The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-19
GAY FUNERALS.
Some PsculiaIles Of RurIas as Sssn In tho Far
Southwest.


In the hotel at Santa Fe last sum-
mer the notes OF a brass band playing
the tune Marching Through Georgia.
with great vlgor, called me 60 the WIN
dow said tourist who recently re-
turned from New Mexico and Califor-
MIA, 20 a Chicago Inter Ocean reporter.
1T was Mexican funeral procession
that saw advancing toward the plaza.
The mourners followed the hearse on
foot. and In advance marched the local
Mexican band. As il reached the plaza
Lne band changed It's tune TO 'There'll
BE a Hot Time IN the Old Town To-
night and u this melody the process
sion moved across the public square
on it's way 20 Campo Santo. The ex-
preston OF all the mourners was grave
and deCorous. and some of the people
on the plaza uncovered their heads as
the procession passed. This marching
% music was the time -honored Mexl-
can way of showing respect 10 the dead.
\ New Mexican friend explained 10 me
that the musical repertory of the band
being limited 10 three or four pieces,
II was necessary 10 make the same
tupes do duty at funeral a merry
! making, or political needing.
"On passing the ancient Indian VIII
| lage of Isleta, on my way by train
down the Rio Grande. a man described
TO me the funeral OF an Indian chief
that he witnessed there. The BODY.
! laid out in state I'm the open air before
/ the church, was wrapped from head To
| FOOT In gay-colored ribbons. and was
watched by a band OF warriors attired
| in the ancient war dress OF their tribe.
with feathers. beads and antique wea-
pons. Three musicians OF the tribe.
| with tom-toms. 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 in
| holiday attire. in preparation for the
, procession aud burial which, though
! conducted under the rites of the Ro-
man Catholic church. were 10 have
many features peculiar TO the Indians.
| Vestigcs of the heather customs of
| their ancestors. The ceremonies con-
cluded with a funeral feast. for which
! bread. tOrtillas. mutton, native wine
and aguardiente had been provided in
1 profusion
"In the quaint New Mexican town OF
! Mesilla, with its great willow trees,
| vineyards and broad irrgating canal
winding along the main street, through
the plaza, | heard the church bell
changing loudly one day at noon. IT
was for the funeral or a young Child.
and the procession was just entering
| the plaza. Four brown skinned girls.
| bareheaded and gowned in white. with
! flowers in their hair. held each "a cor
ner OF "A board swung between them.
ON this the body lay under white
cloth strewn with flowers. Behind them
walked six or seven women and half
grown children. The bell continued To
clang until the procession entered the
church. where the simple burial ser
vice was TO be performed. After that
the body would be taken To Cambo
Santo. the great white sandbank which
was the burial ground for the COM
moner sort OF MeXiCans--an uncertain
spot for a final resting place, for the
sands shifted with the wind. and the
capricious Rio Grau3e i'm one of it's
sudden changes of channel might wash
away or cut through at any time. The
Mexicans make no mourning over the
death Of infants. believing that they at
once enter upon a happy future exist
ence as angelitos-litte angels"