Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-07-30
The Undertaker'S Story.

tiHhlS L am lliOtt SCuolllNG " tlt
horrible than most of my fellow men
am, in fact, more easily wrought upon.
At all events have fancied that at times,
when l have been telling this experience
of mine, | could detect certain indica-
cations that some of my hearers were Of
that opinion; but have not yet so far
failed in charity as to wish any of these
scoffers put to similar test.
had run over to Paris, had spent a
couple of weeks in that bright city,
and was on my way home again
| took a night train from Dover to Lon
don, and in the compartment which ]
occupied there was but one other passen-
ger-a sharp, intelligent-looking man,
with a very grave face We got into
conversation after travelling more than
half the distance in that silence which is
invariably adopted by Englshmen when
they meet. After discussing general
subjects, a remark of my companions led
me to say that he seemed to have had a
very wide experience, and among nearly
all classes of society.
eyes" " he answered slowly, and with
a marked hesitation. eyes, | am an un-
dertaker. have had a good deal of ex-
perience, and | have had my share, /
think, of remarkable adventures. l
never take this ride from Dover to Lon
don without very painful recollection
of one such"
We had still nearly a half hours ride
before us, and his manner, as much as
his words, aroused my interest.
"Do you care to tell it?" asked.
A quick, involuntary Sss;i,ls1s, NM ma, q Il,
to his voice slight AssssAs -; :s'sat ~ = y
answered, 81 wish 1 could kee .sffdIl
thinking of it, but l might as well tells
as sit here quaking in silence over tht
awful memory of it." He paused
moment, drew a long shuddering breath,
and then he commenced:
"a little over year ago what an
about to relate happened to me. had
established very good business, chiefly
among the upper class of trade people,
though, of course, | did not decline. any
call upon me that promised a reasonable
profit. received one day telegraplliC
despatch from Paris asking me to takc
charge of a dead body that was to b
sent from Paris to London for burial.
was to meet it at Dover on the arrival o.
the night boat from Calais, and make all
the arrangements for its further trans
portation by rail, and | was referred to
well-known banker as security for mi
expenses.
"This looked like good business, 50
lost no time in getting the necessary per
mits and went to Dover in the evening.
had some details to attend to there in
order that everything might be in readi
ness and no time lost after the boat ar,
rived. Then had nothing to do but
wait. ! set up reading to keep myself
awake.
'It was beautiful still night in the
late fall, with an almost full moon, l re-
member; and the boat got in to time
l received the box containing the body,
and saw it placed in one of the luggage
vans of the train; and in due course ar
rived with it at Victoria station. One Of
my wagons was there waiting to take the
body to my place, where was instructed
to keep it until the next morning, when
the proper parties would call to make
arrangements about the burial.
So far Of course, there was nothing
specially remarkable about the affair. Il
is little unusual in such cases not to
find some one connected with the de
ceased accompany the body: but hardly
gave that matter second thought.
had no doubt but that the right persons
wonld appear later in the day.
"When l got to my shop, it still
lacked two hours of daylight, and, as
felt no slight responsibility, l didn't
think of going home, but made myself
as comfortable as possible in my office fol
the rest of the night. You must bear in
mind that all the sleep had secured was
a broken, uneasy slumber on the journey
from Dover to London, and when ! went
to sleep in my chair, after stirring tho
fire into blaze, slept very soundly-
very soundly, that is, for awhile, for i
was still dark when l woke up in a sud.
den and startling way.
''Have you ever wondered, " heunder-
taker asked, turning his eyes full upon
mine for the first time since he had be-
gun his story, "what mysterious lnfa-
ence that is which makes you feel another
presence in the same room as yourself,
though you hear no one and see no onei
It's a queer feeling at any time, out
don't know of any occasion when it can
seem more queer and awful than when il
comes to a man locked up in the dead Of
night with nothing but black plunes
and grave-clothes and pals and collins
about him."
He turned his eyes to the floor again,
and cold tremor crept through my own
flesh in the brief and ominous pause he