The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-11-30

business for weeks to come, and tried
10 pacify him by Offering TO conduct
the funeral with the help of Steele and
Stopemnn. Nothing would please the
old man: never saw him SO far out
OF temper before. He swore at his
bad luck, threw the pillows at his
honsekccper, ordered Inc to bring him
mp the key of the workshop, and kept
it fast clutched in his hand. ] set
mp with him that night. In a couple
of hours he grew calm and sensible
but could not sleep though the house
was all quiet and the housekeeper
snoring in the corner. Then he began
to groan, as if there was something
worse than broken leg on his mind,
and "Tom," said he, haven't l been
always kind to you?'
mo doubt of it, uncle" said l.
well, Tom, / want you to do me q
great scrvice-a particular service,
Tom, and III never forget it to you.
You know Mr., Ellsworthy's funeral
comes off tomorrow ut 3, and they re
very high people"
Never fear, uncle III take care Of
it az well as if you were there your
self
Il knew You would Toni knew
you would | could trust you with
the hearsiug of an earl's coffin; and for
managing mutes ] don't know your
equal. But there's something more
TO be done. Come over beside me,
Tom that old woman don't hear well
at the best, aud she's sleeping now,
and no mistake, viii you promise
mo"-and his voice sunk to n whisper
that whatever you hear or see,
you'll make no remark TO any one liy-
ing, and be cautious as you can about
the body? There's no foul play, said
he, for l began to look frightened
"but may be this legs a judgment for
taking on such business Howsom.
ever, I'm to have three hundred
pounds for it; and you'll get the half,
Tom, the full half, if you'll conduct it
properly, and give me your solemn
promise. / know you'll never break
that"
Uncle" said l, "Ill promise and
keep it too; but you must tell me what
it is"
"Well, Tom and he drew long
breath" It's living man you're GO
ing to put in that coffin in the work
shop! / have made it high and full
of air-holes; he'lllie quite comfortable
Nobody knows about it but Steele and
Stoneman and yourself; they'll go
with you. Mind you trust no one
else. Don't look so stupid, man; can't
YOU understand, Mr.. Ellsworthy didn t
die at all, and never had brain fever
hut he wants to get off from marrying
Miss Westbay, or something of that
sert. They're taking II queer way
s6out it, | must say? but these gen
teel people have ways OF their own. -
1t was the cousin that prepared my
mind for it in the back parlor; that
womans up to anything. | stood out
against having hand in it, till heard
that the sexton of Beverly Church was
poor relation Of theirs The key of
the coffin is to be given to him; it will
be locked, not screwed down, you see /;
and when all's over at the VAULT
will be dark night by that time, for
we don't move till three, and these
December days are short hell come
and help MIR. Ellsworthy out, and
smuggle him off to Hull with his son,
the carrier. There's ships enough
there to take him anywhere under a
feigned name"
Could he get off the marriage nc
easier ?" said /, for the thought oil
taking living man in a he arse, and
hearing the service read over him
made my blood run cold. You see
was young then.
There's something more than til,
marriage in it, though they didn't tel
me. Odd things will happen in IN,
business, and this is one of the queer
est. But you'll manage it, Tom, anC
yet my blessing besides your half o
the three hundred pounds; and don
! e afraid Of anything coming wrong t.
him, for never saw any man look Sc
like a corpse
] promised my uncle to do the bust
Less and keep the secret. A hundred
and fifty pounds was no joke to ;
young man beginning the world il
the undertaking line; and the old man
MAS 50 pleased with what he called M,
sense and understanding, that before
falling asleep, close upon daybreak
he talked of taking me Into pnrtnel.
ship. and the jobs we might expect
from the Harrogate family; for tdt
dowager countess was near fourscore
aud two of the young ladies wer,
threatened with decline. Next da,
early in the afternoon, Steele, Stone
man and were at work. The family
seemed duly mournful, suppose on
account OF the servants Mr.. Els
worthy looked wonderfully well in his
shroud; and If one had not looked
close into the coffin, they never would
have seen the air-holes. Well, We sci
ont, mourning coaches, hearse and all
through the yellow fog of a December
day. There was nothing but sad ia,
ces at all the windows ms we passed
j heard them admiring Steele ano
SioneInaa for the feeling hearts the,
showed; bat when we got ont on tn,
Beverly road, the cousin gave us
ign, and away VIC went at a rafting
lncc; funeral never got over TIA,
ground at such rate before Yet i
MAS gettinp dark whom un rao,b.,l IL.