The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-04-30
The Drunkard's Funeral.
A SCENE IN NEWARK.


Can gou attend funeral this afternoon at
o'clock" inquired man beyond the meridian
of life, who stoed at my door, with an express
sion OF sympathy upon his countenance-"Can
you attend funeral at the corner OF - and
- streets There is a man dead there, SIR ;
and although he is poor, yet we do not like to
bury him without some kind of religious seTvi-
ces. We should be very glad, sir, if you could
attend
~ am sorry to say that it is out Of my power
TO comply with your request" Irephed, ''inas-
much as | am previously engaged to attend u
funeral at that hour, in another direction
al am very sorry, sir" he replied; but after
moments reflection, again inquired--"C Could
you not come little later, il we were to deter
it an hour Could you not come at three
O'Clock 2"
II think can," replied. "At oil events
will come as near that hour rs possible
He left me, and at the appointed time went
to fulfill my first engagement. A man OF four
score years was sleeping his last long sleep.
Relatives and friends were occupying the COM
Portable and well-furnished apartments alb
sorded in grief The services being over, the
lengthy procession moved slowly onward to the
neacefnl mansions of the dead. 1t was not a
costly burial, but such as we could desire for
ourselves-plain, solemn, appropriate nothing
extravagent, yet nothing wanting; and while
we felt that the burial was such as we could
desire, there was a congeniality also in the
place selected for the last sleeep OF death, even
our own beautiful and quiet cemetery.
hastened from these solemn, orderly, and
appropriated obsequies, to obey my second sum-
mons. An open wagon, with one horse at
tached, and four or five individuals were stand
ing near the door. | felt chill run through
my veins. Part of a fearful truth was now re-
yealed. The keen November wind was blow
ing, and the sky wore its gloomy autumnal
aspect, but feared there was keeneT anguish
and deeper gloom Within entered, and a
cue glance e fne iap t2sa ~as re-
olate chamber was appropriated for the solemn
services, Indeed, 1t was oil they had Here
for season had lived, and here had died, and
now from here was to be buried, a husband anC
father, who had lived and died drunkard
II WINS a dreary place. There, in one corner
upon rough old rickety table, from which
they had often eaten their cold and cherries.
fare, was placed the coffin, made Of rough pint
boards, slightly stained with red, in which wa
placed the corpse. de was a man, perhaps Q
fifty, coarsely clad with grave clothes. Hi
co1ntenance, If an index to bis state Of mind
bespoke nothing but gloom. Around, and TN
derneath his head, where, in other places, has
often seen the downy pillow and the rich satiI
Innings, were stuffed a few Of the shaving
roughly taken from the boards which compose,
his coffin,
looked with spirit almost crushed within
me, first at this new trophy ofthe reign Of death
and then at the living scene around me. Bot
were expressive Of the deepest wretchedness
In an opposite corner, upon pile OF old clothes
rudely thrown together, sat the unhappy widow
a tall, spare woman, pale as the corpse befor
me. Her eyes were large and sunken, and sh
was thinly and poorly clad and as she sat, sh
wTunp her hands as If to relieve the agony sh
Gelt within, while with almost every breath shl
gaye low, hollow, consumptive cough, whicl
toId me too plainly that death had maTlted he
jor his victim also. Several children wer
standing around and beside the table where tn
coffin rested, shivering with. cold, and weepinnI
from some cause--whether they understood tn
rneaninQ Of a fathers death or not--and tn
tear rolled down their pale and hollow cheeks
mon the unearpeted floor, in large and orln,
drops. A few Of the neighbors had gathered 7
attend the solemn services connected with tn
funeral. They were seated, some on boxes
others upon an old worn out trunk, while other
stood Il was q gloomy scene, goomier tha
the day without, and the anguish ksener tina
the biting blast