, 1875-12-18
A GLOOMY NEGOTIATION,

| A GLOOMY NEGOTIATION.
Tho Man Who Wanted to BMy u
| E0f1tn.
| DanbHry HfEs.
| A1F. phipps, Of tho Grm Of phlprn Il Hodge,
tho Dsnbury undortakers, was ,sitelng in hta
shop Saturday Afternoon Illuminating gioomy
upon tho dull tmos, wl1c:l tho door opencd and
in carno at.angor. The visitor Was allm-faccd
man. dressol In n dun-ooIorod suit Of rathos
ttght-iltting clothes. lie looked ccnr around
tho room, carefully avoiding a glance At tho uu-
der.akof until tho circuit was completed.
Then ho looked cnrously at him, aull esid,
| '1s tho boRs In ?"
| Yes, sir. am ono Of them. II there any,
thing Ha,; Ssn 1.s9,; % FOR R you, s'r :"
ds,ed ahrewdnoee. !" hare just lad to shoulder
| pretty heavy aff1lction. My OLD womn1, went
| under yetterdaY.' Ilo parsod aud lookod intor.
relatively ovor the array ct coRtus aud caakess.
with professional anxiety.
| ;"You'vo bit 1t eqnaro. boss" replied tho
asranRar, with An approving nod.
What time yesterday did tho sad syent o.
curs'
About p. m,. as near as NO kin reckon.n
pa.s nHny peAcefullys Z"
''I.t ont withvut groan,'' explained tho bo-
rca7cd. "Fhe'd hccn sick OF an on for about
that tlmo but then don't think aho done q
square day work in two years, Its been great
ofponso uli through, hit I don't complain, how
sunsover. came iu to-day to SEQ about a1tn'
!" All, yes; you wiah to secure burst casc.
We have, AZ sou zoe, various kinda. You will
went someshtug rather nicc, fancy7" said Alr.
phipns;;, ~,
considerable grief aud sorrer. but nothing tha.'s
going to upeot folks, Tou know. We aro plnn
people, boss, an nt q tim1 lLk0 tlia-with 4
Ercat aiaictton ahouldetcd on us-wc don't feel
like ring up tho noighbors. IL Il was = huskn'
bee, now, or 4 burn ralsin' oyou, I'd calculate to
make tAets e5eH prauee right around in their
bead hesaa: bnt," and 20 sishod heavily, "thia is
- How would this do you ?" euggeatcd Mr.
Pbtpps. Indicating plain rosewood.
Whsts tho price OF tint You zee, boss, NO
1.-Two over In barter PLAN. It's ANAL place, an
thoro .int much atyle;; We don't want 10 90 in
tCortafnly not; but this ia 7ery neat-look-
"Ycs, !" coincdea tho ridower, All does seorn
- II one needn't feel uuoaAy with that catin In
the trout roon an the room full of people,
= can let you havo that Tor $40"
"Jeo-oh. I couldn't think OF paying that.
Forty-tlso dollars! Why you kin get wagou
in two coors for that money: You aro, boas,
this Ii plain cQuntry fuunsai, an not . torch
light procesaiou," fceiingty explained tho wid-
owar.
How will tliia do, thon," next inquired the
undertaken hastily pointing to anothor sr.lclc Of
common wood, slightly stained
:. "l5oE ns's @Ss,; ~ t! il thnt'"
"EigIlteou dolars, hcy7 Woll, that's much
more like II. Bsill don't It strike you that SlB
u pretty atcor for these tinos r
HNot for an article like that, SIR can H.
snso you that suoh coffin eonld not have boon
bought for cept loaa than S32 QUO year ago."
"1t may DO cheap. as yum say" rumnRted tho
bercavod, "yot sis ig good big plso Of money.
want to jump IN 30 mighty heavy a. to mako
get what tuoansH
":oh. yes, perfectly. You want an article that
will look respectable and In keeping with your
circumstances, but rot you do not wish to ho loo
demonstrattvo iii youf SORROW"
!" by jinke Ruesa you've got It square on the
hond. said the pleased Antroror.
- Now this III an article that inst answora the
purpose, In my Judgment. aad l !lsYs hal years
" Yos, yea. You naunt 'sv tucked in : hean Of
en-. sald thS M stranger, IN tone Of unqualified
continued, tapping tho sides.
wood" explained Mi. phiprs.
"Juss soc horo q mnuse," exclaimed tho
1ndertakcr to ono aido. "You say tbat it, sot,ip tdl
y aound ~ nut, an you want 41H for it
Now, want you 10 undotstand thors amt any
thang amaH about me, nn' that I've got lust ~
much ro4pect for tho dead ae any othor man 1iy-
ing, I don't caro- whore you snake him from.
but winter is coming or, You know.
an' .a owe lits1o 10 tho living aa ve,l
Thafs sound coffin, an sound coffin docs
vol enough in tho night place, you know
but xant to ask you ~ = man Of e1peronce in
ttiese things, and understanding what grief Is, Il
yon slut got box Of that pattern that's rot
some ao1t Of dofect in the wood. which you
could knock Oh little on Z"
II lsyon's. sir2"
"Just think a lninnlt. ploasc," ho An1iously
reamod. " Nothing little rotsed 7"
The undertaken Ahook his head,
With = vosm.hotn or 30 in-I don't mind 4
dozen :" suggested the borrowing one.
mo"
Or little sappy7 Don't apswor too quick,
Take time. Just little aappY whoro 1t wouldu't
be seen by tho public you knou?"
~ haven't such piece af wood In the esta,-
lishnent. Wo use nouo that IL imperfect"
!" Eighteen dollars it u. them" sighed the
Afflicted.
s'Ysa Hir."
~ nust take It, I suppoas." he obseryod;
"bnt when tho neghborl SEQ Tint coffin they'll |
suear old J-- has atruck gold mlns. Now.
mask ny wosds.' And Ae passed. gloqmuy out.