cent. Of the money derived from the flu
neral expenses. The undertaken placed
n bow knot aud sireancrs of white Grape
upon the outer door of the tenement
Over this he hung a silver cord, indicat
ing that the silver chord of life was
broken, rs spoken in the book of Ecclesi
astes. He also placed brazen sconce
i'm which seven candles were burning, al
the head OF the table upon which the
baby lay. together with figure Of Chris
upon the cross. The undertaken ais
hired fourcoaches to convey the mourn
ess to Calvary cemetery, paying Si.jl
apiece for them. These were sublet L
the mourners at the rate of Sl.2j a head
The father Of the dead baby thought
brass band was necessary in order t
make the funeral complete. The banC
was secured at its headquarters in lager
beer saloon in Mulberry street. fiiteeI
pieces were hired at 81 per man. Tn
itinerary of the band included a wall
around the block and thence to Jane
slip. distance of about one mile.
At 10 o'clock the coffin was carried un
der the undertahef's ANN across the street
10 the room where the body lay. 1t wa
about three feet long, and was made o.
cheap white wood covered with papiel
mache. At intervals upon the sides anC
top Of the coilin were little decoration
evidently cut with a die out of block tin
These were made to represent Roman
urns. with a lion asleep upon the top
While the undertaken was putting the
baby in the coffin the band came strag
Cling up the street.
The men wore no uniforms. They
went into the saloon under the room
where lay the baby. \ white heafse
made to carry babies also came TO thu
door. followed 10y the four coaches. The
band came ont of the saloon and each
man blew a few preliminary toots upon
his instrument. Then swarthy Italian
came down the stairs with the little coffin
in his arms. He was followed 10y bare
Leaded woman carrying the bouquets and
Mo dove These were placed on top o.
the coffin as it lay in the hearse. The
band ranged itself in irregular fashion in
the middle Of the street 1t struck up a.
spirited Strauss waltz and the procession
started. The only one who showed any
symptoms q! grief was the mother OF the
baby. At the first sound of the music
children began to gather from every
direction. Every window was filled with
heads. The crowd filled the sidewalk,
and literally crowded the mourners
There was a halt at the corner of Baxter
street by the band 10 permit the coaches
10 catch up.
When the procession started again
fifty children. from B TO 10 years old
marched ahead, keeping time to the
music. which was of the most jubilanl
kind Among these children were two
little girls about years old. Each car
ried over her shoulder an infant about az
cid as the t-by IN the hearse. The living
babies were az ROSY as red apples They
looked with woAdts.ss clV5 at the brass
band spiliing music all over the muddy
street. Both OF the girls who carried the
babies were barelooicd and bareheaded
The visible ilesh vas Drowned from con
slant exposure TO the SUM- BY the time the
rortcSc had gone distance OF 800 wards
from the starting point. the sidewalks OF
Baxter street had become impossible OIL
uccouuf of Tho crowd Tho nroceeSiou