The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-09
CuriOsities Of the Coffin Trade.

4
a snuff-box which he carried in his hand.
and said, "How are you, uncle" Ihe
salesman was comparatively young man;
the visitor appeared TO be about seventy,
and surprised at the somewhat inappro-
PIRATE salutation, the former accepted
pinch of snuff, and scanned the latter with
curiosity which his appearance Justified.
The man was about five feet ten inches in
height, with hard, wrinkled face. limo
cent of hair, and had the general bearing
of a man who knew what hard work was.
| He was clad in an extremely ill-fitung suit
of gray homespun clothes, his head was
protected by wide-leafed straw hat, and
his old-fashioned turned-down collar hid
the greater portion Of his shoulders.
He asked if collins were sold at that es-
adjustment, and the salesman pointed to
burial cases piled up to the ceiling. and in
timated that the company occasionally did
little business in that way.
My name" said the prospective pur-
chaser, sis John Samons. | have farm
three iron coffins."
The salesman said he thought he could
supply them, and inwardly wondered
what fell disorder had carried off the old
mans three relatives at one swoop.
"What size do you requireY' he asked.
''Well, | hardly know" replied the be-
reaved one. Il want one tor my niece /;
she is five feet six; the other two are for
a cat and dog. Have you got any collins
for dogs and cats?
| The salesman's countenance fell. lie
began to think his customer was subject
to morbid influence, but as his manner
seemed to be perfectly self-possessed, and
| there were no signs of insanity about him,
he said that though the company did not
make specially of collins for cats and
dogs, he had no doubt that there were
some on hand that might answer the pur-
pose. GLOW long have these-people
been dead?' he asked. hesitating what
term to apply to the detunct cat and dog.
The old man took pinch of snuff, and,
wiping the grains Offhis waistcoat, he said
We'll, they amt exactly dead yet, you
know, but they'll die some time or other.
won't they?"
The salesman thought it likely enough.
"But surely your niece is dead, is she not 2
he asked.
"Oh, no. said the old man; "shc's
alive still, or all events she was when
left Crawford yesterday, but she hasn't
been feeling very well for some time, and
il would be handy to have coffin i'll cast
she went off suddenly. | never like to be
caught unprepared. / bought an iron
coffin for myself eighteen wears ago, for
should have died when | was titty-two
but outlived my time; but, however,
won't last long now; next month expect
| to take the wings of the morning and lily
away. But | am forgetting what came
to New Y DIRK for. Show me some collins.
The salesman then showed him some
cast iron caskets with thick glass windows
lined with white satin, and painted il
imitation of rosewood. When screwed
down and cemented they were perfectly
air-tight. Decomposition was entirely ar
rested, and a corpse placed in one of them
would be preserved as long as the iron it
self resisted decay.
Mr.. Samons was greatly pleased with
them. His niece, he said, would be buried
but the dog and cat he intended TO keel
above ground, and look at them every day
through the glass windows. In cOntem
plating this melancholy pleasure he haC
forgotten the fate awaiting him neXI
month. He was not long choosing coffin
for the cat. 1t was of the size intended f0l
a very young child, and was exquiSitely
mounted and finished. The casket for the
dog was harder to select. The animal, he
said. was full grown, and was three feet
six inches in height, just the length of 4
beautiful little coffin which he desired tC
purchase. Don't you think it would bC
bic enough,'' he said, ''if culled his tai
around his body and tucked his legs in UNI
der him 2"
The salesman thought it might do, ant
the old man desired him to place it witt
the other.
A coffin five feet six inches III length wa!
chosen for the niece, and the purchaser
asked the price OF the three baskets. The
sum was very large, the collins being all o
the most expensive description.
"YOu sell them TO undertakes cheaper
than th.t. don't you?" the old man asked
The salesman acknowledged that they
made a slight reduction in favor Of thu
trade.
"Well.' said the purchaser, 81 went t.
an undertaken in Newburgh, and he want
ed to telegraph to you, but / preferred
to come on myself and save the commits
sion. Now, you must make the same re
duction for me that you would have al
lowed the undertaken"
Naturally. under such circumstances
the discount was allowed, and the old MAJ
drew from his trousers pocket large rol
of bills. and counting out the required
sum, he handed it to the salesman, ant
directed him to send the collins to the New
burgh boat.
In the Office he grew talkative. and spOk
with tears in his eyes Of the affection eX
isting between his dog and cat and himself
He was bachelor. he said, and cOmmiser
ated the suffering of dumb animals. Ill
had made a comfortable competency dur
ing a long life of hard labor, and he coule
think of no better way of spending hi
fl,a
of providing burial ground for his Owl
favorites and those of his neighbOrs. Their
were numerous societies in New York ant
elsewhere that protected dumb animal
while living, but he was not aware of an!
that buried them when dead. BY tn
terms of his will, drawn up some year
ago, he had left a large portion OF his farm
about fifteen miles from Newburgh, to b.
devoted exclusively to this purpose. Ii
this piece of ground he had already burieC
several horses and erected grave-stone
over them. 1t was open TO all, and an!
losing favorite dog or cat, or even ca
nary bird, was at liberty to bury it in hi
somewhat novel cemetery. Some people
thought he was mad. and, eighteen year
ago. when he had purchased the metallic
coffin intended for himself, so many per
sons called to see it that the girl who KEEP
house for him refused TO remain, and h
was obliged TO have castors attached TO it
and have it rolled under his bed, where
had remained ever since. He had m
greater friend on earth than his cat, unless
perhaps. it was his dog.
When he was leaving, the salesman eau
toned him to beware of pickpOckets; bu
the old man laughed, and said he had beef
in New York before, though it was a goot
many years ago. He inquired the way t.
the Newburgh boat. The collins, directe'
to John S. Samons," were sent to tn
boat.
1t appears that Mr.. Samons, who is
very wealthy man, has achieved no small
amount ofnotoiiety in Orange county b!
his eccentricities. Eighteen years ago
when ne purchased the metallic coffin fo
himself, he mentioned the particular daI
on which he expected to die but he mus
have subsequently forgotten all about it
: for on that identical day he was seen il
Newburgh trying to dispose of load O
potatoes. The people gathered arount
him and asked him what he meant by sucl
extraordinary conduct. He was surprised
when reminded that he ought to be on hi
death-bed but he replied that he did no
lilo n LAWN his affair.c ,1pcatfIad- hrIcinac