Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-07
ANTE-MORTENI FREAKS.
How CoOny Some People Prepare fo1
Death.

How COOIIy Some People Prepare for
Death.
Some people, says the Detroit Free
Press, are very particular about their
ante-mortem affairs. Old Nancy James,
a colored resident of Philadelphia, was
one Of these. She has only recently died,
but it was half a century ago that she
went to an undertaken and ordered a
coffin of polished mahogany, as was then
the fashion.
'Tote it rite home," she said, as she
paid the price.
Two assistants at once proceeded to
carry the coffin to her house. twas mid
day. the sun shOne hotly, and only a few
people were on the streets.
"Walk on de sunshiny side" she COM
manded ImperatIvey.
''But it Is too hot" objected the men.
'sNeber mind dat, >" said Nancy. "Doan'
yer tink got some prOpah pride? l jess
want de fOlkses to see de sun shine in de
sides of dat dere merhOgerny cOffin."
And they did.
THE DEATH WASH.
FSome % years ago." said lady of this
city, 81 lived in a town IN Illinois, and
was called upon one day by neighbor,
who inquired if had a good washerwo-
wan. l told her that / had, and she par
A. u0G
work. Because she explained, 4 have
a suit of clothes laid by to be buried
in. You know that / am an invalid, and
likely to die at any time. The clothes are
very yellow now, as I have had them
some years, and l would like to have them
done Up again if l could trust them to
your laundress."
81 shuddered, but the lady talked it
over as coOlly as If it had been a wash of
the ordinary description. Well, the wash
erwOman died years ago, but Mrs. By,
the invalid, still lives, and l often wonder
if the burial clothes have kept in good
condition."
COMFORT IN THE GRAVE.
A woman employed as a nurse for a
lady, who was i'll with a nervous fever,
busted herself continually, and often to
the neglect of her patient, with some mys-
terious sewing, which she kept partially
wrapped up. One day the sick woman
inquired with languid curiosity what she
was making. "Nothing but my grave
clothes, num-" answered the nurse,
cheerfully. S'Ye seen so much hurrying
and wOrritting over things to lay folks
out in that l thought I'd just make sure
of mine. This is flannel skirt" she con-
tinued, holding it up; ''now, mum, would
you, if you was me, have only two
breadths and let it be narrow, or make it
three and have 1t wide and comfortable ~
The sick lady answered feebly that she
would have it "wide and comfortable"
and the nurse added the other breadth.
She said the woman did not seem to think
there was any reason why death and the
grave should not be discussed to q sick
patient,
IN GLASS COFFIN.
An old man, now lying at the point OF
death in this city, has spent the last six
months of his existence in debating
wills and making arrangements for
his funeral. One after another the best
lawyers of Detroit have been sum-
moned to his bedside, and, according to
rImOr, each will declared different heir
to his property, according to the caprice
of the moment. One young lawyer, par
ticularly anxious to please, altered and
obliterated, and when the will was finally
signed and witnessed sent in his bill for
the moderate sum of $40. The old mans
eyes nearly popped from his head. He
sent for another lawyer to read the will
and it's conditions. As the lawyer read
he interrupted:
''Tain't so-never said a word about
real estate in Saginaw Amt got foot of
it there; HIM, HIM, who's Smith? Cross
him out. Whats that? my gold watch
never had a gold watch in nv life. The
fellow lies! HUI! hu! read it agin! Only
two glass sides to my coffin? Why, the
fool! l told him l want all four of the
sides to be glass-a glass coffin, hang
him! Send him s., that's a heap more
than his laws with. That will wouldn't
hold water minnitw