The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-03
Some English Customs That Are
Very Curious, to Say the
Least
Funeral Obssrvanoss Which Are
Very strongly Suggestive
OF Fetch Worship.
The Examples set By Her Msjssty tho
Queen Arc Followed By Her
Loyal subjsc'S

none is more grew somely interesting than
the funeral mutUs. who stand on the door
step OF an afflicted house and bear the col-
un 60 the hearse, then solcmnly march
with the funeral procession to the grave.
English funeral customs are very elab-
crate. often very curious, even fantastic,
and as often they suggest fetch worship
rather than decent regard for the deco
rous interment Of the dead
Superstition plays no small part in Eng
lish burial rites, notably in the rural dis
tricts. In Hampshire the window Of the
chamber Of death is at once raised that
the spirit Of the dead person may take its
unfettered light. Also the house door is
left open until after the funeral, for the
curious reason that the spirit may not DO
shut ont If DESTROYS 20 return II inclem-
ent weather makes wide open door inn
practicable, the door is at least left ajar
In this same county shrouds for the
poorer people are made Of white cotton
wadding, folded over the corpse in snowy
masses. The coffin is borne to the Gene
terry by bearers who have been friends Of
the deceased.
TO an earnest believer in the Christian
religion. one who regards the body as
merely the caskct Of the departed soul. it
seems almost wicked, the attention paid
here 20 this lifeless casket Hours are
spent in graveyards, and doubtless fatal
colds contracted on the anniversaries of
the mournful day Of burial
People indulge in grief with a morbid
extravaganza that is quite unaccountable
to the philosophic mind. They seem to
find a luxury in woe. And who can won
der after all, when the example L. constant
IL set them by the first lady in the land,
her majesty the queen. who spends hours
at the mausoleum at Frognal on the an
niversary death days Of those whom she
loved in life. placing fresh wreaths on the
tombs, holding dirgelike religious serv-
fees, weeping and making herself and her
family generally miserable
Naturally the queens example IS emu
lated by the wife Of the mechanic, who
periodically and solemnly wends her way
20 the grave Of her dead, laden with flow
ers, both natural and, likelier still, cheap
artificial ones, covered over with glass
globes, than which there can be nothing
more CHASTITY.
II is not the custom for the women of
the better class households 10 accompany
the body TO the grave or to be seen in the
room where the coffin is placed. The fem
mine mourners of the immediate family
privately indulge their grief in their own
rooms. Outside friends Of both sexes at
tend the funeral, hut IL is exceptional for
the ladies TO go 90 the grave.
or course this Observance is altered in
the cases of public characters. At the OBJ
sequies Of Wlkio Collins few years ago
there were scores Of ladies. who accompa-
MED the procession clear TO Kensal Green
where the great novelist sleeps,
in right royal company, close to Thack-
cray. Tom Hood and other famous writer's
The employment Of mutes is fast falling
into disuse. There are, however, many
old fashioned people who keep mp this Gus
tom. saw four Of these paid mourners
guarding the door OF an aristocratic man
sion ia Mayfair. the street being for some
distance thickly mid with sawdust TO
deaden the sound OF passing vehicles. As
II it mgttered 20 the poor dead minated
The mutes stand on guard for "A day or
two, pending the funeral and on the day
itself they assist in various ways.
These mutes date in usage from the ear
lest Roman times. They wear long black
'weepcrs, or streaHcrs, about their tall
hats. They usually spend their time in
secular gossip. RECALLING themselves from
time TO time from suspicious looking TASKS
slyly produced from invisible pockets.
When any one passes by the house they
relapse into lugubrious silence. and when
any one enters the house they shed few
1udicious tears behind deep black hordcred
pocket handkerchiefs At least we must
imagine they do, because the handker-
chiefs 20 up 20 their eyes with mariCnctte-
like unaninity at intervals.
The funeral banquet, another Roman
custom observed with varying elaborate
NESS, still holds lbs own. Sometimes n glass
OF sherry or port and a biscuit are the only
rcircshmcnt provided. But be b. more or
les', it b. regarded that the guests at "A fu-
neral must b. sustained somehow.
The long time elapsing between death
and burial IL certainly Egyptian. This
may ue accounted FOR from the observance
II cmhalming tho dead. an excuse seldom
sufficient 90 explain tine delay Of burial iu
England. 4 week even 20 days. clap-e
between death and burial DO England.
They regard the American haste iu this
particular as not only unseemly, but al
most irrrvercut Well. there is much 10
Do urged on both sides a. the question.
- ncu an epidemic RACES. considerations a.
the public health must prevail Indeed
10 careful 81 The lives % her people is Eng
land That the law often compeis most OK
petitions iutermeut. The season Of year
also must be- considered
Funeral ra-'y ~. sass. going ont 81 fash
ion as wcil as lavish floral offerings. %
IL frequently request ia death notices
that emo flowers be sent With well bred
people there b. little ostcutation 40 funrr
ais Boston Herald.
Clothes aud Heat.