The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-12-30
A Miners Funeral i'm the Early Days OF
. l.#t 's9 California.

Andy Munroe was a man who years ago
was popular in Virginia City. He went to
Napa for his health, and died there few
weeks afterward. " .,.
Two warm friends of the deceased went
down to assist at the funeral. Seeking the
consolation granted by flask of old rye,
they became trifle tumultuous on the way,
and reached the house recently occupied by
the deceased just as the coffin was about to be
closed up.
"Hold on" they shouted, as they trotted up
the yard breathless; "give lis look at the
corpse"
The accommodating undertaken, who was
about to screw down the lid, allowed the new
comers to inspect the remains.
cts Andy, sure enough" remarked one.
"Dont look as if he died hard" said the
other.
"He was the boss" nurmured The first
speaker.
Then the two men looked on the face of
the dead for several minutes with glistening
eyes.
The undertaken suggested that the process
sion was forming and the pail-bearers were
waiting
"We'll take him out ourselves" said one of
the Comstockcrs, with the air of man who
wanted to save trouble.
I" Yes, that's what we come down for" said
the second man. "We knew him up on the
ledge"
The undertaken called attention to the fact
that eight leading citizens had been selected
as pallbearers.
"Where are they ?" asked one of the Wis
iting mournerS eXcitedly.
The undertaken waved his hand toward a
group of men in white gloves and black
broadcloth, who were grouped in one corner
of the room, enveloped with an atmosphere of
dignified melancholy.
"What those fellows in the corner p
Those spindle-shanked affairs over there,
packing Andy's remains? Hardly. We've
come all the way from Virginia City to plant
Andy in the right shape. Ifwe'd a been here
early there'd been funeral that was fune-
raj. What kind of half horse town is this
anyhow ?" asked the biggest of the two.
''Wheres your brass band, Bill. But these
crows don't look like men that would put up
much for funeral. They're runnin' it on
the cheap lay. Go up town and git band
right away tell 'em to bring down a couple
of dead marches, and III pay for both: I've
got sufficient coin with me to bury the town."
One started off for band, and was only in
duced to come back when he was told there
was no band in town.
"Now don't lie to us for any economical
motives. The expense amt anything. Well
settle the bills. We've got enough to give him
a regular benefit if you say the word. Well
pile the flowers on his grave as high as hay
| stack"
The man was finally induced to go back to
the house. On entering the room he called
out to his partner:
'Here, Bill, take the other end and We'll
take him out,''
The two men seized the coffin, when the
other pail bearers stepped up to assist.
''keep your hands off. We're able to take
care of this business
The undertaken explained that the coffin
was very heavy one, and two men could not
lift it.
"You- crane-faced, valley bred sun Of
a gun, what do you know about mountain
muscle ?" shouted one of the COmstockers
waving a number sixteen fist under his nose
81 can lift it myself" and. rushing to the
head of the coffin, he raised it up three times
by the handles and slammed it down vigor
ously on its supports. "When it comes t(
heavy lifting Pm there"
The two men then proceeded to shoulder
the coffin, and staggered under their load tt
the hearse, in which they thrust their burden
with little ceremony, and closed the doors
with slam.
They next strobe back to the gentlemen
who had been selected as pall-bearers, and the
biggest remarked:
"Gentlemen those who wish to take excep
tions to the part we have taken in this funera
will find us at the hotel just across the street
Here's my card"
No one seemed anxious to take exceptions
and the speaker, laying his card down on toI
of the gate post, turned to the driver of the
hearse and remarked:
"Start up the horses"
The funeral then proceeded without further
interruption, and the fact that the two " in
truders left check for 81, 600 with the widow
of the deceased, would indicate that the
sympathy for the living was OH par will
their regrets for the dead
owed give you more, but we shorted some
Savage last week and it d. near cinched u
in two. never went short before, and bias
me if ever will again. never met maj
l liked so we'll as Andy. My partner herr
dotted on him."
"He was the boss" murmured the partner
sorrowfuliy, Sand when the angels see hin
step through the gate they'll know some
body's come that don't step in there every
day."
They pressed the Widows hand with gen
uine heartiness, and, as they went down tn
walk, one said to the other:
i "Bill, felt like could crawl through on
Of the cracks in the porch when we hande
her that check. 1t was so d small after tn
big bluff we made yesterday"
Ptnafore's Author.