Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-16
CHEERFULNESs.
A New Mark TapIey Created by Mark
Twain.

Now that corpse said the underta-
ker, pat,ing the folded hands of deceased
approvingl, was brick every way
Won took him he was brick. He WAS
so real accommodating, and SO modest
like and simple in his last moments
Friends wanted metallic burial case
nothing else would do. I couldn't get
it. There warn't going TO be time
anybody could see that. Corpse said Dev-
or mind, shake him u2 some kind of a
| box he could stretch out in comfortable,
he warn't particular bout the general
stvIe of it. Said be went more on room
than sty lie, any way. in a last final con-
| tainer. Friends wanted silver door
pate on the coffin, sgnifying who he was
and where he was from Now you know
fellow couldn't roust out such gaily
thing as that in Little country town like
this. What did corpse say Corpse
said, whitewash his old canoe and dob
/ his address and general destination on u
| it with a backing brush and stencil
plate, long with Il verse from some hymn
or other and pint him for the tomb, aud
mark him G.. o. D., and just let him
skip along. He warn't distressed any
more than YOU be-on the contrary just
as carm aud collected as hearse horse;
said he Judged that wher' he was going
to. body would find it considerable
better TO attract attention 10y pictures
| que moral character than a uatty burial
case with a swell door plate Oh it. Spleen
/ 4 4 Il. har d.R
for a c1rpse..like that than any I've tackled
| in seven wears. There's some satisfac
| ton IN buIyin' a man like that. You
feel that what you're doing is apprecia
ted. Lord bless you, sos he got planted
before he sp'ed he WAS perfectly satisfied
said his relations meant well, perfectly
we'll. but all them preparations was bound
to delay the thing more or less, and he
didn't wish TO be kept layin' round. You
never see such clear head as what he
had-and so calm and so cool. Just a
hunk of brains-that is what he was.
Perfectly awful 1t was a ripping dis
lance from one end of that mans head
to t'other. Often and often again he's
had brain fevera raging in one place.
and the rest Of the pile didn't know any
thing about it-didn't affect it any more
than an Injun Instruction in Arizona
affects the Atlantic states. Well, the
relations they wanted a big funeral, but
corpse said he was down on fummery-
didn't want impression fill the hearse
full of mourners. and get out stern
line and tow him behind. He WAS the
most down on style Of any remains
ever struck. 4 beautiful, smple-mind
| ed creature-it was what be was, you
can depend on that. He was just set on
having things the way he wanted them,
and he took solid comfort iu laying his
little plans. He had me measure him
aud take whole raft Of directions; then
he had the minister stand up behind
long box with a table cloth over it and
read his funeral sermon, saying 'Ang
core, angcorep arthe good places, and
making him scratch out every bit Of brag
about him, and all the hifautn; and
then he made them trot out tho choir
SOS he could help them pick out the
tunes for the occasion. aud he got them
to sing Pop Goes the Weasel because
he'd always liked that tune when he WAS
him sad; and when they sang that with
tears in their eyes because they all loved
him) and his relations grieved around.
he just laid there as happy as bug, aud
trying to beat Time. and showing all over
how much be enjoyed it; aud presently
he got worked up aud excited, and tried
to Join in, for mind you he was pretty
proud of his abilities in the singing line;
but the first time he opened bis mouth
aud was just going TO spread himself.
his breath took walk | never see
man snuffed out so sudden All, it was
great loss it was a powerful Joss To
this poor Iittie one horse town. Well,
veil. well, | hahn; got time to be plav-
ering long here-got TO nail on the
I:d aud mosey along with him; and II
you'll just give me lift well skeet
him into the hea;se and meander along.
Relations bound TO have it so-don't
pay no attention to diving inIunc'ions,
minute corpse'- gone; bat If bad my
way. if didn't respect his last wishes
and tow him behind the lrearse, III be
cussed. | consider that whatever a
corpse wants done for his comfort is
Little, nough matter. AN a mau hain't got
no advantage of him--ard whatever a
corpse trusts me to do I'm a going 10 do
YOU know, even if it is 10 stuff him and
paint him y Her and keep him for keep
sake-you hear met
lie cracked bis whip and went lum-.
boring away with his ancient ruin of +"
hearse, and continued my walk with
valuable lesson learned--tl that a healthy
and wholesome cheerfuDess is not neces-
sariy impossible 10 any occupation -
The lesson is likely to be lasting, for it
will take many months to obliierate the
memory of the remarks and circums an
ces that impressed it.
The following information is worth
heoding: A lady Of Portland. (0regon,)
saws that for nine wears she has been