Sham Burial Suits

Oí late years the fashion in funeral wardrobes hqa uaaterially chauged. WTiere our ancestors used to be pat to their last qniet bed in i plain nhroud, their desceudants make the same journey in full dress. In the case oí a gentleman, a black coat and pantaloons, with a white vest. shirt and tic, Inive been defined as the last tribute of decency he can pay to the social System (rom which he has departed, Á lady is required to be attired inattire whose quality is geiierally decided by hei dressers, but which is oí a sober hue. There are few men who would throunh choice wear a dickey over their breasts iostead of a shirt on their bodies. Yet the sliam burial suits are nothing but dickeys. A Sunday News reporter saw one in an undertaker's window tbe other day, or rather he saw two. One was iutended fora gentleman, and the other for a lady. They were inclosed in neat boxes, with glasi covers, and would have been quite pleasant to look ar, if it hadn't been for the coffin which formed a background to tliem, and the photographs alongside of an embalnwr inspecting the corpse of a man wlio, if looks go for anything, must have been lianged for slaughtering three or four infant schools from a tub of Chemicals through a garden hose. At ürst sight they seeined to be wliat they were evidently intended to represect, The reporter was examiniug them, when a rosy man, who had been telling a story to several cheerful gentleman, who laughed heartily at it, called from bis arm-chair in the doorway, "What do you think of them, eh?" "ïhey seem to be real nice," tl.e reporter responded. "Nice!" replied the rosy man, "why, they're just bang up. Look at 'em in here close to. How is that for high. eh? Only take thatin." And yanking what had seemed to be a black coat, vest, shirt, collar, and tie completely fiom itscase, he waved a flutteving ra' over tlie reporter's head. The arrangement was simply a front, no longer than U waitei's jacket, and with tapes behind to tie it to the body. "Nobody ever see the back of Vin," said the rosy man, "and half of the lid covers 'em up tothe waste. 80 what's the use of buying a 840 rig or so whenyou can get 011e of these for $10 1 want to know? Ain'i tlie dtceased lost eBöugh without chucking ïiis clothes in tóo?" The reporter adrnitted tliat, taking this view of the subject, the idea was certainly au admirable one. Encouraged by tliis endorsement, the rosy man sent a rosy boy, who was cracking peanuts and throwing the shells into an open casket, for a pint of beer, and went into details. He had long noticed with pain that the poorest of people buried the best suit of clothes tliey could obtain with their dead. According to a computation lie liad made with great care soniething over $8,000,000 was squandered annually in this way. Iiterally thrown to the vvorms. Ïhi3 was very wrong. It was an outrage on the whole system of social econoflay. Soiaebody could wear those garnients and get more good out of theni than the man or wornan who had them on. Then why dou't they wear them ? ïhey didn't wpir them because they were "down on" slirouds, and couldn't bury the "deceased" with nothing at all on. But the present iniprovement supptted a lmpiy medium. It arrayed the bculy in a Btylisrb garb wherever the body was seen. In the bidden recesses of the casket, where no eyes had accesa.it didn't matter in the least how it was dressed. One of these snits only cost from$S to 15, accwding to its quality, Ladies' dresses. eunstructed on the same plan, rated accoxding to the same schedule. The idea was a new one, butit had made a hit, and the sliani suits were telling; to use the nürrator's owii picturesque figure oí' speech, "like hot cakes." Tbeillusive garments were made in all styles to suit all tastes. Onedrtss had lately been made for a youBg lady who d'esired t be buried in pink. lier iamily were going to saeriüce her best orees when tliis substitute was sufigesled to them. ■And her sister wore tliat dress to a hall last week,'' said the rosy man, triumpliantly. "jimmy seen her in it ilidn'L youV" Siinuiy set down the beer, and re spoude'd in the aflirmative. As the reporter prepared to depart he askcd : Are they patented V" 'You bet," replied the rosy mui. "When you need oue let your fojks give us a cali, will you ? Sinirny, hand