Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1889 — Abolish Mourning Clothes. [ARTICLE]

Abolish Mourning Clothes.

Much might be done toward abolishing the custom of mourning by means of arbitrary methods of clothing if people, when making their wills, would add a few words to the effect that they wished their relatives to make no change in their dress, writes Lady Habberton in the Woman’s World. It is quite impossible to believe that any one can derive pleasure from the thought that his or her death will entail a certain amount of discomfort on their dearest friends. True grief would also be more fittingly shown by people going about in their quiet, every-day garments than by suddenly budding out in fresh dresses. This would also have the advantage of doing away with the absurdity of seeing people who, though relations in blood, are, in reality, strangers, pretending to be distressed by the demise of relatives they have either never seen or at least not known, in the common acceptation of the term. Why a pretense of mourning, under these circumstances, is considered so peculiarly gratifying and consolatory to the immediate family is one of those things that must forever remain a mystery; aud though there is every reason why those who have lost one who is dear to them should be left in peace until time has somewhat deadened the pain of grief, there is no reason why a system should be upheld which practically sacrifices the living to the dead.