Year: 1869

wish that few sensible. intelligent, wealthy
people would cease drapilg and festooning them
selves like engine-houses, when death occurs in
the family. use the word 'Veahhy. advisedly
because it is only that class who can really effect
a reformation, for the reason that they will not
be supposed unable ito pay proper respect, as
the phrase runs, to the deceased. Proper respect
Do yards of Grape and bombazine never express
the opposite emotion Is real, heart breaking
grief to be gauged by the width of a hem, or the
length or thickness of vail Have not many
widow and orphan woke up, the morning after
funeral, to find the little left by the deceased,
expended in funeral carriages, for people who
would not lit helping finger If it would keep
them out of the alms-house We all know that,
or il we don't we may wake up to the fact, some
future day, when the sunshine of prosperity is
clouded over


That point disposed OF, it mus, also he remem
bered that black dress now is hardly mourn
ing since that color is fashionable for street
and home, and even festive wear, that il is hard
to distinguish the lady who affects 'all black
because lit is SO stylish, from bereavcd person.


Another objection 20 mourning is, that it is
the most cx pensve dress that be worn, be-
cause most easily spoiled by rain, or dampness,
or dust and as proper respect tor the deceased
requires such voluminous folds Of it, and so often
renewed to be presen,ablc, or else many changes
of mourning to keep the hest suit up to the
proper grief requirement, that the tax on limit
ed purse NAV he easily calculated


Said lady to me one day, This heavy Grape
vail, over my face and down to my knees, keeps
out the air, and gives me a constant sick head
ache Why, then, wear il 2 asked |. Be
cause it wouldn't be decent to emit it,, she re-
piled. This remark, Of course, requires no COM
ment.


Then again, the little children-death must be
made as horrible as possible to them too at the
bidding OF custom They must be swathed in
sackcloth, although only two or three years of
sunshine have put the golden CLEAN in their hair.
Is it not enough that papa or mamma, Or sister
or brother, may never answer again when their
bird-like voices call them Is it Christian, or
even humane, so to surround them with gloom
that death shall he uever-ceasing nightmare
never See little creature so habited that do
not long 10 hang garland OF roses about its
neck, and point to the blue heavens emblem
OF that serene rest which has come to the sleeper.


But you may ask, Would you give no sign, no
token that the footprints Df the Destroyer are
over your threshold Yes, the same that is used
by military men when their chief has departed
q hn m, ,,la tpka
more since, as say, multiplied bombazine and
Grape do not always express either grief
spect since they often represent the contrary
and mostly an expense which can i'll he borne by
the. survivors even when grief is sincere and
since this already recognized military badge Of
bereavement answers all the purpose-why not


The white ribbon tied upon the door-handle
with rosebuds attached, when the baby lids are
forever closed oh that is beautiful. There are
and must be breaking hearts inside that door -
surely come, after nature shall have had its saw
ing flow of tears, when in the sense of perfect
peace and safety for the little song-bird, now far
above the clouds of earth, they will forget them
selves and remember only that.


Thru away with oil these- hsN.he-;r', insignia.
they certainly stand no more for grief or respect
than flashing diamond on the neck or finger,
denotes wealth or social position or even respect
ability Above all, away with this bugaboo
nightmare of little children, who will have
enough, God knows, to contend with, as they
grow older, without prematureiy draping with
the blackness of darkness, the entrance to por-
tai, which they are certainly destined to pass
through, and which the light of faith in their
maturer years may gild, as the shining gates to
the Celestial CITY. FANNY FERN