The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-19
"AHor TIME. IS FUNERAL MARCH.
Some PecuIIarities of Burials Witnessed in
the Southwest.

kAo
In the hotel at Santa F5 last summer the
notes of a brass baud playing the tune March
ing Through Georgia. with great vigor. called
me to the window" said a New York tourist
who recently returned from New Mexico and
California. 1T was q Mexican funeral pro-
ccssion that l saw. advancing toward tho
plaza. The mourners followed the hearse on
foot. and in al marched the local Next
can band, AS 1t reached the plaza the band
changed its tune to 'Therell Be a Hot Time
In the Old Town Tonight and to this melody
the procession moved across the public square
on It's way to Campo Santo. The expression OF
all tho mourners was grave and decorous' and
some OF the people on the plaza uncovered their
heads as the procession passed. This march
ing to music was the time-honored Mexican
way.of acknowledgement 10 the dead. A New
Mexican Observation-Disclosures me'thatsthe musi-
cal repertory OF the hand being limited to three
or four pieces. it was necessary 10 mako the
same tunes do duty at q funeral. a merrymak-
'"hOnn Easing the ancient Indian village Of
Isleta on my way by train down the ne
Grands, a man man, d ,h%t bs w 10 ms She fb ,utefa Th q,
body, laid out in state in the orcn air before the
church, WAS wrapped from head 10 to9' IN CAV
c0lored ribbons. aud was watched By a band OF
warriors attired in the ~ausient war, dress 'ut
their tribe; with feathers, beads and ANTIQUE
tom.tnms. sat on the ground. beating time to
a dolorous chanting which they kept up while
the guard OF honor Joined IN the refrain, All
the people Of The town were dressed III holiday
attire in PREPARATION for the procession and
| burial, which, though. conducted under the rites
| OF the Roman Catholic Church. were to have
many features peculiar to the, Indians. ves-
| tiges OF tho heather customs OF their ancestors,
The ceremonies concluded with u funeral
feast for which bread, t%ortlllds. mutton. native
wine and aguardiente had been provided in
prOfusiOn,
In the quaint New Mexican town Of Mesilla,
with It's great willow trees, Vineyards and
broad irrigating canal winding along the main
street. through the plaza, | heard the church
bell changing loudly one day, at noon. 1t was
Tor the funeral OF a young child and the process
sion was lust entering the plaza. -Four brown
Skinned girls. bareheaded and Gowned in
white, with flowers in their hair, held each a
corner OF a board swung bet Teen them. On
this the body lay under white cloth strewn
with flowers. Behind them walked ak or
seven women aud half grown children, The
bill Continued 10 clang until the procession en-
tered the church whore the simple burial ser
Vice was to be performed. After that the body
would be taken 20 Campo Eanto. the great
white sandbank which was the burial ground
for the eommoner sort OF MeNicans-an uneer.
tain spot.for.a final resting ulace, for The sands
shifted with the wind, and the caWri"iguS Rio
Grande In one Of its sudden changes % chan
mel might wash away or cut through at any
time. The MeYteans make no mourning over
the death OF infants. believing that they at
once enter upon = hsnPY iut9[A existence as
Sngelitos-little angels"