The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-10-19
Natives Buried Alive by Consent
PECULIAR METHODS IN CHINA.
Nv BRUNO NOVARRA.

, quite agreed with his dear relatives.
Next morning four Of his uncles and
nephews invited him to so with them
to a nearby forest, where a grave
| had been prepared. Very We'll, ne
said, give me two coppers worth OF
opium" He took the drug just be-
fore he jumped into the grave, which
| was quickly filled with earth and
stones. Before the relatives depart
ID they asked the doomed man if he
had any further wishes. Yes he
replied, cover my head and face
with tall grass so the insects won't
bother and the dogs won't disfigure
me while alive
In the same district, continued the
narrator, lived a leper of seventy,
who steadfastly refused to die.
Though his children and grandchil-
dren were tired of supporting him in
the forest hut, where he lived by
himself, he could neither be persuad-
ed to commit suicide nor submit to
burial. Finally the relatives APP
pealed to the vanity Of the old man.
They went to town and bought the
most up-tO-date caSket to be had
one highly lacquered and decorated
with tinsel trimmings. They brought
it to the old mans hut, promising
him the beautiful last coat" if he
would wear it at once. The leper
agreed with his children and grand
children that the casket was beau
ty, but though his life was miserable
enough, he was not yet ready to
shake it off. II might consent" he
said, 'if you set up a fine funeral
dinner"
The council of relatives called the
old man blackmailer. why they
argued, You are going to die in a
few weeks anyhow, and if you wait
that long the lacquer on the casket
may wear Off, Or it may be destroyed
by fire or stolen. Of course, We
would be very sorry to bury you
right away, but since it must be done,
sooner or later, excuse us for wishing
to make an end Of the natter Ar
guments or no arguments, the living
corpse insisted on his funeral dinner
and got it. On the day following the
agreement his relatives and friends
assembled with band Of music, bags
Of rice, baskets Of chickens, etc. At
noon a grand dinner was spread and
at it's conclusion the leper laid down
il his beautiful casket amid weeping
anu roar of cannon. The casket was
lowered into the grave and covered
with earth before the leper had time
to rap to be let out again. The al
thorities knew about the arrange
ment. but said nothing. In similar
manner, another leper was disposed
of, only that in his case fine man
darin's suit constituted the bait.
The sick man said he would be de-
lighted to be buried in such noble
garments. But when they came to
fetch him he had changed his mind
and absolutely refused to lie down in
the casket.
What" cried the grave diggers
and other burial attendants, have
we had all this trouble for nothing?"
} And the relatives swore they would
not pay them second time. and up
braided the old man as a fool who
} didn't know his own mind.
Unless you consent to be buried
tomorrow morning, we shall take
the mandarin's clothes away, also the
casket, and warn you that no incense
will be burned on your grave" said
the eldest son and prospective head
ofthe family.
"Well," said the old man, 'if you
} promise to let me have the mandar-
ms suit and burn incense on my
grave on the anniversary of my
death as long as you live, and it,, in
addition, you will get me up a good
meal tomorrow morning, plenty of
chicken. rice and pork, then will be
buried"
The last breakfast was big affair;
not only the relatives, but the neigh
bors contributed to the feast. When
all had their fill the funeral process
sion started. Behind the empty
coffin hobbled on crutches the occu-
pant-to-be. At a little distance, to
prevent contamination, walked the
son with the mandarin's clothes on
his arm. At the open grave the
doomed man donned the fine clothes.
regarded himself long and earnestly
in a mirror, drank quantity of poi
son guaranteed to kill within half an
hour. and hiccoughing and smiling,
laid down in the Aoffin. The son
nailed on the lid and the village elder
attested that all the formalities had
Magazine.
Fatal Admission.