Strange Burial Ritual

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 157, 6 July 1936, Page 2

Strange Burial Ritual

HAIR FROM HORSES’ TAILS TO EE PLACED ON FAMOUS WRITER’S GRAVE LONDON, April 21. A strange and unprecedented ritual will bo performed at the interment ot Mr R. D. Cunuiugliamc Graham, the famous writer, liorsemau and politician, which takes place to-morrow ou the .lonely island of luchmahoiio, iu tho uiidlo of Lake Mentictk, Perthshire. Tho body arrived at Tilbury this morning from Buenos Aires iu tho Blue Star liner Alrneda Star. Acting as chief mourner will bo Mr A. F. Tschiffcly, tho celebrated horseman aud author, who was the life-long friend of "Don Roberto" Cunningham o Graham, 110 will carry in his hand neither flowers nor soil, but hair from the tails of three famous horses. They are Chaja, which means "Mountain Eagle;’’ ltejo, which means "Child of tho Pampa" and plain Hilly, once the pony of a London street trader. "Such is the gesture which ‘Don Roberto' desired,” Mr Tschill’ely stated. "They were his favourite horses, and ho kept them as pensioners' down on his farm near Woking. Tho two with Spanish names are Argentine, but Billy’s real home is in Iceland. Ho has the strangest story ot any horso 1 ever heard of. For many years he belonged to a greengrocer who used to pass "Don Roberto’s" house every morning. As Don Roberto was the best friend Billy and tho others had, and as horses were the best friends of ‘Don Roberto,’ we are taking this«seenfingly eccentric step. I shall place the hair on the coffin instead of flowers." Mr Tsckiffely will bo Mr Cunninghams Graham's official biographer.