The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-11-15
ONE COUNTRY CUSTOM
HOW SYMPATHY WELLS UP WHEN
DEATHS SHADOW DEScENDS.

farmhouse WneTe ne was DOTI-ln bnt |
quiet peaceful neighborhood in which he
had grown almost to manhood, where for
miles around the farmers and their fam
flies knew him or his parents. Before the
sun set that warm summer day everybody
knew that Thomas Bakers son James was
dead, and that the funeral would occur
two days later at o'clock p. m. How did
everybody know it2 The clerk in the store
at the Corners told it to such farmers, their
wives, sons and daughters as came to
trade, and they passed the word along, If
no one was visible in the fields, they called
In front of each house they passed until the
door opened Ii the caller was the farmer
or one of his sons, the message of death
was delivered in this way:
"Tom Bakers boy Jim died yesterday.
Funeral day after tomorrow at o'clock"
If the farmers wife or daughter told the
sorrowful news, it was done in this way, or
about so: MRS. Thomas Bakers son James
is dead-died at 0 o'clock this morning. He
will be buried day after tomorrow at Q.
Mrs. Diedrch will take bunch of sweet
pea blossoms, egd am going to send John
ny over to thcEpond for some lilies. Can't
you take some pansies, phlox and gerani-
ums2 l heard that Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Vim
cent and Mrs. Good are going to take mi
gnonette and goldenrod."
l was nearly half mile away, but l
heard Farmer Loehr call to Farmer Holiday
and say: Did you know that poor Jim
Baker was tSad9 Yes, died this morning.
Burial takes place at o'clock Wednesday,"
Not less than dozen different persons told
the news to my entertainers, pioneers of the
neighborhood. That is the way everybody
for five miles roundabout came to know Of
the sorrow in the home of generous neigh
Dor Baker
My friend asked me If cared to go to the
funeral. did. The day before had taken
long ride through the neighh 1od and
had noticed that all the farmer their
sons and on some farms the ives and
daughters were as busy as beavers in har-
vest fields. The broad brimmed hats all
wore-men, boys and women-the plain
gray, brown or half red wearing apparel
made the women all look alike, and it was
not easy to tell one man from another. But
they were substantial citizens, specimens
of the real bone and sinew of the land
"They will not look like the same people
when you see them at young Bakers funer-
al" remarked my friend. do you mean
to tell me that those farmers and their fam
ilies>in this busy harvest time will stop
work, or more than a few of them, to at
tend funeral?" Watch and see," was
his lone response to question he seemed
astonished to hear propounded.
Soon after o'clock there were seen little
dust clouds on half dozen roads centering
at the Corners half mile from Bakers.
I'VE will go early, so that you may see our
people under different circumstances-see
them away from their farms, out of their
working suits and in their dress up clothes. :"
Half an hour before it was time for the
20 thara
ing of carriages-bright, clean, modern car
riages-all bearing men with clean shaver
faces, clad in stylish clothes, women in fine
gowns and hats, and children as pretty OF
feature and as well dressed as their city
cousins and they looked and were great
deal healthier.
For "a quarter of mile on both sides OF
the road teams were hitched to the fences
The house of mourning was crowded, an6
the ample grounds were filled with sym
pathizing neighbors and friends. AS fal
as the eye could reach-and it could reach
a long way in that level tract of the fines
farming land in Wisconsin-not farmer
or member of his family or hired maj
could be seen at work that afternoon. AL
work had been suspended that everybod.
might go to the funeral.
What beautiful custom that! A brothe
Their neighbors would express their sym
pathy by participating in the last sad rite
by following the silent sleeper to the grave
This they did, and with warm press o
the hand, and in many cases choking
broken word of regret at the loss they hat
met with, they lifted a heavy load from
the hearts of the weeping family
The hymns were sung by hurriedly col
lected choir from couple of farmers fam
lilies ! shall never forget the soft, solemn
sympathetic way in which the possessor
of those sweet voices rendered the touch
ing hymns. The young minister read tn
beautiful and impressive Episcopal servic
in clear, ringing voice, as though he ha'
done so many times, but that was his frs
experience as pastor at funeral. Severa
different nationalties were present. Bar
lists, Methodists, Catholics, Episcopalians
CongregatIonalists, Presbyterians and thos
who belong to no church reverently bowe
their heads when the good man spoke hi
message to the King of kings, who look
into hearts instead of church pews when b
seeks to know of and about his people.
NY attention was called to two cluster
of men, one under an apple tree and til
other under maple. In the welcome shad
OF the latter were dozen or more of gra
haired men, On their left breasts wei
pinned a familiar badge. These men ha
come from dozen widely separated farm
for the purpose of showing their conrad
in trouble that they We're ready with syn
pathy and would be glad to aid him in al
manner in their power. They were soldie
comrades of Baker, who had been hel
-, in the Thirteenth New York. While W,
not surprised to see this evidence OF brotl
erly love--of true comradeship-l WI
deeply affected by it,
Under the other tree there was assen
bled delegation of Odd Fellows from Il
lodge to which the young mans father b
longed. There, too, was evidence of TT,
fraternity The fraternal spirit was a
parent on all sides How beautiful, stron
helpful and splendid is the true fratern
spirit
Do give evidence of weakness when
say that some of the time | was watchiI
that long procession-it was more than
mile long-winding its way to the lit
graveyard on the hill overlooking the o
mill pond watched through tears? 1t W
my first experience at a funeral in the cou
try. The impression it made will be las
ing. ut was just an average funeral, " W
nv friends remark on my comment that
was the most impressive funeral that hi
ever attended,. A. Watrous' in Milwa
kee Telegraph.
The Penalty.
"Ho! You say your prayers every mig
and morning, do your" jeered the bad
tla how yves and so would YOU III W