Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-08
A MODEL UNDERTAKEN


Perehed upon the seat in front Of the
hearse which contained Cleburne's re-
mains sat Pat Flaherty, as true and loyal
an Irishman as Pat Cleburne. Cleburne
won his honors on deadly battle-helds.
Elaherty, too, was crowned victor after
Memphis fell. Properly was he made a
prominent actor in the solemn ceremo-
malls incident to Cleburne's funeral
honors in this city. Flaherty was one of
those whose faith in Confederation was
of that boundless sort that made disasters
impossible. Memphis had been in the
possession of the Federals several days
before F1aherty could at all comprehend
the fact. At length, one cloudy, gloomy
day. when blue coats thronged the streets,
and Flaherty was absolutely asked to bury
Federal soldier, ne awoke to the potent
truth that Memphis had gone up"
Flaherty took the facts into grave consid-
eration, and, while sitting between the
black plumes on top of his ghaytly wagon,
behind his black horses, he Ield in soli-
tude a council of war. His plans were
systematized, and he prepared for an in
glorious flight. The best coffin in his
establishment was furnished, and, dur
ing hours of darkness, filed with
morphine, quinine, percussion caps,
and other material of war. He
caused very proper obituary notice
Of Mike O'Flanigan to appear in the
morning papers, and then sought an in
terview with the Federal commander
that he might have permission to bury
this suppositious corpse in ElmwOod.
Flaherty was successful. The permit was
conceded. The funeral eortege, consist
ing OF twenty magnificent carriages, the
whole of Flahertys stock in trade, were
slowly and solemnly driYen beyond the
Federal lines. Flaherty led the way. He
wept then, and won on that occasion from
g. 8
the sOftest-hearted undertaken that ever
drove nails, or made clods rattle on hOl-
low coffin. Flaherty never halted. He
drove mOurnfully, slowly, silently to the
graveyard, and thence forward toward
the South; on he went. faster and faster.
He never looked behind him. His drivers
had been taught their parts, and in the
hearse which led the way there was a
demijOhn that drew into the Confederate
lines, as followers of Flaherty, twenty OF
the bravest, brawniest sons of Erin that
ever welded shillelah or tossed OFF
bumper.
That was the last funeral procession in
which Flaherty figured till the war was
over. His carriages were not fit for
battery wagons quartermasters knew
not how to use them; and this funeral
procession from the Federal lines was
a deadly, ruinous speculation. Flaherty
was in at the death of the Confederacy.
1t was an awful funeral; but Flaherty
was not employed at the grave. He saw
tears shed over its burial place but his
sun-cracked, time-worp hsarss was un-
called fer, His costly vehicles, like
Holmes marvellous one-horse shay, had
crumbled into nothingness. OF all those
who lost fortune by the war, Flaherty
was most comfletegy crushed.
He is reconstructed now and will never
more go into the undertaking business,
if the graveyard be an empire and
States entombed. FlaheEty Wept when
he went away from Memphis with a
coffin full of contraband of war; he wept
like a child when he saw Clebarne's
coffin placed in the car of death; he Wept
when the Oonfederasy was no more, and,
Will never weep again.