The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-07

as OF aluminium, and some are metal
lined; all calculated to preserve the
body for a long time. But not all OF
us have the same views about burial,
and 1t was the desire OF the owner
of the basketwork coffin that when
he died he should, as soon as might
be, go back to mother earth.
People do sometimes nowadays
make their own selection of the sort
OF casket they would prefer to be
buried in: young people, sometimes.
though those making such selection
would more likely be old
There came to us once. with no
thought OF death a young man who
| selected a casket such as he would
like to be buried in ii he. should die.
He died not many months after and
his relatives buried him in casket
such as he had selected.
Some years ago we had visit
from man OF not much il any more
than middle age and of good health
who selected the style OF casket that
satisfied him. We told him politely
and cheerfully that he had no need
for casket and didn't appear likely
to need one for a good many years to
come. but he chose. nevertheless, not
despondingly at ALL but because he
wanted to, the sort OF casket that he
preferred, and told us that he should
make provision for its supply and
where the papers providing for it
would be found when it should be re-
Quired. We have not yet been called
upon to furnish this casket and SO We
have no doubt that he is still living.
SWhilo a. ~ ,1,o
most likely older people who actually
made selection OF their burial caskets,
and these might not be numerous, it
is not unusual for persons dying to
make provisions in their wills for their
funerals, and while these might not
select the casket in which they de-
sired to be buried yet they might pre-
scribe the manner OF their burial.
of course there are many thou
sands of pecple-there have always,
to be sure, been many such-who
though they may leave no property
and make no will. do in one way or
another make in life suitable provi-
sion for their funeral expenses. 1t
Is very common custom now for the
survivors Of one dead to make their
selection OF the casket in which the
deceased is to be buried.
In olden days when everybody was
buried in coffin there was no such
choice; however much they might diff
fer in the materials used in their
construction and in the quality of
their workmanship and finish, all COT
inns were alike in shape, and ma
hogany coffin, for instance, was still
simply mahogany coffin.
But now three-fourths or more of
all the people dying, in the large COM
munities, at least, are uried in cas-
kets, which are very different in de-
sign and appearance from the old time
coffin, and which are produced in very
great variety as to their actual styles,
as to the materials used in them, as to
the modification OF shape and as to
their cost.
Now it is very common thing, if
not indeed the prevailing practice, for
the survivors OF the deceased to make
selection OF the casket in which the
dead shall be buried. Such a selec-
ton is often made from the illustrated
catalogues of the casket manufacture
ers, Or it may be made from among
actual caskets, displayed in his es-
Enlistment by the undertaken; or
it may be that the undertaken will
take those making such selection to
the wareroonls OF the casket manu-
facturer. Here caskets may be seen
in very great variety, but presenting
to the eye an appearance different in
deed from that which would be pre-
scented by an array OF an equal num-
Der of the old time collins, for many
of these caskets are OF fine and costly
and beautiful materials, as they may
be also elaborate in workmanship"