The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-01
FUSS, FEATHERS, PARADE AT
THE FUNERAL OF TO-DAY
Old Time Funeral Sermon Thing to be Remenl-
bered. The Ministerial Professional and
How He Gains RenOWn

was a boy funerals and burialS were
not so expensive, as now. A burial
was a burial and not an occasion for
a parade-eXhibiting all the livery in
the city and displaying floral offer
ings.
William Thompson, Esq, was city
undertaken in those days, and he, and
Handy Rocket, a very consequential
old negro, generally walked in front
of the hearse. Handy was very dig
nified, pompouS looking negro, who
threw his head back, when walking,
exhibiting q mammoth pair of brass
: trimmed spectacles, which, among the
darkies. were supposed to be gold;
and strutted when he walked, as if
his knee joints were steel springs.
Lest I forget it. I had better state
it here, that Handy became a Squire
under carpet-bag and scalawag rule
and no man who had ever filled the
office of Chief Justice was as digni-
fled, or assumed half the consequent
TALLY that Handy assumed. | say
"consequentiality, because that was
one of his favorite and oftenest used
words, when holding court.
Judge FoWle was practicing in Han
dy'S court, on one occasion, and took
occasion to read some decision of the
Supreme Court. bearing on the point
at issue, remarking, THAT is the
law"
Handy reared back in his seat, put
his feet on the table in front of him,
threw his eyes up toward the ceiling
and speaking in a judicial tone of
voice, said: Dat may be de law in
de Spreem Cort, but it faint de law
in dis onibul Cort."
OF course the case was decided &C
cording to the law in Squire Lock
ett'S court.
but, at the head of funeral process
sion, walking by the side of his mas
ter. he acknowledged no superior.
Next to Stephen Gales the press
man of the old Raleigh Register Han
dy was the most aristocratic negro in
Raleigh.
Yes, burial was burial and not
a parade, and it didn't cost like it
does now. The horse that pulled the
hearse and the horses that drew the
carriages of the family of the deceaS-
ed, were all there were in the process
sion. People followed the hearse on
foot, and got there just the same. The
pall-bearers walked on either side of
the hearse, and my recollection is
they didn't have to wear gloves, as
they have to do in these days. The
only expense was the coffin, and the
digging of the grave, and people were
just as we'll buried, as they are now,
WIlen Carthage hire anu OlIleI eApeilScS
make funerals a burden to many a
family that is not able to bear it. All
the friends followed the remains to
the grave, on foot. Now, only those
go who can get ride. l am not COM
planning, but simply telling how we
used to do, when funerals cost less,
and the poorer families, who were not
able to hire carriages and incur other
expenses, could bury their dead in as
good style as the rich. Dives, doubt
less, had a stylish funeral and the
friends of the family Gf floral offer
ings were then the custom), doubtless
covered his grave with flowers; While
Lazarus, poor fellow, had no burial,
at all. But a better thing came to
pass-he was carried by the angels
to Abraham's bosom. That's the
main thing, after all-having an es-
cort, after death, to the mansions
above. 1t makes but little difference
how the body is buried; but it makes
all the difference how the soul fares
after death. I always felt badly
when witnessing pompous funeral
over the dead body of a man, who all
his life was wicked, and who died as
he had lived. If the dead know what
is taking place on earth, how tor
menting it must be to lost soul, to
see the parade over the body, While
it is suffering. as Jesus said of Dives,
when in hell he lifted up his eyes, be-
ing in torment
Speaking of funerals, reminds me
of the old-time country way of pay
ing the last tribute of respect to the
departed. Preachers were not as plen-
tiful then as now, therefore most peo-
pie were buried without any services.
The funeral being deferred to some
future day. perhaps in May June or
July, when all the relatives from afar:
as we'll as near, could attend. Such
an occasion was looked forward to
as one of more than ordinary interest,
as was always demonstrated by the
great crowd which attended Some
times the funeral would be preached
at a church; or at other times at the
home of the deceased, and sometimes.
il would be conducted at the grave,
seats being provided there to accom-
modate the many hundreds who at
tended. 1t was expected that the
preacher would do his level best, in
the hours sermOn-and, the hall
hour, which he devoted to the mem
DRY of the departed, was expected to
be the most thrilling period of the
day. II the preacher dld MS euIogy
up all right he left no doubt, in the
minds of the bereaved, of the safety
of the soul of the departed. Without
intending to provoke mirth, l may
mention an incident that is SAID 10
have occurred at a funeral which Or.
Gloss conducted, away back IN the
early days of his ministry. Just as
he arose to take his text the Doctor
felt some one jerk his coat-tail. Turn
ing about, he saw it was a son OF the
departed one, whose funeral he was
conducting. The young fellow pulling
the Doctor down. so he could speak to
him in whisper. said: "Tve got a
little whiskey here, and I'd like for
you to take drink. This is dads fu-
neral, and 1 want you to do your level
best.
Yes, an old-time funeral sermon
was a thing to be remembered, both
for length and breadth, as well as for
height and depth. / heard Sam Jones
say that, if a fellow could help it. he
ought not to die in a year after swap
ping horses, as he'd tell enough lies
in that one swap to keep him busy re-
penting for a whole year. How about
the preacher who deals in effusive eu-
logy, when preaching the funeral of
the average man? DR.. Pritchard 1
think, it was, who said in a funeral
discourse, over a young man who was
killed, while drunk, can offer the
friends of the deceased no consola-
tion." The remark shocked some in