The Sunday globe., 1901-05-05
FUNERALS.
A SOmbre Subject in Which Curious
Facts are Related.
AN UNDERTAKER'S TALK.
Different HatIOnaIItes Die on Different Days.
The SUNDAY Funeral and The Change
Which is Gradually Taking Place
In Former 0stentaIOus
Intermens.
AN UNDERTAKER'S TALK.

in this beginning of the new century"
said an intelligent looking gentleman in
a party of half dozen loungers at
leading hotel. But" he resumed,
''there are few things they seldom
touch, probably owing to the somberness
of the subject"
Please mention one Of these over
looked and interesting subjects" sug.
gestvely requested the writer, land it
will be printed"
I'm an undertaken, and as such have
made some observations which are inter.
esting to me, and I've no doubt would be
so to the world at large, One of the
first things have observed is this, that
the same kind Of people are not dying
every day. What mean by this is, that
on certain weeks the people who die are
nearly all of one nationality, while the
next week it is another class of people
altogether whom we are called to place
in the low green tent whose door never
outward swings"
AAN' NN y wa "NNbAAAA lDA AAlH
81 don't know that l can account for
it, and had my attention directed to the
fact by that custom which sets aside
Sunday for burial day. You see if all
nationalities Of people died at the same
time, undertakers would often be put to
their wits ends to provide Accommodations
and service for all the funerals they
would be called upon to attend on Sun
day. To illustrate, undertakers like
other business men are made up from all
nationalities in this country, and in the
majority Of cases derive their patronage
from their people. We are friendly
set and d. not entertain any Of the little
animosities and petty jealousies which
characterize the relations of other bust.
ness men. That is TO say, if a German
undertaken has more funerals on hand on
some Sunday than he can conveniently
| handle, he sends for his Irish and Amerl.
can brother to help him out, because he
knows from the great number of German
funerals that Americans and Irish were
not dying to any great extent that week,
aud thus it matters not how limited may
be his facilities, he can safely engage to
do all the work that may come to him,
because II ne docs not have the hearses
carriages and hacks himHeF, his brethren
will help him out.
is it Just fancy with you under.
takers or is it a fact that only certain
nationalties die on certain weeks 2 "
"Oh its fact" was the answer, land
every undertaken in the city will tell you
the same. We often talk about it, but az
for giving any reason tor this strange
teature of the dying business we cannO
give it, We only know it is true ant
govern our business accordingly"
How many funerals day can au un
dertalxer handle with the assistance o.
his brethren, was next asked.
1--WE handled dozen several times
some of which were quite large, and go
throHgh in very satisfactory way, but /
took good management aud good general
ship and cordial cooperation of my
brethren in the business
What is the tendency of funerals
now a.days; increasing in size and ex
peCse or coming down into sometime
more simple and unOstentious :"
1.-The rage for great fuaeTal pageant,
6owers, long lines of carriages, and all
Me pomp and glory which earth gives tC
the last sad rites of Humanity is passing
away and instead there is coming in i
sensible quiet custom Of giving the dear
departed such sepulcher as BELTS the
rank and station of the deceased without
adding any OF the artificial adiuncts.
which before were more for dress parade
than to show respect TO the memory OF
the occupant of the hearse. Funerals
are now attended only by such friends
as are invited, and those only occupy the
carriages. If others wish to attend they
are at perfect liberty to do so, if they
furnish their own carriages. The time
when everybody who had mind to
attend funeral was given a place in a
carriage, and when the longest line OF
vehicles was the outward evidence of the
wealth and standing OF the relatives of
the deceased, has passed away"
" About how much does funeral cost.
where the coffin is called respectable, "A
hearse is furnished and, say eight car
riages2"
Well, | would hardly like to give
you any figures on these matters. for the
reason that we have an undertakers'
organization and scale of prices. and il
would not be professional in me TO give
publicity % our prices But one thing I
can tell you, we don't make any more
money than we legitimately earn. how
ever much the people may think to the
contrary"
" You meet with a good many pathetic
things in your calling" suggested the
writer.
Indeed we do. | need not tell Won
| that of all the business in which men
engage none are so hedged about with
tears and sorrows as ours. We have TO
do with the most trying relations of life.
and are called upon to perform our
duties with the tears and walings of
broken hearts and severed ties full upon
US. BE as tender and considerate as we
may, the unreasonableness of grief looks
upon US as agents or emissares of that
power which deprived their loved one of
health, and At last of lie. And then the
caprices and whims Of the relatives of the
dead are often enough to drive a man
crazy and make him feel like renounclng
forever the business in which he is en-
gagged"
"What class of funerals are the most
atfecting2' asked the writer.
Those of children" was the reply.
There seems to be something in the
death of child, even if it be but five
years old, which makes grief more poig.
nant and bitter than that of an older in.
dividual. When death loosens the frar
tendrils which bind child to the heart
Of its parents, it seems as if life to those
who are bereft contains no more worth
living for and the first paroxism of grief
is most terrible. | have been called
upon to prepare for burial sweet little
little buds of promise, blasted in the