The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-17

sound left them. I drew forward q
chair and sat down. He sat down also,
staring half fearfully at me. Great
God was that myself? That white
hair--could it be mine? No, it was a
wig. Some one was PLAYING q joke
upon me. l put up my hand. No, ii
would not come off.
II went back and lay down upon my
bed, very weak. utterly disheartened.
Later / was driven slowly down to the
beach, and / saw all that was left OF
the steamer-a few blackened spars
and the charred hull. Many people
We're examining, either from curiosity
or for Identification, the bodies as they
were brought in. There was long
trench in the sand, in which were
placed those not identified. 1t appeared
that the steamer had been wrecked on
a county line, and two coroners were
there quarreling over the bodies and
claiming their fees.
"My friend helped me out of the
wagon, and seated me on rock close
by-a most forlorn and unkempt figure
/ must have presented. Two men
stood near where l sat and one of them
spoke of having received another tele-
gram from Cleveland inquiring if the
body of the man X had been found.
A cold chill ran down my back. Pro-
ducing the telegram, he read the des-
cription:
Twcnty-eight years of age, feet inches
in height, weight about 100 pounds, far skin,
blue eyes, back hair, small hands and feet,
mole ON loft shoulder. Has the body been
found? Have it properly prepared for
burial, and sent to H, Cleveland.
Il was X and they were hunting
for my body to prepare it for burial
Ny friend came back just then, and L
l must start for home, said, as soon as
possible. Arriving at the house, / saw
a carriage and horses standing before
the door. Four gentlemen came out
and agreed to take me with them.
Il learned from their conversation
that my companion had been sent out
from Cleveland to identify the dead
and find the living. Each related Incl
dents connected with the search. They
spoke of being out in boats, sometimes
all night, dragging for bodies, of see
ing the thieves at their villainous work,
of disgraceful quarreling of the coro-
ners, and of the discomforts of camp
ing out. At length one of the gentle
men said he regretted going back with
no news of the young man X, whose
friends were so ANXIOUS about him."
i half believe said he, that he
was not on the boat at all. We have
seen everybody, dead or alive, who has
been found, and no one answering his
description is discovered
Where is his description 2 asked
another.
AZ have it. No, not here. j re-
member, l gave it to the eoroners. He
was, as / recollect the description, q
man about %, fair skin, blue eyes, and
black hair. 1t is hard to go back with
no information. BY the way, stranger,
did You see any one answering that
description 2
Would you be willing to take the
body without preparation for burial?' L
asked.
why, of course. ANY way we
could get it..
"Well, then.' said L, drop me at
HIS house.
"A shout went up from the carriage.
A few days later, after having enjoyed
the delightful experience of being
kissed. cried over and welcomed back
from the dead, lighted cigar, seated
myself comfortably, and had the novel
experience of reading my own obituary,
and good orthodox obituary it was,
too