The age-herald., 1900-05-06

death occurs in a family among the better class is the sending out of a funeral inyi- tation of pretentious magnitude. These are usually of quarto form, six by eight or seven by ten inches and four-paged bor- dered heavily, perhaps an inch, in black and enclosed in an envelope of like preten- tions and border, the inscription within be- ing the more curious feature of the an- nouncement One which I have before me is a sample of the better class of such doc uments It is nine inches long by six wide, and consists of four pages. The first and fourth are heavily bordered in a rich and glossy black, with dull edging on either side of the glossy strip and a narrow black line as an inner establishment, the inside pages being blank. This invitation is fold ed once and enclosed in a large envelope of like adornment. The inscription is on the firsrt page, and quite elaborate First. there is a cross, below which are the let ters "E. P. D."-"En Paz Descanso," mean ing Rest in peace.". Below this is the an- nouncement in Spanish, and following the announcement are the names of the widow, three sons, several nephews and nephews- fn-law, a brother, half a dozen friends and the family physician, the name of the lat ter always ending the list
 If there have been three or four or half a
 
 appear Translated, the invitation reads as follows: Don So-and-So has fallen after having received the last sacrament, and for the purposes of the funeral which will take place this afternoon at 430 o'clock, those who subscribe-the widow sons, brother, nephews, nephews-in-law, doctors and frtends-supplicate your presence to render assistance at the house of the dead, rom there to accompany the remains to the Colon cemetery, where the last giving of the hand will take place, for which favor Is given everlasting gratitude"
 At the cemetery a representative of the 1amlly extends the hand of thankfulness in their behalf to all who have attended the funeral, and the ceremony is continued by the undertaken and his aids.
 other occurrences in connection with deaths and funerals seem peculiar If the last sacrament is to be administered a priest is sent for and drives in haste to the house of the invalid in an open cab, carry Ing the sacramental bowl and ringing q hand-bell with short, sharp strokes as he goes. Passing citizens doff their hats or drop to their knees as he passes, and those within who have heard the bell hurry to their front doors with lighted candles in their hands as he drives by. The greatest amount of respect is paid to the dead, everybody uncovering their heads as a funeral train passes.
 It is the custom for friends to carry the bier from the house of the deceased on their shoulders for a half block or block before 1t is placed in a funeral car. The latter, always gorgeous, does not approac the residence, but waits at respectful dis tance, so the last the family sees of their loved one is that he is being borne away by friends, generally by kindsmen
 Ladies never attend funerals here. Long processions are made up of carriages con- taining gentlemen only. usually one in a coach. And if 1t happens that the funeral occurs at an inopportune hour of the day. when business and professional men can not leave their offices, their carriages are sent empty and long processons with few attendants are seen. I have witnessed fun eral after funeral of this character, as many as forty, fifty or sixty carriages without an occupant, the drivers wearing badges of mourning, sometimes the car rlage wheels being heavily draped This custom was much more generally in vogue in former years than now
 The funeral cars in use among the better classes in Havana are gorgeous in their decorations. The more elegant are sur mounted by life-size figures, heavily gild- ed, with corner ornaments and massive cornices also glttering in gold trimmings These cars are drawn by four, six and even by eight horses, when people are able to pay for many The attendants, dressed in red livery spangled with gold, wear white wigs. old-fashioned cockades, knee trousers with white hosiery and gloves. this part of a funeral being about as gor- geous as it can be made to be. Occasion ally extra hearSes are pressed into service to bear the flowers, generally of metal and bisque.