The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-10-05
POOR JACKS COFFIN.

- w. s@'N b.
"Dld You ever see a ghost p was the
dWell, I came deuced near II, i can
tell you,' said young Howard.
"How near2" cried the coml any,
drawing their chairs to the FIRE.
at was In that desolate part OF New
jersey" said Howard, "near Barnegat
Shoals. What with the nature OF the
soil there, its barrenness and sterility,
the jagged, repelllng grimness OF the
rocks, and the wild. desolate in6nity Of
the waters, there's something about
Barnegat that breeds an affinity with
ghosts and spectres. There had been
q wreck OF coasting schooner in the
vicinity, and although the news didn't
make much OF a sensation in the news.
papers, it brought despair and desola.
tion 10 one heart at least-that OF the
young mates mother. He was an old
school.mate and warm friend Of my own,
and I volunteered to go down and see
IL the body could be found and brought
home. 'ij'- f
nWhen I reached there the whole as.
pect Of the place struck me as forbid
dingly wild and lonely aud when, to-
ward the close Of stormy day, poor
jacks body was washed ashore, stark
and stiff, and distorted almost beyond
recognition, / wasn't able to lend the
fellows down there q helping hand. I
was seized with q nervous chill, and
went indoors 10 the brandy flask.
Propped up with IN artificial courage,
I went out again and found them haul
ing their helpless burden toward fish
erman's hut close by. They had flung
II in an old tarpaulin blanket, and l
couldn't help protesting inwardly
against the rude way in which they
bumped II along through the breakers
and over the rocks. llf fnNO5l
al Ithought Of that tender, womanly
heart at home in the East, and the gem
tie reverence that hedged about even
her every thought and feeling about
Jack, and / determined there aud then
that he should be taken home 10 her in
some shape that wouldn't tappall or hor-
rity her. ff tta N tadF ~
nThey laughed at me when I spoke
of. % coffin, but nevertheless resolved
upon. getting one, II such thing could
be had for love or money. Not that a
coffin is absolutely requisite in all
cases. II wouldn't have mattered pin
to either Jack or myself II, tied up in
the old tarpaulin, with q weight heavy
as destiny Itself, we were forced to the
bottom OF thesea. But to woman, an
old church.ridden, conventional woman,
victim to circumstance and custom,
coffin was the only thing that could
render the affair respectable, or indeed
honorable.
al passed sleepless night, and went
OF before daylight in search Of m old
man that bore queer reputation about
there for appropriating anything that
came inshore, and rendering, IL useful
or ornamental with o rude knack he had
in the carpenter line. The boys told
me there was little Of everything in
his old rookery, und they hadn't the
least doubt could find even a coffin
there, or something that might be mod.
eled into one. ,.t il
..It was g good league TO his DWELL
ing, and reached there with fore.
boding that my journey was for moth
ing; but upon broaching the subject to
him, be stated his readiness at once to
comply with my demands. re M
1But what will you do for mate
rialG I asked. li 80 4,l
aHe smiled grimly, and opening q
door that led up TO q sort OF loft, he
beckoned me to follow him. In that
loft there was wood readily adapted to
build aship, d house, theatre-any-
thing aud everything that might be de-
sired. Not common wood, mark you,
but wreckers' material-panels Of
French walnut, exquisitely carved in
bass.relief, bits Of precious ebony, OF
sandal.wood, OF box, and some Of that
delicate white pine that exhales deli
cious perfume. The boys had said that
he was very clever in the carpenter line.
I was inspired with sort Of trust in
his capacity, and his willingness to un-
dertake the job was only equaled by
his determination to bo paid we'll for
doing II. ,sg III
1fDon't you fret, young man. said
the old skeleton. III NJ ~ tor you In
shape that IL suit, I'll have 1t as
scruunptious as nut-that is, ef ye're
able 10 bear tho heft OF the expense.
It's costly, yer know, to hev things
pions and nice down this way; wecan't
alters afford IL; then the seq bein'
handy, it'sa temptation to save time
and money; but ef the expense Amt
counted inA'. '' f"
atNeyer mind the expense I ex.
claimed. 'You do the thing up nicely
for me, and I'll see you through but
IL must be done at once; the body is
almost beyond saving now, and want
the coffin by tomorrow night II must
be ready TO be shipped before daybreak
the next morning. oi fol ~
"'All right, said the old screw. Il
don't mind losin' little sleep to be
obligin', Of only tho expense :.
"fYou old vulture, / foared, I'll
pay you half on thespot I And 1 lcount.
ed out 10 him enough greenbacks 10
make his sharp old nose come down
and chop over Ills chin with an nnctu.
ous smack Of appreciation.
WI'll hey u that acrumptious, said
a. .