The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-10-28
Qneqan8le
LETTER FROM LESLIE PRES
COTT To RUTH ET-RKF

COLT TO RUTH BURKE
Well, it's all over, dear Ruth. with
aI the barbarous ceremony with
which we surround our dead when
we put them away from our sight
forever. dear old dad, who loved and
lived life so rully, has been laid to
rest
The pussy-foOted men from the
undertaker's shop. with their mad
dening airs of sympathy; the over
powerful scent OF tuberoses ana
lilies Of the valley; the sitting pail
Of crepe wells, the narrowing notes
Of music, and the long sermon
wherein the minister drew a moral
for the unregenerate from the blame
less life Of my father. have gone in
to oblivion.
Poor, dear mother! Never before
cid I realize how terrible are our
funeral ceremonies. l sat beside her
with her trembling hand IN mine,
and felt her shrink and shudder
when the hymn began. I heard her
suppressed scbs as the minister re
ferred to her as the widowed and
forlorn"
It seemed to me that all this was
like sticking a knife into a gaping
wound and turning it around.
Then the great line Of motors
filed with business friends and
acquaintance Of my father, the
marching men Of the different
societies OF which he was member,
and the automobiles filled with flow
ors. Perhaps it all was necessary.
Perhaps all this was paying respect
to my fathers good deeds. but to
me it was ostentatious and unneces.
sary.
AS we left tho house. mother
whispered to me: '1Iave all the
flowers possible sent to the hospital,
Gear. so at least some poor, tortured
living being viii he gladdened by the
sipht and oGor Of blossoms that were
given to honor lifejess clay"
AS We entered the cemetery. we
met another procession headed by a
band playing a funeral dirge. Fol
lowing were vehicles with flowers.
then innumcrable motors filled with
men, women and children All these
were poorly dressed, and John re-
market: What a pathetic thing!
some poor woman is giving all the
insurance money to pay proper re-
spect to her man"
Mother looked up with the first
CLEAN Of interest she had shown In
anything outside Of her grief and
her own family since dads death,
and as we descended from the motor
she glanced toward the cheaper part
Of the cemetery, where about nm
open grave stood a group of people.
evidently foreigners, while the band
still played dolefully.
Then her own grief overpowered
her, ard Karl had to fairly carry
her to the place reserved for the
last rite of oil.
When it WIS all over and we re.
turned to the house from which all
signs Of death and dissolution had
already been banished, mother went
Immediately to her room. knew
she wanted to be alone.
John began to plan about getting
back to his business. and how quick
ly he could move to take charge of
fathers. Just then mother came in
and said: Leslie, I've been thinking
Of that other poor woman we saw
at the cemetery today, and I want
some one to go immediately and find
cut If 1t is true that she has paid
out all her little hoard to give her
husband a grand funeral. If that is
so, have some one pay all those ex,
penseS for her. I can not bear to
have her suffer more than is neces-
sary."
took my dear mother in my arms
and kissed her. She may not be
scientifically philanthropic, Ruth
but she's a regular human being.
Copyright, 1924. NEA Service, Incl
NEWT. 1I1{S 1atfo or continued