Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-03-06

4
fragments Of its once creamy white
wooden case. was huge leaden cof-
I'm, which, in its turn melting and
bursting with the heat, displayed
within the uumistakable form Of a
shrouded corpse! Twas in the act Of
drawing my companions attention to
1t IN horror, when suddenly there flew
up around it with redoubled fury.
such mass of flame aud smoke that
it was entirely hidden, aud soon the
ire had so spread and burst out again
that the horrible spectacle OF this un-
Intentional incremation was shut from
sight, and the house was finally burn.
ed to the ground.
| l pass over what Immediately fol-
lowed after / had made my way back
to the friendly abode where the mem.
bers Of my family were sheltered. In
few days they were snugly settled
again 10 another home, fortunately
not very much the worse for the terri.
Bile scare. In due course the time
arrived for looking into my losses, and
while | was doing SO / received a
letter from Mr.. Gayling, who had
come to town requesting an interview.
| was glad of this, for / foresaw it
must lead to some explanation OF the
strange circumstances surrounding
the agreement ! had signed. My Gu.
riosity as to the contents of the white
chest had been rudely satisfied, it was
true, but what had been the reason
for placing such an object in such
place and this l was determined to
lind out. Unexpectedly, Mr.. Gayling
disclosed 1t to me Immediately we
met. Il have asked for this inter.
view. sir he said abruptly, because
| am ruined man.
But interposed, Il am told YOU
were fully insured
THAT has nothing to do with it, he
answered; mo insurance can restore
the three thousand year which I
lose by what has happened. | am
simply going to tell you certain facts !:
because, when you have heard them.
shall put it to you whether you will
not, out of your ample means, feel
that some compensation is due to me.
The fact is, that it has been during
your tenancy of my house, and through
accident, or negligence, on tbs part of
some one for whom you are RESPONSE
BILE that my ruin has been brought
about
Il don't understand von.'
Listen, SIR he went on, sand Won
will: | was brought up to to the sea
and followed it till mid life, for | was
entirely dependent on my own earn.
ings. My only relative at this time
was an old uncle, also a sailor, and a
most eccentric man, as you will pres.
emily see. Fifteen years ago he sud.
denly came into large sum of money.
| never knew how, but he retired and
took that house. He had only been
in it three years when a mortal sick
ness overlook him; he sent for me.
Tom, said he, Il am dying, and I
don't like it; l am terrified, not so
much at.the thought of death, as at
the thought Of burial a sailors grave
| would not mind, but to be boxed
up and thrust into the earth, no, Tom.
won't stand it. l look to You to
see that it doesn't happen; and have
taken measures to make sure that YOU
do see that it doesn't happen. i've
made my will, Tom, I've left you all |
possess, but on one condition, and it
! is, that you are my heir SO long as I
am well above ground, and no longer
mark the words, well above ground. ,
Directly | am buried, or my remains
are allowed to mingle with mother
earth, as she is called-she was no
mother to me, the sea was my mother,
for | was born at sea-all my money,
mind, goes straight to the Seamen's
Hospital, every penny of it,
But what am to do % | asked OF
my uncle (; 'how shall l be able to car
ry out such strange condition /?
Have you so expressed it in your will?'
eyes, indeed have he answered !:
'and legal and binding you'll End it,
as expressed in the words, $50 long az
/ am we'll above ground.''
Bat what am / to do with you p l
again asked
'Oh, run me up aloft, masthead me.
anything you like, but don't bury me.
'Weli,' went on Mr.. Gayling, to
make a long story short, l found that
the conditions of the old mans will
were binding, and his executors and
myself hit upon the plan of hosting
the coffin to the roof OF his house.
Under certain conditions we found
that it was possible for us legally to
do this. So ! dismissed my three
servants, employed country under
taker, my old ships carpenter, and a
foreign glazier, in order that the mat
ter should not be talked of in the
neighborhood, and personally saw the
arrangements carried out. You can
now understand my reasons for not
having it meddled with yes, sir, and
you can now understand that the
condition Of the will must take effect.
No sign Of the coffin or the body
even was to be discovered in the ruins
of that house. | have had rigid
search made, to no purpose the old
| gentleman's remains have been con-
sumed, have mingled with mother
earth, and the money passes as mat
ter of course to the Seamen's Hospital.
| have not penny in the world
What can you do for me p
1t is not necessary for me to say
what did for Mr.. Gayling, bat find
ing by visit to Doctors Commons,
and by other evidence, that his story
was substantially correct, / felt his
case was hard one, certainly a
strange one, and l acted, l hope, not
ungenerously toward him.-AH The
Year Round.
u Ia u H. q o.s