Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-08-23
PARIS RuRMLs.
Rules Governing Interments in French
Graveyarus.

Rules Governing Interments in French
Graveyards.
Apropos OF the imposing funeral of
Z the late President Carnot of France,
and the depositing of his remains in
/ the Pantheon at Paris, the love of the
| French for display in burial ceremonies
I has been pointed out as characteristic
/ OF the nation. "The people" says a
/ contemporary, have pathetic way Of
I saying although it costs much to live
in Paris, IL costs stir more to die. -"
I This is, in measure, true, and that II
is SO is due to the fact that the govern
ment has a monopoly of the work Of
burying the dead, and has established
a scale Of prices by which the style Of
funerals is regulated, from that costing
! hundreds of dollars TO the one which
Z opens the fosse commune common
I grave.
/ As a rule the French are fond of fine
Z funerals. For statesmen of the first
j.. rank the government DEGREES a state
| funeral, which is an occasion of great
display, and frequently leads TO polit-
ical demonstrations; but private fu-
nerals are also costly, and many man
ness all his life is laid to rest With
princely pomp. Tie door Of his resi-
dence Is hung with black curtains,
embroidered with silver; his mono
gram. in silver. is on all the mourning
coaches which follow the hearse; the
drivers are dressed in black, with knee
breeches. high boots. three-cornered
hats and long crepe streame~s on their
arms; the horses for the hearse are
caparisoned with sweeping draperies
OF black and silver, and on the hearse
itself are plumes and silver figures Of
angels and eherubs. Then, 700, the
custom Of sending out notices Of the
death and invitations 10 the funeral Is
very common, and sometimes those
notices are elaborate and as elegantly
engraved as the most expensive we'd
ding cards OF Invitations
In striking contrast with the deco
rous funerals Of the rich are the scenes
when the body Of a very poor person is
10 be laid IN the grave. The city Is
strict I'm regard 10 them. The body can
only be kept twentyfour hours from
the time Of death, and II must be buried
In a coffin made Of Thin deal boards, un-
painted, unvarpished and so slight that
II Il always wrapped up and fastened
with ropes lest Il should come 10 pieces.
1t is taken TO the grave in a hearse
which Is hardly better than dray. At
the fosse commune the priest is al
lowed TO include six funeral In one
service.
Fully TO explain the necessity for tho
fosse commune, II Is necessary TO say q
word about French graveyards. They
are governed entirely different from
ours, and their object seems 10 be "a
afford graves 10 the millions who are
dead, without taking too much space
from the millions who live. In certain
parts OF the cemetery graves may be
bought outright, though at enor'
nous prices, and remain forever in the
possession Of q family. In other sec
tons the graves are bought singly, foI
five years from the date Of burial, and
/ al the end Of the specified time the
bones are taken mp and buried In the
fo0se commune.
The fosse commune lowest grave
OF all-is a ditch twelve feet deep
twelve feet wide, aud as long as The
size Of the graveyard permits Hers
the coiiins arc put side by side In TIVE
rows, the heads meeting in the center
When a certain numbersre In the ditci
Il Is closed, and ON another layer o
earth more collins are afterward laid
When the ditch Is filled 70 The surface
anothfr one alongside Is opened. ant
20 uutil the available space IS used up
Then the first ditch Il reopened. AMI
fresh collins are put ia place Of the old
ones which have decayed. - Family
MpgazIue.