The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
THE LATEST COFFIN.
1t IL a Sofa Cssket-A Pink Funeral-Soms
Curious C0ffins.

-" "h'h
Two men we're talking in low tones, amid the
gloomy display Of a Yves, Side undertaker's shop.
one Of them was leaning with his hand against
the black p~aneling OF the wall lie touched a
spring. Instantly the wall opened, and some
thing, pink and pretty, swung down as though
on a hinge, and stretched itself half way across
the room The effect was startling. 1t was as
though a bridal garment were cast suddenly
into a place OF mourning.
That's the latest triumph Of the mortuary
art-,hc sofa casket, said the undertaken. "Ain't
IL a coniectiong"
1t looked very beautiful and very like a sofa
Its width was generous, and near the head Il
rose up with a sweeping curve. The under
taker paused for a moment, and gaDed al 1, with
pride. Then he wen, on.
Whenever | look at that | think Of a funeral
! saw az Mankato, Mimi, in 1872. There was q
beautiful young lady living there, and invita-
tons we're Out for a big pink tea, TO celebrate her
entrance into society But two days before the
tea the poor girl died u pneumonia. Then .
strange fancy seized her mother.
Adele can't have her pink tea, but she1 have
a pink funeral, " She said.
50 they had a pink casket, and the young
lady was dressed in the very pink irock she would
nave WIN az lie ItttTlOu. me SIX XIII Trends
who were 10 have poured tea acted ms pallbear-
ers, all gowned in pink, and the guests were re-
qucsled to wear the dresses they had prepared
for the tea. The room was decorated with pink
flowers, and the white horses that drew the hearss
had on pink rosettes and steamers"
The soiacasket was certainly a thing Of beauty
II was covered with pink silk plush, full Of lights
and shadows, and was lined with delicate pink
..,,,, l,.., - .-.-l LII -
The lid was really the whole upper half of the
coffin, fitting down upon il something after the
fashion Of a pill box. and when it was oil The lower
part was scarcely recognizable as a coffin.
you see, said the undertaken, its particularly
suitable for a beautiful young bride. She would
have on her wedding dress, and veil, and the effect
would b" fine. We can make them up in baby
blue, heliotropc, lavender. purple. or any color
hats wanted. It's a far cry between a coffin
ike that and the ar cssAet they had forty years
ago. lh1yr a picture 81 Une Of tn,m. II was
made If iron, painted black and hung with silk
drapcry, but II has a gru'esque resemblance 10 .
human body nd " = AT gtther too grewsomo
~ last Tn 70 are other queer collins now mado
Of glass, wiz, putterS clay, Celluloid, h." I'd rubber
and all kinds u materials, but they are seldom
used Plain wood sill remains favonte. Sons
people buy collins made Of wICkerwOrk, so as 10
facilitate dissolution, and one man invented a
casket m lie Of glue, whiting and rosin, which
would melt soon after burial. never heard Of
them beng used But there IRE all sorts OF per-
srnal ecccntricites VIII regard 10 collins
The most remarkable coffin Of which / ever
heard was that VI n very old Englishman who
served IN the French wars under Lord Nelson,
and aftprwatd went O. Canada and settled, ] think
in Victoria, Is. {, In his leisure moments he
constructed a model Of the flagship Victory. 10
was eight feet long and had oil the masS, sails.
rigging and caunons which Nelson's ship had.
The old man took the great" t pride in IL, and in
his last days used b. watch II for hours at a time.
lie was n very smHll man, and when he died soma
Of hrs old sailor friends lifted the deck of the
Victory, and had the inside upholstered. Then
they put the old nan in and replaced the deck.
At the funeral the Victory was 10 wered into the
grave with sails ~ and the flags flying. DOM
suppose there was ever a more Appropriate coffin
than that"