Funerals in Spain.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5426, 29 November 1895, Page 2

Funerals in Spain.

■ By " caatlea in Spain " a Frenchman understands something airy and unsubstantial to be meant. It would seem that funerals in that sonny land partake of the same characteristics. At least Mr G. E. Sims, in his entertaining book, " Dagonet Abroad/ jast published, describes the ordinary Spanish interment as something rather cheerful and informal, in marked contrast to the English decorous and i sombre-.. ceremony. He says- that in Spain the dead are handed over to the undertakers, the relatives as a rule taking no pait in the last rites. The hearati-driver at a funeral, instead of I wearing black and looking solemn, smokes i a cigarette and looks happy. Here is Mr Sims's acconnt of a funeral procession I which he witnessed :— " Four little barej footed boys arrive at the cemetery gates. j Between them they carry a little blue and white coffin. They jog along, chatting and laughing, up the long avenue of trees. ; Presently they see something which ' j attracts their attention — a bird in a tree. • Down they drop the coffin by the roadside, I and off they, scamper across the grass to the | • tree. They pick up stones and begin to throw j them at the bird. Presently they return ; and pick up the coffin. Two of them have lighted cigarettes. They carry their burthen right across the cemetery to a little house, I where two or three men with brass numbers on their caps are smoking. j cigarettes." Another of Mr Sims's ( storieß of Spanish burial customs haß also '' a pleasant flavour about it, though it may {suggest gruesome thoughts of premature interment, and "what might have been." j He tells how, a gentleman having died, j his body was delivered at the house of a 1 fashionable undertaker for interment on l the morrow. In the meantime the under--1 taker wbb giving a ball. When the ball was at its height, a gentleman in full evening dress suddenly joined the company. He danced with the wife of the undertaker, and he danced with the undertaker's daughter, and seemed to be thoroughly en-joying himself. The undertaker thought he knew his face, but did 1 not like to be rude and ask him his name ; but by-and-by ali the guests departed, and the strange gentleman was the only one left. " Shall I send for a cab for you t" said the host at last. " No, thank you," replied the gentleman; "I'm staying in the house/ "Staying in the house!" exclaimed the undertaker ; " who are you, sir P" w What, don't you know me ? I'm the corpse that was brought in this afternoon." The undertaker, horrified, rushed to the mortuary-room and found the coffin empty., It is only necessary to add that in Spain the dead are generally buried in full evening dressa.