The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-14

bright red apple for q holder. was
placed a bunch Of Joss sticks, and
when their fumes began to rise the
entire company OF Cinnamon COM
menced deep. sonorous chant, each
rectting In their odd accent the deeds
OF Lu Quong In life. At the conclusion
or the concert chant. little red candles
We're lighted and Woo Chez struck up
din on the brass gong, while the
band, in the natural order of things.
rendered most solemn dirge. Later,
the musicians We're apprised Of the
nature OF the ceremony and confined
their subsequent efforts to more appro-
pirate airs.
When the din ceased a member of
the Masons stepped forward and un-
winding the red sash from his body.
waved 1t three times over the casket
and began the chant Of the Masonic
rites. Slowly, and then faster he
merged his words until they became
an unintelligible string of sounds, in
the meantime proStrating himself be-
rore the table containing the goose,
chicken and sweetmeats, upon which
sui burned the pungent incense
The crowd eagerly watched his move
ments, and he finally allowed his voice
to die away, when his place was taken
by Hum Chez, who read from a worn
volume containing pages Of Chinese
characters. During this part of the
ceremonies flowers were placed on the
casket and also grave marker Of pink
silk, containing the titles of the dead
man in the Masonic order.
With the conclusion of the reading,
WOO Chees began a. low chant and add
ed Vigor to the blows which he had
been continuously striking upon the
gong. Suddenly Lee Chung, with a
shrek of apparent grief, rushed toward
the casket. Walls of grief and anguish
h lie, l1aa - r~t,k
him relative of the deceased overcome
by sorrow. Such was not the case, how
ever, as he was but speaking the grief
OF the company at parting from their
friend. Several Cinnamon, in conform
ance with the ceremony, took him by
the arm and led him back to his place,
where his utteranceS were drowned by
the laughter of the spectators, in which
even some of the Celestials joined
Lee Chung then took a position at
the table and poured out three cups
or rice wine from teapot, while other
or the Cinnamon passed the foot of
the casket and emptied the fluid on the
ground. Another bunch Of joss sticks
was blessed and lighted, when Hum
Bang began pouring tea," filing the
little cups as fast as his fellow Masons
scattered the contents about the cas-
! ket. Two fantastic holders contain
/ ing dyed peacock feathers were then
placed at the head of the casket, after
which every Chinaman present, clasp
ing a stick Of burning incense in his
hands, passed before the bier and
bowed twice almost to the ground.
Once more the concert chanting was
commenced, while one of the company
of Ceiestials, at this juncture of the
proceedings somewhat inclined to
mirthful utterances and gestures, care
fully wrapped two feathers one gilded,
.l~sl
papers which had originally contained
the articles on the table, the feathers
representing wealth in their coatings
OF the precious metals, with which the
dead man was to pay the expenses of
his journey. At a signal from Hum
Bang the chanting rose to a shriller
pitch, and one of the Masons set fire
to the large bundle of paper While
the flames cracked and the smell of
the burning feathers entered the nos
/. trils of the participants in the cere-
monies, the brass gong kept UP it's in
cessant noise, which was almost made
into a bediam by the cries of the China
men. They were frightening away the
evil spirit, and when the fire went out
they ceased their utterances, while ex
uitation shone on every yellow face,
as of an inward consciousness of full
duty faithfully performed.
This concluded the ceremony, and as
the casket was placed in the waiting
hearse, the band remembering their
first faux pas, struck up the 'Coon's
March with a vigor which caused the
staid horses, accustomed to walk Sc
dately along to a mOurnful dirge, to
prance and rear as though in open pro-
test against such apparent sacrilege.
The procession started for Oakland
cemetery, with Hum Bang and the pink
flag proudly leading the cortege. Then
came Woo Chez with the gong hanging
from the staff Of the green emblem,
upon which he still continued to pound
out mournfu1 vibrations. Next came
the hearse, closely about which
marched the company of Cinnamon.
Immediately behind the marchers
young Celestial, busily engaged in scat
tering broadcast small pieces of paper
filled with small holes attracted the at
tention of the spectators along the en-
entire line of march. His acts but ac-
corded with a native superstition.
There is always a race between the
corpse and the devil to the grave, and
if the body reaches the tomb first it Is
safe for all time. The pieces of paper
were to retard the evil one, who. ac-
cording to the belief of the Chinese,
must PASS through each of the holes In
every piece of paper strewn behind the
corpse All the way to the cemetery
the line of march was easily followed
by the sheets of brown paper, and.
even If his satanic majesty was able
to hold his own to this point, he was
given an awful battle at the cemetery
gate. where an entire aTmful of the
punctured bits was scattered about.
ONLY a brief reading from the Ma
sonic book marked the services at the
cemetery chapel, though fully 500 peo-
pie had followed the procession to the
grave with the hope of witnessing more
Of the unusual ceremonies. Each Ma
son left his colored sash on the bier
of his countryman, which was lowered
from sight while the band executed the
last, a series of marches, tWo-steps
and polkas which marked the progress
of fhe cortege through the streets. The
hody will remain ia a vault until
snring. when it will be inferred, with
that Of the other Chinaman who was
also yesterday consigned to his last
earthly resting place
Among those in attendance upon the
funeral were Sam Kee. Wong Wing,
T4unan Kee. HumIn Bang. Wah Yuen.
Woo Chang. Sam Lee, of st. Paul, and
sam Sing, Woo Wing, Woo On. ATfk
ON. of Minneapolis. and Humm Yuck
and wife. OF Hastings. Moy Jim, OF
saltwater. was present In his ofhclai
capacity Of travelling agent Ter the
Free Masons.