The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-11-26
q IRISH WAKE.
1t Is n Kindly and lunar Custom in
IntentiOn-Some Strange
Beliefs.

The old Irish custom of waking" the
dead has given rise TO much misrepre-
Sentation of the Irish character; and
vet in it's intention it is a kindly and
human custom. To those who do not
understand the Irish nature, or the i'm
pulses which move it, the drinking.
smoking and conversation which take
place at wakes" appear i~ncongruous
and repulsioe. To the Irish people, OH
the other hand. there is something very
cold, unfeeling and repellant in the
English custom of leaving the corpse
shut up in Il room, all alone, deserted.
us it were. by the family. In ireland, we
keep close company with our dead to
the very last moment.
Walking means watching" We
watch affectionatcly by the body of a
dead relative or friend until the time
arrives to depart for the funeral
ground. The body is laid on the bed,
covered with a white sheet, leaving eX-
posed the head and the hands crossed
revcrently on the breast. The walls
about the bed are covered with white
sheets, IN which are hung punches of
flowers and laurel leaves. Seven lighted
candles stand on Il table near the bed;
the is frequently sprinkled with
holy water, to keep Off the evil spirits
who may be hoverinSaround, and on the
corpse is Il large plate of salt, which is
believed to be ~hygienicalIy efticacious
for the watchers.
The Irish people are generous in their
instincts. They never Ike to be alone
and this feeling for cOnipanionship is
strongest when death has visited them
closely. \ family deprived of a mem
Der by death seeks consolation from
.heEeighbors, who, ever quick in SYM
patty, in JOY OF in sorrow, crowd in 20
cheer up the spirits of the bereaved, to
distract their thoughts from their sad
loss. First entering the room where
the corpse lies, they kneel and say a
prayer. But the manifestation of sor-
row is confined to the chamber OF
death. Outside. in the wide kitchen,
h eEeighbors assemble, andsnutf, pipes
and tobacco, whisky and stout are sup
piled to them.
There are wakes" at which stories
are told. forfeits are played, and a lit
tie drolIery INDUCED IN. but, as n rule,
while every effort is made by the watch
ers to blunt the edge of sorrow, per-
feet dccorum is preserved, and not an
~unsecming word is spoken. l have
been ut many wakes" and certainly !
have never heard n song sung, though
it is often said-of course. by those who
do not know-that singing is n com
mon practice at these assemblies.
Moreover, there is a motive-founded
upon superstition, it is true-for check
ing the manifestations of grief in the
presence of the dead. In some parts
of Ireland it is believed that the soul of
n departed person is made restless by
the tears and regrets of surviving
friends and relatives, and that, unable
to fit to Heaven. it hovers about the
earth until the sorrow for its departure
is appeased. Mourners may. therefore,
be seen at wakes struggling to re-
press their sobs and tears. Don't be
eryin' that way. ashore, or you'll keep
him from his rest" was a remonstrance
J heard kindly addressed to a young
widow who "a weeping bitterly over
the remains Of her husband.-London
TELEGRAPH.