Mabel Martin, a Harvest Idyl From Volume I., the Works of Whittier
NARRATIVE AND LEGENDARY POEMS BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER CONTENTS: MABEL MARTIN: A HARVEST IDYL PROEM I. THE RIVER VALLEY II. THE HUSKING III. THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER IV. THE CHAMPION V. IN THE SHADOW VI. THE BETROTHAL
they put on his beaded leggins and embroidered _saco_, and
his fancy dancing-moccasins, and his large brass or shell
ear-rings; if a female, they put on her best manta or dress,
tied around the waist with a silk sash, put on her feet her
fancy dancing-moccasins; her _rosario_ around her neck, her
brass or shell ear-rings in her ears, and with her tressed
black hair tied up with red tape or ribbon, this completes
her wardrobe for her long and happy chase. When they get
through dressing the body, they place about a dozen lighted
candles around it, and keep them burning continually until
the body is buried. As soon as the candles are lighted, the
_reloris_, or wake, commences; the body lies in state for
about twenty-four hours, and in that time all the friends,
relatives, and neighbors of the deceased or "_difunti_"
visit the wake, chant, sing, and pray for the soul of the
same, and tell one another of the good deeds and traits of
valor and courage manifested by the deceased during his
earthly career, and at intervals in their praying, singing,
&c., some near relative of the deceased will step up to the
corpse and every person in the room commences to cry
bitterly and express aloud words of endearment to the
deceased and of condolence to the family of the same in
their untimely bereavement.
At about midnight supper is announced, and every person in
attendance marches out into another room and partakes of a
NARRATIVE AND LEGENDARY POEMS BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER CONTENTS: MABEL MARTIN: A HARVEST IDYL PROEM I. THE RIVER VALLEY II. THE HUSKING III. THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER IV. THE CHAMPION V. IN THE SHADOW VI. THE BETROTHAL