Morning journal and courier., 1894-06-07
SOME CURIOUS FUNERALS.
An Irishmanss Anxiety 10 be Present at His own Funeral Fesst-A Saun- Takers Instruetions-A Corteae Of . Dust Carts-The Interment of . Sa. cred White Elephant.

Takers InAtructions-A Corteae Of
 Dust Carts-The Interment of . Sa.
 cred White Elephant.
 ITrom the St. Louis Globe -Democratl
 The incident reported last week, In which New York man of moderate means Left special instructions in his will that less than ten dollars should be spent on bis funeral, is not without precedent. To many people the funersl-reform Idea has an almost religious significance, and 1t is generally found that those who favor rigid offices are those who could the most easily afford reasonable expenditure, or even an extravsgsnt outlay. The expression "de- cent burial" has A special meaning among the poor, and collectors for fund to save a neighbor from interment in the Pottsr's Field seldom leaves house on the block without at least 6 suall contribution. In St. Louis the funeral fund collecting idea prevails very generally among the colored people. Ia the health commissioner's of
 3ce at the city hail much folded and soiled burisl certificate Is recognised as dealing with a deceased colored citizen be- fore it Is handled. Very rarely does a col ored corpse have to be buried by the city, and the process of raising @ burial fund, although often slow and tedious, is inyaii ably successful.
 Excessively cheap and curious funerals have occurred in nearly all states and even countries. According to the authorities on the subject, the record for an inexpen sive funeral Is held by @ Virginian, who disposed of his wife's remains at cost of but few cents, although he observed all the formslities, secured the services of a minister and entertained the mourners. He was handy with his tools and made a psssable coffin out of lumber on the prem ises Then he obtained permission to dig @ grave himself In the little country ehurchysrd, and persuaded the minister to read the service without fee. The neigh bors acted as pail bearers, and their wag- ons and his conveyed the party to the graveyard. On the return 10 the house he Invited the crowd to stop to supper, and then getting out the family Bible read chapter after chapter, until one after sn- other slipped away to attend to his milk ing and chores, leaving very few guests to be entertained. The msu was not poor by any means, nor was he invariably stipgy. But he regarded the feat of burying his wife oheaply as a memorable one, and when discussing it always asked his listeners how the late lamsnted was injured by the economy.
 The most amusing request ever made by 6 dying man was probably that of a very jovial Irishmar. Having glorious recol- lection of the fun he had enjoyed st wakes and funerals, he was very anxious that his friends should make the most of the op- por;unity in his case. Hence he specially requested that 6 certain sum of money should be spent in entertaining the mourn CTS and regsiiug them with the good things of this world, especially of liquid char actsr. This was promised, and the ques- ton was asked, should the money be spent on the way out to the cemetery or on the return. Pat regarded the inquiry as dis tinctly superfuous. and replied with some degree of irritation:
 HWhy, goin' out, sure. I'll be wid ye then, but won't be Tid ye comin' back" |" The good msn's peculiar ideas as to the connection between the mortal and spirit ual in mankind were duly respected, and the boys had an elegant time before the procession started and while 1t was en route for the scene of his last resting place.
 Clegg, one of the oldest oopjursrs of whom we know any details, was equally solicitous for his friends creature com forts. He expressed a desire to be buried | in a peculiar fashion, and his request was complied with. Of his very soanty say. ings quite large percentage was set aside for the entertainment of sixty of his bo- com friends, who acted as chief mourners. They arrived early in the day. took e last look at the remaius of him with whom they had enjoyed SO many hours of bois- ts.ous mirth, aud then sat down to . fun | eral feast, consisting of spiced cakes and | an unlimited supply of home-brswsd ale. Each wore, as per directions, little wrsAths ! of holly, gorse and rosemary, and . small | band of hddlers so-aped out bright melo. | dies while the funeral baked meats were being devoured and the ale disposed of. | By the time the funeral procsssion start | ed most of the sixty were slightly inc.
 briated and the march to the gravey ard was far from dignifed. The fddlers led the way, followed by the sixty mourn, CTS, with another chief mourner bring | ing up the rear on a more or lesa hneal | descendant of the animal which delivered the historical rebuke to Balasm of old.
 It h but g quarter of a century sgc that an old lady, who was an inveterat.
 snuff -taker, made 1t imperative upon hsl
 heirs to recognize her habit at her funs
 ral. For years her friends had tried ts
 persuade her to abandon a habit vhici
 had become part of her nature, and wa
 6 source of annoyance to all her friends
 She wes obstinate as well as wealthy, an,
 not only kept up the habit to tho lsss
 but in her will called for e snuff fune
 ral Her direct heirs were in favor Q ignoring the instructions e evidently th work of . mind diseased and allowip ] the estate to be distributed by the pub lIc administrator. The other leEateei however, were loud in their protests, sn
 they finally prevailed. Snu& was ses