Year: 1879

BUSINESS enterprise from its very ma
ture is aggressive and even obtrusive,
but it rarely leads to poinU to which
it has been brought in Philadelphia in the
establishment of business whose half
dozen branches all depend for success
upon solicitation carried on among those
who are, or are supposed to be, freshly
mourning some departed relative. There
recently came by mail to the residence
of an Inquirer reporter II very solemn
looking missive whose black border
ed contents related that the sender
would be happy to make up, at short
notice, a mourning dress, either plain or
in the latest stlye, etc. The envelope
was addressed to "Miss-.," and, as there
was no Miss in theshouse, the whole af-
fair was puzzle until, in looking into
the matter, it was discovered that the
death of person Of the same name had
been announced, and the business circu-
lar had been evidently addressed under
a misapprehension. The reporter, in his
search, discovered that the sending out
of such circulars, accompanied by a per
sonal solicitation, has come to be "A very
common practice among certain parties
here, and that the insertion Of Il death
notice in any of the city newspapers
almost invariably draws down upon the
bereaved family little shower of botn
circulars and visits. The address is, of
necessity, made to depend, in most cases,
upon the nature of the published notice
of the death and funeral. John Smith,
eighteen years, is presumed to leave be-
hind couple of sorrowing sisters and
heart. broken mother, who all want to
appear at the funeral in properly y-put-to-
gether garments of the conventional hue.
John Smith, aged thirty, is supposed to
have left q bereaved widow and, perhaps,
a sister, if not a cousin and an aunt.
These indications are carefully observed
by those who push their business among
the sorrowing and cry their wares in
houses of death.


First there comes q black -bordered
note, proposing to make up mourning
millinery for the bereaved females, and
to get it up in the shortest possible time
and on the most reasonable terms. Then
comes the man who wants to know if
some nice natural flowers won't be wanted
and il so he can furnish any sort desired
and at merely nominal prices. Next
comes glib-spoken, subdued-looking
man, who can furnish cemetery lot
and give the sorrowing survivors their
choice between three or four cemeteries
and guarantees delightful location"
in either of them. Miss Smith now re-
ceives another epistle, just as solemn
looking as the first, informing her that
she can have dress made, either as
plain as q nuns or in the latest style that
fashionable sorrow has dictated, and have
it in an incredibly short space of time
and at a ridiculously small outlay OF
cash. The funeral having taken place
the family has scarcely settled itself at
home before the bell rings and the man
who is anxious to preserve the natural
flowers that have been used at the funer-
al makes his appearance. He is follow
ed by the man who has been recommend
ed to call and see if there are not some
small photographs Of the dear deceased
that the family would like to have copied
into life.size photographs or crayon or
oil portrait, all or either to be done on
terms as reasonable as possible. A lit
tie later, but in time to catch the bereav-
ed relatives in the proper mood, along
comes the man with a choice selection
of printed verses inclosed in borders of
suitable design and color, from cheap
and plain paper to cardboard printed in
letters Of gold on black ground, the
nature of the verses corresponding in
their quality and range. About the last
member of the fraternity to call is the
one who will inclose the cemetery lot at
prices which simply defy competition.