83

Angela Varesano
7/28/72
Frank Zahay
2
31

Funerals here in Eckley were ended by the men going to a
bar and having a drink or so. The rest went home. These
were not big affairs or eating parties.

The wakes were held at home, during which stories were told,
drinks served, and sandwiches given such as when her
brother died at Buck Mountain.
There wasn't much preparation for foods served at a
wake. the coffin was paced in the living room. Men joked,
told stories, played cards. Women were mixed in with the
men, except when men wanted to play cards. Then they went
into another room.

Christenings were big affairs. There was lots of eating and
drinking at the parents' house. There was no dancing.
Neighbors and grandparents helped prepare food. Food was
paid for by the father.
It was considered a privilege to be chosen a God parent.
One had to be of some religion to be one. Both were expected
to give a gift to the child of either money or clothes.
God parents usually gave gifts to the child until he was in
his early teens.
After a birth they waited for the christening to celebrate
a week or so. At work the father used to pass out cigars.
Boys were preferred by fathers since the girls didn't
get any work. The only work they could get was house
work. A boy could work at nine years in the breaker. Boys
were preferred because of the days when they would be
bringing in money. When girls were fifteen or so, they could
do house work. Unless they got house work, there was nothing
they could do. There were considered a boarder to the family.

Holy Communion was celebrated with a party where close friends
were invited, and there was eating and drinking.

Confirmation was accompanied by a celebration similar to
Communion.

He built the room he uses for his present kitchen. It is
in the approximate area that was between the original house,
of two room downstairs and bedroom area upstairs, and the
original summer kitchen. This latter structure is now used
as a storage shed for tools. The area between the summer
kitchen and house was covered with boards and roofed over,
but it was open.