Old Missoula

The Dead Mongol

Impressive Ceremonies Held Yesterday Over a Celestials’s Grave

The Chinese funeral held Sunday was a gorgeous affair, participated in by about 500 Chinese and witnessed by nearly the entire population of Missoula. The Mascot band was engaged for the purpose which with the assistance of the unearthly tom-toms of the Celestial musicians succeeded in making all the noise desired. Mourners were numerous, many of whom, adorned with Fourth of July draperies, managed admirably in frightening every horse in the street. The usual supply of pig and other mysterious edibles was on hand and a liberal quantity of “scare em devil” had been provided. The cortege wended its way through the mud, (there was no dust, neither sewerage), arriving at the grave in due time. Here lamentations were numerous; a dyspeptic looking Chinaman played on the flageolet until exhausted and the band played “Johnnie When You Die, Will Me Your Whiskers.” All the personal effects of the deceased were burned, thereby obviating any possibility of their being wrangled over by the many heirs present. The body was planted and whatever grub remained was devoured with avidity by the hungry Indians loitering about the premises.

The above article appeared The Missoula Weekly Gazette on March 25, 1891.

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