The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-07
Gorgeous TrAppinss, a Feast
for the Dead Man. a Horse for
His Spirit, and a Weird Band
of Music.

A way was opened through the crowd. Tia
rideriess white horse was led into the street
The casket was lifted into n hearse. In
front OF II marched a ChiramGn. who held
mig 4 long. narrow banner. on which was
inscribed a recital in Chinese character. AZ
the dead mans good qualities.
Banner-bearing Cinnamon. more r,.brv
dressed than those of the rank and file, took
their places about the hearse.
The Chinese band. each OF the four mem.
bers chanting an accompanying song, and
each with his eyes half closed and his head
waving unevenly. began to beat on It's cym.
balls and TO blow on its flies.
The American band began another d.rye
The fiuttering flags and banners gave a
fiotous tone Of color that was set off by the
dingy red Of the raInshaCkle old buildings CT
the Chinese quarter. Scarcely less gay wa.
the dress of the mourners-blue. purple.
pink. dull red and yellow. with here and
there n white blouse. and everywhere In
tense black lettering In Chinese characters.
The cortege moved slowly to Olive street.
The Jeering crowd ran after ard about II.
laughing. shouting, hooting.
The Cinnamon. needless alike OF shouts
and jeers, nevertheless laughed cheerfully
among themselves.
The queer procession moved gaudiIy west
on Olive street to Fourteenth street, Four
teenth street to Locust and on Locust to
Twenty-first. passing for the whole distance
between two shifting. closely packed bank,
Of curious white people and negroes.
At Twenty-first street the formation was
broken, the American musicians were dis
missed. and those who were TO go to the
grave climbed into carriages. Waving above
each carriage was a banner.
The sun had found a way through tho
clouds when the procession began to enter
vSoolovan Cometpry The cnrfoOa pro,aa
carefully to the open grave. at the foot of
which was dry wood piled in a heap that
was ready for lighting.
All around the grave. and pressing back
upon other graves. were hundreds Of tr.
reverent people. They were pressed back
with difficulty, but at last there was space
for the coffin to be brought to the grave
and for the chief actors in the ceremonies
to gather together.
The weird lamentations. begun at the head
of Hop alley. were continued; the banners
were unfurled again; the dirges Of the Chi
nese band were renewed: Joss sticks were
lighted: the food that had been brought
out In q covered wagon was placed care
fully at the head of the grave.
The casket was lifted from the hearse
and wrapped In the banner on which was
inscribed the version Of the dead mans
virtues. Then 1t was lowered into the
ground.
When the grave was filed the pile Of dry
wood was lighted and the mourners began
the performance Of the last rite. They
marched slowly about the fire. and a. each
came opposite It he took from his coat CT
blouse his mourner's badge of colored strips
Of cloth and threw 1t upon the blazing heap.
The crowd followed close. II a badge
dropped short or went over the fire, 1t was
seized as q souvenir.
The mourners began to climb into tho
carriages. The crowd surge back Of them,
tramplin8 over the grave. and Selling
greedily the corn, oil. wine. fruits and other
delicacies that had been 50 reverently
placed.
A. the procession moved out Of Tho
cemetery each Of the mourners was pre-
scented with . q Of maple sugar and q
piec6 OF money. In accordance with a Chi
ness belief that no man should ever 10
called upon to do any service for nothing.
The wilderness Of banners and the gaudy
regalia were taken carefully back to Hop
alley and there furled and folded and laid
aside to await service at the next Chinese
funeral.
And the burial Of Gam Lee. King Of Hop
alley. was officially ended.