The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-09
QUEER FUNERAL NOTIONS.
How the Eccentricitles Of Some Mel
Find Play.

How the Eccentricities OF Some mem
Find Play.
The story is told Of certain Frenchman
who had been a great collector of coins,
says writer in Casselrs Magazine. BY his
will he directed that his obsequies should
be performed with every accompaniment
calculated to inspire mirthful feeling. His
body was to be wrapped in tanned pigskin
and buried cofinless in standing position
upon pile of charcoal. Laurel branches
were to be carried by the mourners, and on
returning from the church they were to
throw open the chambers in which his
treasures were deposited, and all corners
were welcome to help themselves as they
pleased to the contents. It was core dis
appointment to the public, however, to find
that before they were admitted the servants
of the deceased had decamped with every
thing that was portable.
The wishes of curious character, who
was named Hilkington, better known as
Squire Hawley, were fully carried out a
few years ago at place near Dorchester.
He was buried in his own garden, amid the
graves of his own dead cattle, which had
been stricken down by rinderpest. He
was laid out in full hunting costume, in
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stone coffin weighing upward of ton,
which had to be lowered into the grave by
means of crane. His old pony was shot
and buried at his feet, and at his head were
laid the bodies of his favorite dog and an
old fox. All his property was left to his
servances were fully carried out; in default
the estate was to 90 to the priest of Don
chester for the benefit of the Roman Cath
Ole church: The groom. however, did not
suffer the bequest to himself to lapse.
It is related that certain crotchety old
tions that on the day of his burial great
public breakfast should be given in the
town where he might die, and that his cof-
fin, slung upon towels knotted together,
should be borne along by knots of men and
"bumped'' three times upon particular
heap of stones, and that 1.-The Lamenta-
tions of Sinner should be sung. A still
more important provision was made
regarding the presence Of mourners
in the churchyard. Every man,
woman and child who entered the ground
with or after the procession had to receive
dole of sixpence. Never before or since,
We are told, was that churchyard so full OF
people.
| A Sussex gentleman named Jack Fuller
ordered his executors to bury him in q
pyramidal mausoleum in Brighting church
yard. His reason for desiring to be in
closed in stone above ground was his un.
willingness to be eaten by relatives pro
cess he considered inevitable if buried ir
the ordinary way. "The worms" he de-
clared, would eat me, the ducks would ea1
the worms, and my relatives would eat ths
ducks.'
A gentleman named Underwood LEFT
$1,000 to his sister on condition that shs
had him buried in particular fashion
Six gentlemen were appointed to follow
him to the grave, where they were t.
sing the last stanza of the twentieth
ode Of the second book of Horace
Mourning was forbidden to be worn
no bell had to be tolled and no rela
ton was to follow the corpse. The si1
chosen gentlemen were to be the onl.
mourne,s. The coffin was painted greer
and the deceased was buried with hi
clothes on. Three copies Of Horace wer
placed in the grave with him, together witt
Bentley's Milton and Greek testament
After supper the six mourners sang the ode
all being in strict accordance with the will
of the deceased.