The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-20
PARIS BURIALS.
Love of Display at Funerals Charac-
teristic of the French.

Apropos OF The imposing funeral OF the late
President CarDOt OF France and the deposition
OF his remains in the Pantheon at Paris the
love OF the French for display 10 burial cere-
monies has been pointed out as characteristic
of the nation. 1.-The people," says a conlem-
poTary in the Family Magazine. "have d pa
thetc way OF saying that although it coss
much to live I'm Paris II costs still more 10 die"
This Is in a measure true, and that IL Is 80 is
due 10 the fact that the Government has a
monopoly or 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 opens the
fosSe commune common grave.
AS rule the French are fond OF fine funerals
For statesmen OF he first rank the Government
DEGREES a state funeral, which is an occasion of
great display, and frequently leads TO political
demonstrations; but private funerals are also
costly, and many man who has lived with the
utmost meanness all his life Is laid TO rest with
DTincely pomp. The door OF his residence is
hung with black cur, aims, embroidered with
silver; his monogram IN silver Is on all the
mourning coaches which follow the hearSe; the
drivers are dressed In black, with knee.
breaches. high boots, three coTnered hats and
long Grape stTeamers on their arms; the
horses. for the hearse are caparisoned with
sweeping draperies OF black and silver, and
on the he8rse itself are plumes and silver figures
of angels and cherubs. Then. too. the custom
of sending out notices Of the death and invita-
tons 10 the funeral is very common. and some
times those notices are as elaborate and as
elegantly engraved as the most expensive wed
ulng caTds or invitations 10 Dall
In Striking contrast with the decorous tuner
ais of the rich are the scenes when the body of
very poor person is to be laid In the grave.
The city Is strict in regard 10 them. The body
can only be Kept tweuty-fOur hours from the
time OF death, and ii must be buried in a coffin
made OF thin deal boards. implanted, unvar-
nlshed ana so slight that 1t is always wrapped
up and fastened with ropes lest it should come
TO pieces. IL is taken TO the grave in hearse
which is barely better than a dray. AT the
fosse commune the priest is allowed TO include
SIX funerals 10 one service.
ruby 10 explain the necessity Tor the f0Sse
commune, II Is necessary TO say word about
frencb graVeyardS. They are governed en-
tlrely different from ours and their object
VINO are dead, without taking too much
space from the millions who live. In certain
parts OF the cemetery graves may be bought
outright, though al enormous prices, and re-
main forever in the possession of a family. In
other sections the graves are bought siDgly
for five years from thu date OF burial, and at
Inc end OF the specified time the bones are
taken up and buried in the fosse commune.
Inc fosse communicable lowest grave OF all
is ditch II feet deep II feet wide, and as
long as the size OF the graveyard permits.
here Inc Collins are put side by side IN two
rows, The heads meeting in the center. When
certain number are IN the ditch IL Is closed, and
on another layer OF earth more collins are
atIerward laid. When the ditch Is filed 10 The
surface another one alongside IS opened. and
SO on until The available space IS used up. Then
the nrst ditch is TeOpcned and fresh coiflns are
put 10 place OF the old ones, which have de-
cayed.-BaltlmOre sun.