Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-23
THEY PAINT C0RPSES.
Some Odd Ceremonies in Chile Over
the Bodies of the Dead.
A DEAD CHILD ON A PLANK.
Almosta Revolution Over the Burial Of a
Man Who Defied Priest.
SUIT OVER THE COST OF NOISES
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH,

CORRESPONDENTS OF THE DIsPkrCH.1
CoNoEPCIoN, CHILE, Aug IA sound
OF music attracted me to the window this
morning, and what do you think saw2 A
mahogany-hued peon, or Chilean peasant,
carrying on his outstretched hands board,
about five feet long, and on the plank a
dead child, attired in a red calico frock.
The small corpse was that of girl, appa-
rently years old. The lower extremities
were encased in white cotton hose, "a world
too wide for the shrunk shank" a jaunty
wreath of paper roses crowned the smoothly
braided jet black hair; the cheeks were hor-
r1bly daubed with vermilion to simulate
the hue of health, and the wide open eyes
seemed staring into infinity.
| The plankbearer was followed by two
women, evidently the mother and grand
mother of the deceased, who walked with
an air OF conscious importance as becomes
those who have furnished an "angelito"
Qhttle angeD to swell the heavenly host.
| Behind the women marched two men, play
| ing with might and main, one on fiddle,
the other on a guitar, each intent on a tune
OF his own, regardless of the others per-
formance; while the rear was brought up by
a laughing and chattering dozen or more Of
men, women and children, most of whom
gave indubitable evidence of unwise gener-
osity on somebody's part in the way of
chicha- They were on the way to the pam
theon to inter the "little angel" over
| which they had been dancing and drinking
for three days past-and which, possibly,
| had been loaned once or twice in the mean
time to friends who were not so fortunate as
to have corpse in the family.
AN EXCUSE FOR AN oRG1E
Among the more degraded class of Chill
| cans it is general custom to make death
an excuse for orgies as wild and ridiculous
| as those of the tabled wake; and the body of
child especially is often kept for festive
purposes until it becomes offensive to all
who approach the house.
In this queer country there is funny
side, even to funerals. A member of the
United States Navy Astronomical Expedi-
t1on in Chile, made some years ago, tells the
story of common occurrence. He said:
Returning late one night from a dancing
party, had the opportunity of witnessing
| festivities of quite a different character
Passing in front of a small casa, my atten-
tion was attracted by loud singing and
shouting within. A woman who stood in
the doorway, seeing me pause, invited me
to enter. What is going on?' I asked.
'EStGnloS vaLa1sdo an angelic de DioS' Eve are
watching an angel of Cod, she replied. My
curiosity being excited by such an an
swer I entered. The room was
crowded with men and women of the lower
classes, engaged in drinking and clapping
their hands to the music of two females,
who sat on the floor, guitar in hand, sing
ing a drawling ditty, the burden of which
was the happiness of something or some
body in heaven. But the most prominent
object was a kind of rude altar, set round
xr,th 1rrh4 h4ol i I
tinsel flowers. In the midst of these sat
the life-sized figure of an infant, dressed in
tawdry fnery, adorned with gauze wings,
its face profusely painted red and white.
1t is the image of some saint, said to my
self, and was turning away; when second
glance convinced me that there was some
thing unusual about this figure. The hair
looked very natural; the eyes were strangely
vacant and tilmy, and even the finger nails
were perfectly formed.
COULD SCARCELY BELIEVE HIS SENSES.
'There seemed to be good deal too much
of art for nature, and yet too much of nature
for art I approached to scrutinize it more
closely, and was Mortified to discover that
it was a corpse. what is that?' I asked
of bystander 'Un angelito, senor' Gan
angel, sir'), he replied "A what2' "A
dead child, sir.
OuG Gall uuutrSIduu now Teu0eQ SenG1-
ments may induce the bereaved mother to
strew the bier of her infant with fresh flow
ers-emblems of youth, beauty and inno-
cence-but this display of paint and tinsel,
this maudlin blasphemy and midnight de-
bauchery in the presence of the dead, is re-
voting"
Among the better classes Of Chileans
funerals are conducted on pretty much the
same plan as in other civilized countries,
except that here ladies' never attend them.
1t is customary for all the friends and
acquaintance of the afflicted family to pay
them visits of coincidence within ten days |
after the obsequies. For a month the |
mourners are expected to sit in one corner |
of darkened parlor. The condoling callers |
approach them, one after another, occupy |
the nearest chair for five minutes or more, |
while expressing their sympathy for the |
living and regret for the dead; then make |
their bows and retire as succeeding arrivals |
move up. A refreshment table is generally |
spread in an adjoining apartment, at which |
visitors may fortify themselves for this
onerous duty of friendship, or refresh them
selves after its performance.
Among many odd incidents pertaining to
funerals, the following is still much talked
of hereabouts. Some ten years ago well
known citizen of Conception, who had /
served his country faithfully and lived sans
peur ct sans reproche as Chilean citizens go,
quarreled with the middle-aged mother of
his half dozen children. She took "French
leave" one night, and nothing was heard of
her afterward. Having remained in single
blessedness year or two, without being
able to ascertain whether the runaway
spouse was living or dead, the gentleman
took a younger woman to wife, contrary to
the wishes Of the church.
A FIGHT OVER A BURIAL.
Shortly after the second marriage he be-
came so sick that his life was despaired Of
Of course, the friends sent for priest-who
came and commanded the man to renounce
the new wife before he could receive abso-
luton. This the husband refused to do,
and the priest retired in high dudgeon,
without leaving behind the desired pass
through purgatory. The man grew rapidly
worse, and the priest was called again, and
yet again, the latter always making the
same demand, with the same result. Threats
followed, of direst eternal consequences;
and finally the poor harassed man, unable
to give up the ghost in peace, seized re-
volver from under his pillow and drove the
priest from the room.
Half an hour later he was dead-and the
church refused to bury him. The family