The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-21
FUNERALS IN HOLLAND.


New York Tribune.
A woman who has enjoyed a long resi-
dence in Holland tells various interesting
things of the funeral customs of that
country.
when 'mevrouw,' the faithful wife and
mother, is called away" she says, mo un-
feeling undertaken will touch that precious
body-with the sweetest attention they will
care for her, and leave her lying quietly in
her own bed. the very bed upon which she
first saw the light of earth. dressed in a
simple n~ightgown, with the national flower,
the pure white hyacinth, or possibly the
lily, upon her breast.
Meanwhile the 'Aanspreken' goes about
from house to house, leaving at each a
formidable looking card with a heavy black
border, announcing the death and giving
the date of the funeral. In some towns
when the door is open the man steps inside
and reads the announcement in a solemn
toned voice.
Friends and Relatives call during the
sad days that precede the funeral, and the
family must receive them: on this most
knew of an acquaintance who had lost his
dearly loved wife, and who stood all one
afternoon with his two children beside him.
and received over 200 people.
without any divine service, the friends
come together on the day of the funeral
and start art for the,Se cemetery Out of RE
- AoADO Aoc AoW0t1 Ills
shades thus the street presents a most SOM
I'm front of the door stand the Iijk
koets' hearse) and / shudder now as I
think of that funeral carriage. Open upon
all Sides, in each corner "A post that sup
ports a square canopy, and In the middle a
raised platform upon which rests the coffin
all Is heavily shrouded in black. with a
full fringe edging its borders. Even the
wheels are lost to view: only the eyes of
the horses look through round openings cut
- Tho mo ar, IL -. H-.-
horses, and sometimes six of these heavily
draped animal, walking with measured
tread, past the house where 'mevrouw'
was born, past the door, where the wom-
en- from the provinces are selling their
wares.
"The coffin is always of solid oak, pol
ished, at least one and a half inches thick,
lined with white muslin, and closed with
screws. Wreaths of black and whit beads
or of ivy, and sometimes flowers, are hung
upon the hearse, and cover the coffin. By
twelve men, carriers, dressed in black.
with long, circular coats, a crepe band
about their three-cornered hats, and flow
ing from the back is a streamer of the
same material. Not so many years ago a
man walked in front of the procession
sympathetically wiping his eyes, assuming
a woe he did not feel.
II am sorry to say that many times I
have seen these 'draggers' carriers, on their
return from the cemetery, sitting on the
edge of the hearse. their long legs dangling
from beneath the curtain of black that has
been let down under an influence that was
spiritual, IL not heavenly. In some cities a
child's hearse consists Of a coach with the
wheels removed, wooden runners taking
their place, on the front a little keg of
water, which is allowed to drip slowly upon
the runners TO facilitate an easy transit
over the cobbled streets. AS a rule. the
women do not go to the cemetery, only the
men of the family. Once there, a friend Of
long acquaintance will make a speech ex-
tolling the virtues of the deceased and
aArnfnrffnO tho nnnttrnoro NrhAn th1 lN-l.
has been placed in the vault. the last word
said, a brass box is passed around, that
the poor may not be forgotten, then the
friends return to the house, where a lunch
con Is served"