Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-06-07
A FUNERAL FEAST :

Mark Tapley, that murcurial creation
of Dickens who was continually pining
to be placed in the midst of such somber
surroundings where jollity would stand
out in relief, would have reveled in a lit
tie dinner given day or two ago. The
banquet was rendered by an undertaken
to comedian-two men OF strangely OPP
posite vocations. The former is David
Schuyler, who lives at No 206O North
Sixth street, and is known to be Decul-
iarly devoted to his trade. Tn fact, Mr.
Schuyler carries his devotion to great
extremity. So enthusiastic is he in his
business that he has furnished his house
with certain peculiar emblems of his call
ing, and he delights in offering his yisi-
tors cigars from a trick-box, which con
ceals a grinning skeleton that pops up
with weed in its grasp as soon as the
lid is lifted He has an album of obitu-
airy poetry clipped from newspapers every
where, expressive of the bereavement of
friends of departed persons, in language
and metre of the most lugubrious de-
scription.
THE DISMAL BANQUETTNG HALL.
The actor was Samuel Hemple, whose
rotund figure is familiar one to local
theater patrons, Mr.. Schuyler and Mr..
Hemple have been friends for a great
many years, and when the actors thirty
second anniversary of his debut on II e
stage arrived, about two weeks ago, the
undertaken was DESTROYS of honoring the
event by dinner TO the comedian and
few mutual friends. Circumstances delay-
ed the affair until a few days ago, when it
was given, and will be long remembered
by those i'll attendance as most remark
able occasion.
The invitations were printed upon
mourning paper, and at the first sight of
the skull and cross-bones which headed
them one might have mistaken the note
70" an official warning of the Kuklux
Khan. When Mr.. Hemple arrived he was
uehered into a darkeued room, where on
ly some wax tapers were burning.
A GRAVEYARD FEAST.
The table stood in the center of the
loom, covered by a handsome black pail
that reached to the floor and gave it the al Z
pearance of a catafalque. Upon this the
dinner was laid, The dishes were all APP
propriately arranged with fringes of black
and white tissue paper around them.
The chicken, as it lay in its dish up
on its back, had a white choker, a
black necktie and a white dickey at his
neck, made Of the same material The
ealt-celIars bad black caps aud long trail
ing mourning hands tied arcun them.
The most unique arrangement upon the
table was silver toothpick holder
small hearse with horses attached, driver
upon the box, and doors to open at the
rear end, where a miniature casket con-
aiming the picks was drawn forth. The
mashed potatoes were dug out of mound
covered with roast potato jackets, which,
with sprigs of green planted here and
there, looked like shady burial lot,
with several wooded t0mbstones standing
upright upon them.
COFFINS OF ICE CREAM.
The ice cream was nodded into the
shape of coffin, and cuts of pie were
made in a similar shape. The entire
dinner was made as emblematical of the
undertaker's trade as taste and ingenuity
could devise, and after the first shudder
was passed the guests enjoyed themselves
in spite o. the 'uneie surroundings Mr..
schuyler heartily enjoyed the discomft-
ure of his guests as they entered the room
and looked upon the singular sight, and
says the fun he derived from the affair
amply compensated him for the trouble of
preparing it.-PhlI0deZDhin Times