Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-26
CHEERPULNEss.
A New Mark Tapiey Created by
VI M ~ Mark Twain. klHnaa

A New Mark TapIey Created by
VI M ~ Mark Twafn. hla0aa
From tho Galaxy.I 40, /"
Now, that corpse (said the under
taker, patting the folded hands Of the
deceased approvingly) was brick---every
way you took him he was brick. he
was 80 real accommodating, and so
modest-like and simple in his last mo-
mehts. Friends wanted metallic burial
case--nothing else would do. ! couldn't
get it. There warn't going to be time
anybody could see that. Corpse said
never mind, shake him up some kind Of
a box be could stretch out in comforta-
BILE, he warn't particular bout the gene
raj style of it. Said he went more on
room than style, any way, in last final
.container Friends wanted silver
door plate on the coffin, signifying who
he was and wher' he was from. Now
yon know n fellow couldn't roust out
such a gaily thing as that in a little
country town like this. What did corpse
say? Corpse said, whitewash his old
canoe and dob his address and general
destination onto it with blacking brush
and stencil plate, long with a verse from
some hymn or other, and p Mt him for the
tomb and mark him c. o. d., and Just
let him skip along. He warn't any
more distressed than you be-7-on the
contrary, just as earn and collected as
a hearse horse; said he judged that
wher' he was going to, body would find
il considerable better to attract atten-
ton by picturesque moral character
than natty burial case with swell
door.plate on it. Splendid man he was.
I'd I've druther do for a corpse like
that'n n any I've tackled in seven year.
There's some satisfaction in buryin' a
man like that. You feel that what you're
doing is appreciated. Lord bless you,
10 he got planted before he spilled, he
was perfectly satisfied; said his rela-
tions meant well, perfectly well, but all
of them preparations was bound to de-
Law the thing more or less, and he did mt
wish to be kept layin' around. You
never see such clear head as what he
had-and so calm and so cool. just
hunk of brains-that was what he was.
Perfectly awful. 1t was a ripping dis
tance from one end of that mans head
to t'other. Often and over again he's
had brain fever a-raging in one place
and the rest of the pile didn't know any
thing about it--did'nt affect it any more
than an Indian insurrection in Arizona
affects the Atlantic States. Well the
relations they wanted q big funeral, but
corpse said he was down on hummery-I
don't want any procession-hll the.
hearse full of mourners, and get
out stern-line, and tow him behind.
He was the most down on styles
of any remains | ever struck A beau
tiful simple-minded creature lit was
what he was, you can depend on that.
He was just set on having things the way
he wanted them, and he took solid
comfort in laying his little plans. Hell
had me measure him and take whole
raft of directions; then he had the min
lister stand up behind long box with a
table-cloth over it/and read his funeral
sermon, saying Angcorel Angcorer at
the good places, and making him scratch
out every bit Of brag about him, and all
the hifalutin; and then he made them
trot out the choir so s he could help them
pick out the tunes for the occasion, and
he got them to sing Pop Goes the
Weasel, because he's always liked that
tune when he was down-hearted, and
solemn music made him sad. And when
they sang that with tears in their eyes
because they all loved him), and his re-
lations grieved around, he laid there as
happy as a bug, and trying to beat time
and showing all over how much he en-
joyed it; and presently he got worked up
and excited, and tried to Join In, for