PRAISED THE DEAD

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 98, 23 October 1934, Page 8

PRAISED THE DEAD

The death, at Buenos Aires, of a notable character of tho South American city, one Don Thomas, who is described as a professional valedictorian of the dead, is announced. A valedictorian appears to be a man who makes it his profession to deliver, at tho shortest notice, a speech of eulogy of any deceased person at the graveside. Don Thomas was credited with the abil ity to deliver an extempore speech of any desired length upon being told the namo, nationality, and business of the departed. For thirty years ho carried on his profession, but of late, demand for bis services had fallen off very seriously, because mourners had come to prufer to place flowers upon the grave rather than to engago tho talented valedictorian. The later years of Don Thomas were a struggle against (ho modern fashion. Ho had to reduce his fees and improve his speeches. Ho threw in six Latin quotations free; ho offered ten minutes' oration for a dollar. All in vain; and, at last, ho has died a disappointed man, his occupation gone. Tho report of his funeral states that ho was buried with flowers, but without any speech.