a a
CHINESE FUNERALS.
QUEER FUNERAL CUSTOMS IN
FAR CATHAY.
Tombs Built to Last Forover. Fam.
ily Coffins Provided for the Dear
Departed’'s Future Wants,
the Mail
tomb to
and
last
A Chinaman,
Express, builds
says
his
wash away in the first rain. A mansion
is seldom repaired, and never re-
stored. It shares the same fate as
the hovel of the coglie and the hut of
the savage. The grave. on the other
hand, is cleaned and repaired every
year and restored with great regular-
ity and thoroug .
Very early in life John Chinaman
buvs himself a nice coflin, a roomy
comfortable in which he can
sleep the last sleep withot
his knees and elbows
affair
it chafing
If he has ever
makes careful arrangements to have
it inscribed on the ancestral tablets
in his own family hall, and the tem-
ple of his family and of his clan, so
that future generations may render
him reverence and so enliven the mo-
yotony of his spiritual
But in any and every case he picks
out a good grave, pre-empts it
the Chinese law and has it made
ready for his reception
This is a very
cated proceeding
in China as ncery suit in
New Jersey, the latter,
it has to be conducted by one of
more professionals of the
existence.
ous an
1
d compli-
is about as bad
and, like
highest
standard.
rl "also astrol
‘grave tellers,
After this worthy has
rave all well
when another grave must
for the wife.
as
select
Foes until marriage,
be picked
This oes
lestials will
a separate place picked out
wife hild and dependent
witl his gates—a large-sized
tery
it
il sO
Ol
1 posse.
Finally Azrael
the graves come
3
The CO
does
and
aeey-
¢ appear,
one of to be
pied.
family undertaker
looking affair, and
some historic
ten.
n is brought from the
‘uriot
1
I
Has
106 10rd
lik
ut
grea
o
tree
from it
celain.
2 are simi
nsub-
stantiated, may use term,
into Celestial wealth; that the paper |
palace wlien consumed gives to the |
dead man a real palace in the life to |
the make-believe animals be- |
come herds and flocks on the heaven:
ly plains and tl tiny figures are |
metamorphosed into servants, em-
ployees, friends and companions,
After the body has lain in state]
the time allowed by custom or by
law the priest appears upon the
scene with his paraphernalia and re-
tinue. There is a little statue sitting
in a chair gorgeously painted and
wonderfully carved and celored. It
is carried by four men There are
one or two banners which inform the
public who the divine stranger is.
There is 8 man who eurries a large
gong, another man with cymbals,
several with small gongs and tom-
toms and always a wretch with dis-
cordant and ear-splitting clarionet
They partake of the refreshments
and then the funeral cortege starts.
Usually the head of the procession is
a musician, whose notes give warning
of his approach. He is followed by
relatives and by the coffin, which is
suspended from a framework of
poles, whose ends rest upon the
shoulders of stalwart carriers; by
the family, hired mutes and mourn.
ers, then by the little statue in his
choir or summer house, the musi.
clans, friends and neighbors, If it
Is a poor coolie the coffin will be car-
ried by eight men and there will be
about twelve other persons in the
procession. If he be a great mer.
ehant or a mandarin the coffin will
be borne by thirty, fifty and even
sixty carriers, and the procession
will conmin at least five hundred
the
come ;
ie
gouls.
When they reach the burial ground
the coffin stops alongside of the port-
{able altar and the littie idol, while
{ three musicians march forward and
{occupy the points of a triangle de-
| signed by the astrologers, which in-
| cludes the grave, the music and all
{ the members of the procession,
| The moment they reach their post
they execute a series of musical or
non-musical sounds, while the coffin
moves onward to the grave. They
| repeat this until the earth has cov-
ered all evidences of death,
After that, if the deceased was a
person of any prominence whatever,
or was a father leaving his
jame is inscribed with some compli:
mentary remark upon the tablets in
the ancestral hall of his former home
and also of those in the halls of the
family and clan temple. There-
after at least once a year on the
Ghost God's day, family go
out to his grave and there spend
When they reach the tomb
y clean it from and weeds
and the debris which gathers in the
If the colored has
touch up the
color until it is new and bright. They
trim the grass around the grave and
‘lean the ground of stones, brick and
This done, they bring out their
food and drink and
serve his allotted quantity to
dead. This of three
cups of tea, three glasses of wine and
plates of cold chicken, cold pork sau-
sage and dried fish, fresh fis!
served eggs, sweetmeats,
and other
hile the spirit
issue,
the
IT1O8S
open. lettering
stores of
consisds
oer
delicacies.
Ww i8 supposed to be er
ight jass-sticks
the grave and
artificial low.
v then
them in
it with ti
tation
nsel
money
n and eat their ti
intent
aside for
sit dow
y with the ot
1
rg
Chinese Fuel,
The Chinese do not 1
and it is only
that you
houses says Frank G. Cary
Fu
instances
heated
vel uel
is remarkably
and everything is carefully save
saw hundreds of ymen pullin
stubble and gathering straw
Ww
fires
of the chief businesses along the
rtse- Kiang i
vhich grow «
parts
« mined.
“The Most Complete Man '' Dead?
The man whom Henry Grady al-
declared to be
ever knew
the most come
the ablest
Christian, the
buried at Athens,
other day, death having
‘ome at the early age of thirty-eight
He was Hon. George Dudley Thomas,
Mr. Grady’'s estimate of the
A
plete man he
the consisten
best citizen, was
Ga., the
ple of Geogia. He was classmate of
(iovernor Atkinson in the State Uni.
versity. He was universally recog
nized as an eminent lawyer. For nine
years, or until his health failed a
year ago, he was a professor the
law department of the nniversity
He was a partner with ex-United
nn
i
The Trade Winds.
The trade winds are the prime mo-
tors of ocean currents. They cause
a surface drift of no great velocity
over vast areas of water in the same
general direction as that in which
they blow. These drifts, after meet.
ing and combining their forces, event.
ually impinge on the lapd. They are
diverted and concentrated and in-
creased in speed. They either pour
through passages between islands, as
in the Caribbean Sea; are pressed up
by the land and escape by the only
outlets possible, as, for example, the
Strait of Florida, and form a great
ocean current like the Gull Stream.
Ea a]
He Copied Them,
A teacher in a Philadelphia school
recently gave her scholars a lesson to
mark on their slates the Roman nu-
merals from 1 to42. In about three
minutes one of the boys held up his
hand, signifying that he had accom-
plished the'work. ‘ Why, Johnny,’
said the teacher, ''you are real smart,
None of the other scholars are half
done. Now. tell us how you cam: to
finish so quickly.”” Johnny, in great
glee, replied: ** I copied them from
the clock on the wall up there.”
HAWKS AND RATS.
The
dents.
solved R. Hallstead of Elkland town-
ship, Penn., saw a large white-
breasted hawk dart to a sashless
window near the peak of a wagon
barn that he had finished building a
few days before. It flew out
moment with a squealing rat in each
claw, and the interested farmey
watched it till it met another hawk
in midair. The two circled and un-
dulated side by side for a spell, when
the one with the rats resumed its
flight toward the forest. The other
hawk immediately pointed for the
barn, shot through the window, flit.
ted out a few
struggline rat in talon, and
sailed off in the same direction. Mr.
Halstead started to tell his wife about
what he had seen
a pair exactly
itl
later
1
each
seconds
when the hawks or
them, flew into
the barn window, and came out short-
ly
IKE
y with their claws full of
rs I'here was
the new barn
dered where
sue
or hay
farmer
came
Lis, no grain
and the
all the rats
He was also in a quandry as
the fierce forest birds knew where to
find rats under a roof
On going int
barn Mr. Hallstead
rats scampering
and the
was solved.
after the
roune WDE
Ing people
in-
pI.
{
ir
to how
) the uppe
part of the
saw scores of
the floor,
l on
of their presence
} f
Delorean
Around
mystery
Two nights
barn ht been
) of the
i
yall
He Con
ries tid
Nanas o
rea it is
country
mouniain
that the
its inaterind
mysterious power appertaining
throngh being produced wholly ap:
from human under
care of a beneficent spirit
jut while the Chinese will pay any
price for this root, and will consume
all that can be produced, the medical
men of Europe and America have
never found any curative power in
it. Our Indian tribes, however, agree
with the Chinese and regard gin-
nfluence
Winter Proverbs.
A snow year, a rich year.
Winter finds what summer lays up
Aftera rainy winter follows a frait-
ful spring.
Winter's back breaks about the
middle of February.
December cold, with snow, brings
rye everywhere.
In winter expect not fair weather
from one night's ice.
He that drops a coat on a winter
day,
Will gladly put it on in May.
Winter thunder,
Poor man’s death and rich man’s
hunger.
December changeable and mild,
The whole winter will remain a child.
—————— pos
Poison on Bank Notes.
A bank teller of Vienna recently
died from the effects of moistening
his fingers with saliva at the lips
when counting money. At the first
revision of the vaults it fell to his lot
to count a large number of small bills
and, although repeatedly warned,
continued mechanically to touch his
lips when his fingers became too dry.
fu
| That evening he felt asmarting pain in
{ his lips, but did not attend to it until
a swelling had set in the next day.
| He then consulted a surgeon, who
insisted upon an immediate opera-
tion on the tumor, that had in the
meantime assumed alarming propor-
tions, as indispensable. A consulta-
| tion of eminent specialists declared
| his condition critical, but decided
upon the operation as a possible
chance, In spite of the operation
the patient died three days after of
blood poisoning.
THE FIREWEED
it Disguises the Ruin Wronght by
Forest Conflagrations.
August comes on, one finds
quiet country roadsides and in
openings, a tall plant,
six feet
vihose gingle
gled red and green color
r feathered with long, nar
bearing a striking resems-
those
As
f/ailon
WOO
from
ir
£
i n often
to in i
or even
stem «
row les
blance of the common wil-
the top waves a handsome
lume about a foot long of deep pink
a feature of
race and beauty that
flowers compare
1 8]
!
flowers shaded purple,
sucl
h a
few of our wild
with it.
The extr
can
He
or
sme tip of this plu:
| bunch
1 i
fi Closely clustered
it
nase o it
: the decorated
or pods of
Between these
is
the same color as
two
wenty-five
are
blossom s—t
group, the
pods 1
shape
nda leaves
A Cosmonolitan City.
Ne¢ York
cosmopolitan population.
1
1.800.000 inhabitants reported by ti
remarkable for its
£3 %]
Ww is
last State census, 377.000 are aliens
Nearly everyone in five is not a citi-
But thousands of
ywreign born and still
tive language and customs
American born are, in fact, in a small
minority, numbering only 385,000
There are more Germans and more
Irish in New York than there are na-
tive born. The Russian colony (in-
cluding Poles) numbers 80,000, and
there are 54,000 Italians. Nearly
| every race, religion and language are
represented here. Certain sections
| of the city are as distinctly foreign
| in character and population as any
| foreign city could be. This is one of
the things that makes New York so
interesting, and also so difficult to
govern.
en
¢
citizens are
—
Relics of the Saxons.
Saxon relies have been found in
great abundance lately in a cemetery
in Sussex. England. In one grave
were two elaborately ornamented ves.
gels and a trumpet-shaped glass
utensil. In other graves were found
| a spear, a circular bronze brooch,
bronze knife and knife sheath, a
| bronze ring, with two toothpicks and
| one earpick attached, a drinking cup
of clay and a number of colored
beads. Upon a skeleton there were
151 beads of clay and glass suspend:
| ed on a string from the neck to the
waist.
The waist being the most import
ant and conspicuous portion of the
gown of to-day, all the labor and
adornment seems to be spent upon it,
leaving the skirts, for the most part.
quite plain. The one thing essential
is to have the skirt well fitted at the
top. The amount of material at its
foot may be varied from three to
eight yards. The latter are extreme,
.
FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS,
BROW.
Oh, what do you think eame down
last night,
And spread abroad a mantle of white?
The jolly, glorious snow
Ho! ho!
And what do you think we'll do to-
night,
When the moon
alight
We boys—wou
know?
and stars are
id like
you
Ho! he!
iangh and whoop of rare
light
With bounding hea
bright,
Adown
ris aad with fad
the hill we’
Ho! ho!
OF WAR.
Logs of war
with atigura-
It has remained
decade
significance
‘hicago Inter Oc
**The German
war dogs.
ean
s trained
each dor
1 is required
Dac
army now na
On march
is led by his master an
to carry a heavy
Dogs of a dark
because
nemy
bye
(rérmans
HISTORICAL WALES,
and girls have
more than
of
Philadelphia boys
the
mcee urged
trips about the
points of
“Historical Walks,”
occupation,
in this department
gity to various
call them
and the fashion
taken a strong hold upon the
this neighboring city. A
party of young persons appoint time
and place of meeting and, with one
older and responsible guide, make a
tour of places in and about the
that are interesting from association
or other reasons. The idea has been
sopied here in New-York, and this
holiday-time, when the day following
the Christmas excitement are apt to
be hard to fill, many such parties
have been seen on their trips of in.
gpection and frolic. More are
planned for this week. Some are
going to the Metropolitan and Nat.
aral History Museums, and others
will visit the upper part of the
and, Washington Heights, and High
the
interast hey
has
Boulevard and
Hundred and Fifty-third Street,
where are the Astor and Audubon
vaults. The former home of Audu-
bon is very near this cemetery, a
little north, and all about is historic
ground. A stranger in the party
adds to the interest, as all find
pleasure in pointing out to him or
her special places of interest, It is
excellent amusement for those quite
young, who know very little about
the city. Brooklyn is full of historic
places, and can give more than a
day’s occupation in looking them up.
A party went last week to the Jersey
Heights, and tramped over the newly-
developed district, taking a trolly
ear down to Hoboken Ferry from
Hudson Heights. Try these “his.
torical walks.” There is hardly any-
thing jollier for a party of boys and
girls than to be out for a good tramp
tery, at the
Hazenbeel
with
to ex.
but
were
tt and per-
yiaths, The
the tooth
y fosw ny
FOOWnH
Baby's Elastic Vocabulary.
ther had come
to pay
by the
a companied
HIS Nurse,
to appear in an
id she, "but, really, fora
child of 16 months, I consider Alger
non a marvel of intelligen He un-
derstands every word that is said, and
the conversation with a sa
that almost alarms me at
Speak to the lady. Algernon.”
Boo-boo,’’ said Algernon
“listen to that!’ eried the delight.
ed mother. ‘He means, ‘How do you
Isn’t it wonderful? Now, Alger
non, ask the lady to play for vou
the piano. Now, Algie,
dear.” (very coaxingly)
‘“‘Boo-boo.” said Algernon.
“He means music by that, Isn't
he too smmit for anything? Now,
love, tell the lady mamma 8 name."
“Boo-boo,”’ said Algernoh.
“That's right, ‘Boo-boo--Louise.’
Louise, you know. Bless
his little darling heart. Isn't hea
y way
oe
10ins in
city
"a,
The Vinegar Habit.
“One of the most difficult habits
to cure is that of drinking vinegar.”
said Dr. L. C. Aiken, at the Emery,
“ A good many women drink vinegar
for the complexion, and in some
cases it creates a craving for it even
more insatiable than that for liquor,
As the habit grows the victim is no
longer contented with ordinary vine
gar, but demands it stronger and
stronger until they drink acetic acid
with very little dilution. Itburns
out the stomach within a very few
years, and itis seldom that a vinegar
fiend lives even until middie age It
can be detected by the peculiar pals
lor of the countenance, but no anti
dote has ever been discovered by
which the habit can be cured.”