The rustler., 1891-09-25

ner with after the last funeral
''Do ron manage these things better
In China
'-Of courSe We do We 90 on the
ground that nobody has any right 20
and die before they have ai least
partially Atoncd for the many troubles
aud trials they gave 90 their parents.
and II they do they don't deserve an cK-
pensive funeral"
"what do you do with them them
''Well. we have these rules; For all
deaths before the agc Of Eve n simple
bundle Of hay l. wrapped around tho
body and tied with the cheapest rope
possible. A hole IL dug In the most OBJ
scurc part OF the hillside and into Il the
bundle Is thrown. sometimes covered
and sometimes exposed purpoSely forthe
body to be devoured by dogs and wild
beasts II all depends upon the tenn
permanent of the parents offended by
their daring 10 die NO young.
For all deaths before the age OF
twenty and after the age OF five. when
parents are yet alive. n rough. unpaint-
ed pine box i made, aud this coffin Is
carried. pig fashion, between two men.
and. like the other, is buried In the OBJ
scure places in the mountains or hills
Those youths who have married. but
have no male issue, are buried quietly
In the family graveyard, but without
ceremony. II they have male issue.
and their own parents are still living.
their bodies will be inferred In the reg
ular family plot with only half Of the
usual ceremonies II their parents are
both dead, then no matter how young
they may be. 80 long as they are them
selves the parents of legal son, their
bodies are Inferred with the full cere-
monies Of full man or woman, as the
case may be.
mo matter how loving the parents
may be toward their children, they
cannot follow their bodies to their
graves. II is deemed n sacrilege and n
curse TO the children's souls. While ON
the other hand. no matter how high n
son may be In an official position. he
has to unbraid his long queue, dress in
sack cloth and follow the hcarse of his
parents on foot, while other mourners
may ride. The eldest son is always
the chief mourner. and daughters are
only the same as friends OF the family;
they cannot be considered as legal
mourners OF the family.
During the first month the eldest
son is not allowed TO cleanse himself or
: eat fancy food Every time he meets
nc he lSnccls and the one Snelt to
Iquiclsly advance 10 raise him and
him word of comfort
must dress himself in pure white
head TO foot for two years, and on
mira, or last, year Of his mourning
, .-. sears only black. AS long rs no
, lives he must decorate and worship tho
! graves Of his parents. -Four times each
] year, and every time take some eat
4 ables, such as roasted pigs, chickens.
A etc, to offer To the starving souls Of
!, his beloved parents When they die
I. their duties NJ these graves are roligi-
ously intrusted to their sons
. "Do the Amcricpns wonder why
a Cinnamon give great dinners for the
!. birth of a son. and swear like n Yankee
. because it was n girl, who Is only
!, brought up for the benefit of another's
family? The philosophical reason OF
i all the children dying before the age
Of five being buried without even a cof
>. fin, is because they have only lived
= long enough to give their parents
plenty Of trouble and pain, and any
!, further expense in their behalf after
- death is simply pure waste.
4 "When they die over five and below
:, twenty years Of age it is presumed
!, that they had partially fulfilled Their
. duties toward their parents, therefor,
= they deserve to have at least a coiiir
!, and n grave, but yet do not posses,
. merit enough to be inferred in the fam
- lily plot, as they were not married peo
4. pie, and had no use for family associa
q tions These children who married
- and leave male issue before death
have more than partially fulfilled thci
= filial duties, and, therefore, are given
~ y coffin and grave In the family plot b.
!, the parents, while his own son accord
~ him the proper funeral rites, as all son
~ should.
"The highest ambition of n China
= man may not be to have an cXpcnsiv,
: marriage, but is always TO have glori
!, ous funeral lie wants to be sure oi
this point, and, unless Chinaman ha
lots OF good relatives or n dutiful son
he usually prepares his own funera
- many years in advance He measures
=, ~ and gets his own coffin made, and care
- - fully lays 1t away in some part of tn
- house.
~ ~ "The richer the dead the longer tn
"A funeral. Some of these bodies lay 70
sa twcnty-one days in state, and durin
:, all that time friends and relatives, fa
y, near, come before 1t TO worship il
"a" while others who wish 10 nunaar friend