The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-17

ering of farmers. who talk over crops and
prospects and get some social enjoyment
into their lives. 1t will be noticed that
old ladies. who were born and raised In the
country, when circumstances bring them
into town later in life. always have that
propensity for attending funerals. 1t is as
much a inheritance of country an
cestors as are farm and lands. The
unless the press notice contains the
expected, the house or church will be full.
Some go from desire, some from duty and
others from a midway standpoint. that
of feeling. well. / would GO to his or her
house If | was invited to An entertainment.
and therefore l go TO the funeral"
Thanks TO the common sense of America.
the day has not yet come when the family
hire mourners TO 60 TO the cemetery. In
persons ready to take q free rid in a closed
carriage. whether they are on terms of
intimacy with the family or not.
Tie needless expense Is another matter
mention carriages. flowers or other mat
tors" Other matters" are innumerable.
and it is the other matters" which
cost tho family moro than CARL
ages and flowers. The flowers are gen.
orally contributed by others than the FAM
lily. Flowers are beautiful and expensive.
There are persons TO whom the odOr of
tuberoses. lilies of the valley and Bermuda
lilies. III q close room Is utterly sickenlng.
and some persons. the ministers included,
suffer from nausea while attending funer-
ais. One clause, paragraph or resolution
which the ministers forgot was one to dis
courage gas-Iight funerals. That all the
windows sholld be darkened and the gas
lighted, simply to improve the complexion
which should not be tolerated. Such a
proceeding is too weak and watery for
sensible people to understand. There are
usually several women friends who 90 to
the house the day of the funeral, sweep,
dust. arrange flowers and perform a
hundred aud one necessary and unneoessa-
~ Offices, among them arranging the POSI-
ton of the corpse decorations and high or
low lights SO that the best possible effect
shall be attained, These women probably
know the critical remarks in regard to
each, which some one who will attend is in
the habit of making. and dreading the un-
kind ~utterances. study what will be apt TO
provoke the least remark. 1t is quite prob.
able that II the deceased had any remarks
TO make about it. they would be serious
objections to being made a spectacle of.
MOURNING.
The next to the last resolution is truly in
the interest of the family. that in regard to
wearing mourning. 1t is a fashion which
has prevailed for ages. In most countries
the mourning color is black. In
some it Is white. There are places
where red is the symbol of mourn
ing and others where q bright
yellow Is chosen. and SO on through all the
colOrs. Emblems of mourning are varied
in one country the people shave their
heads When member of the family dies,
and other equally absurd things are done.
1t is only form. only custom. and IN this
country If the color were any other than
black it would be worn just the same. Phil
adelphians tie their window shutters with
black rib bonsf for a year after a death. Ths
Widow Doodle. in one of Josiah Allen
Wife's' books. was about to be married q
second time. but she could not quite rec
Oncile herself TO leaving OFT black entirely
for her dear Doodle" SO she comforted
herself by wearing black garters and put
ting a black bombaZine pocket in her dress
As long as mourning dress Is the fashion,
Just so long Will women who arc physically
weak. as we'll as robust ones. load them.
selves down with heavy mourning. no mat
ter what the temperature may be. The
hottest day in July or August any one may
see dozens of women with black stuff
gowns and crepe wells. The same weigh
of clothes of any other kline they would
think themselves unable to bear at such @
season. There are numerous instances OF
the bad effects of crepe wells. One woman
est kind of mourning. and one part of bel
costume was a very thick and heavy creps
veil. She wore it over her face tor severa
months. She wept u great deal. and il
wiping her eyes sometimes the veil cam