Arizona republican., 1899-07-11
(FUNERALSWERE HER FAD
A picfureSqGe Figure Whose EcCen- friCifY Has Cost Her Her Liberty,

The authorities Of this city recently
 placed under restraint Miss Sophia
 Christian On the ground that she has
 been attending too many funerals. She
 is about 50 years Of age, and has been
 a picturesque figure at the burial of
 the dead in Reading and vicinity fur
 half of her lifetime No particular
 charge having been preferred against
 her, she was placed in the county
 home
 A correspondent found her looking
 downcast- Just to think she said.
 that they should deprive me of my
 liberty. It's an outrage! While I am
 no lawyer. I know that this is not law full Why do I go to funerals? Why
 do other people go to weddings, to so- ciables or to church? It's a conso1a-
 tIon 10 me to pay my respects to the
 dead Preachers talk about the broth erhoGd of man. That means the sis terhCod of woman, too,
 ears ago most Of our funerals were public But now many are announced as strictly private. I don't think this Is right It shows a lack of feeling. m -tender-hearted woman, and I don't like to see 1t. I consider it my duty to do what 1 can to keep up and cherish custom. But it's always so. If you don't do like the great majority you're called a crank
 One Reading undertaken, who has been in business for twenty years, told the correspondent that Miss Christian has attended a majority of the funerals Of which he had charge. while for years before she was just as active when his father was an undertaken Others tell the same story. Her record of 5000 funerals in thirty years is Q conserva- tive estimate. She was a close reader of the death announcements in the newspapers. If time permitted. she attended several a day, and if there were none in the city she frequently walked into the country ten miles to be pres ent at the obsequies of some worthy citizen. She must have spent 12,000 hours of her life. or one year and ever four months Of her life, at funerals. The 'pTocessions" she had seen weu.d. if placed together, reach from Reading to Chicago.
 She always conducted herself with decOrum, and was enc of the first to reach the house of mourning. She lei surely examined the floral tributes. and sometimes pressed a kiss Cn the fore head of the dead. She preferred a seat near the head of the casket When the services opened she drew hand kerchief from her pocket and by the time they were half over she was con vulsed with grief. When the singing and the remarks 0f the minister were oTer she had wiped away her tears and her eountenance assumed a seriously satisfied expression.
 The incident which cost her her lib- arty was her attendance at the funeral of Philadelphian who recently moved here. His family had never heard Of Miss Christian and were shocked. They to the police, and she re- eeived call from an officer. an old friend, in citizens dress. He told her ne had come with 9 carriage to take aer to funeral in the country. She was driven to the county home.
 Miss Christian lived by herself. Her ,00d cost little, because she picked ID l few meals at houses where funerals 1 were held. But that she attended for his purpose she always indignantly 1 lenied. When at the funeral of an .dult, especially an elderly person, she i wore black. and at the interment of 3 | mild she at times appeared in white l with pink or blue sash. and a hat | like that cf bTide
 There are few in Reading who do | lot knCw Funeral Sophia as she is 1 .alled. and the faithful little dog that l ilways accompanies her. There is a | that in early life she was dis l appointed in love. but this she never | discusses. York World.