WOMEN AT FUNERALS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 511, 19 May 1909, Page 3

WOMEN AT FUNERALS.

'-.". ; " Should '"women" attend funerals?..(asks a i. . Londori paper): ,'ihe question is'.suggested.by, ''-Vthe'• explanation'given ;by the.''Duchess"<of ,< Buckingham and Chandos.,that ill-health pre-, ;'.:;■.. /vented';heiv; attending either' the; funeral or v r the;■memorial|service-,'of';.'the' lato Lord. Eger- ;'■ : s v ;;.ton; ofii'fattori: ,i rtjritil ' the/;, latter .< part, of '■> : ,//.QueeniVictoria;s reign' it Vas, almost, unheard :■■:.':. of i;for.;wom«i 'of .'the : upper, classes to attend ;:/ "tyi unerals; -and'at''the 'present:time in'lreland '■i:'v. it :is' .far, more "unusual thah.in:England. After :',/;-; &ll, ; :it argues rio devotion other.than can be; ;"■■. ;'.• - expressed'otherwise;' and:/it can'"only bo. a " nightmare 1 of. pain, where there is:-real feel:^:i :ing;. y:/^;':./.: \.^(ifi : k;-■■].;.: ";....;:y : ; ; '" ; ' '-.•'. In a>period : wheh it-was va; sigh of ;sensi":V:;Mity '-.to-weep:'ahd,faint'\ih ; public/ attend-; /■/.,/; iire .'ap funerals/would''not havb been so '. * . ;uns^it'able"f6r'women as'it is'now/but .the :',' ■;-'x;'Kabit';b^ ; yeti&'nro':>Bnd'--';self-(»htrol is being '."';■■',-.,■ ; sb: v 'strpngly impressed ;bn women nowadays ;•, ■-.■;■;"■ that'a/;pubHc'-.ordear ; of : the.lund: is;surely. . "nnnecessaiyyarwl crnel. VBy.thb way, this . , same habit of/,self-control.'is wresting from .-.-■/ woman'one of her'dearest privileges, if one ■.. :'■ ■'■ may;.: judge/ from 'the l - works 'of poets and . /"novelists. /Where is the.woman. who v enjoys ,■:..;' a- good fcry?,/'/A few/hasty'and furtive tears, ■;' shed .ih-'shahied' solitude, are 'all wo can: ,:' r;;indulge'::in,:now;.; Given : a.'nice, comfortable :;.' --'vsofaj;:with.plenty.of "soft'.cushions,- twilight, ;.;";,: privacy; .'and; a fit-of depression—tho modern :--,,.; w.oman-'does'not:yield.:; A couple of.sobs, a ;-';.: .great' "many sho'is herself .again. ,\v ;. : ;^he; ; easy :* tears'of: a /past generation are '■'■'■■'. -' ,gono,frdm"us.;, when, we cry! we do'it so thor- /,/. Souglily/arid:earnestly thatwe are'worn out ''';,;,'.v--iirid:-;disfigiirc(l^aftcr. : -it/:.ahd , ..ahy'. ; poet may '..:.Bihg'(the:r(.rjuiem, of:''.'. the/good'cry."./