, 1888-12-14
AN SIGN.
"Mis6t Cohins" for tho Trade--Phase OF
tho Undertaker,s business.

II NOnns Ior inc LTA~uc--fhnse o.
the UndertRker's business.
On a cross town street, not far from
where Seventh avenue begins, is an under
taking establishment. To be sure there
is nothing wonderful about this fact, nor
Is there anything particularly noticeable
or out of the way to the average man who
chances past, about the place. For the
office rs nothing more than the basement
of a dwelling house converted into a store,
the brick work torn away and a big plate
glass window replaced in its stead, a trans
formation that may be seen any time on
Fifth avenue or other thoroughfares now
turned into business streets. But there
was a cardboard sign in the window Of
OF the shop that, when l noticed it, APP
peared very unusual indeed. l read and
re-read it about ten times, and then l
placed my hand against the glass to make
sure that 1t was inside of the pane, for it
struck mo that some one might have been
playing a practical Joke ON the innocent
undertaken. But, no-there was no de-
ception about 1t. The four corners of a
square of white bristol board were pasted
to the inside of the glass and on 1t in
modest black letters was traced: 'rMisfit
collins. To the trade only"
am not naturally inquisitive, but / at
once became curious enough to inquire
what this notice meant, and accordingly l
opened the door and stepped in. In the
rear of the store an elderly man with q
smoothly shaven face, which, together
with his body, was about as fat and as
round as a billiard ball, was writing at a
desk. He rose as l closed the door behind
me and nodded q good day.
Haven't got any business to transact"
said j, but l would like to ask what is
mean by misft coffins2"
sHnh thatfa nagf1u nxn1afnnA - rap1fa1
he, with a merry chuckle. You see"
here he produced II snuff box from his
pocket, tapped 1t and took ahuge pinch
of the aromatic powder-''you SEQ, it's
Just this way: When N undertaken re-
ceives IN order for a funeral he goes
around at once and takes a measurement
of the deceased. He then orders a casket
from one of the large supply houses-for
very fow undertakers themselves carry
stock. II an elaborate casket is ordered,
with silver mountings and an engraved
plate, 1t will not perhaps be ready
until the day of the funeral. Then.
when it is brought aroun it may
BIO found for the first time, and to the
conformation of the undertaken, to be
either, say too narrow or too short. May
be the body was heightened out, as they
occasionally do after death, or, perhaps, 1T
was enlarged. Again, the undertaken. or
n careless assistant, may have made a
mistake In taking the measure. Under
such circumstances therois only one thing
to be done, and that is to order q new
casket. TIT undertaken must, of course,
suffer for his own blunder, and the INT
facturer will not take back the first
coffin. This leaves it upon his hands,
and, not wishing to carry it and take his
chances of being able to use it at some
future time, he comes to me and l pur-
chase 1t at a fair figure.
For instance, that casket you see
standing at the extreme end of the case
there is n l bought a few days ago. 1t
is a very expensive one Of polished rose
wood. The engraving on the plate l nave
FURNISHED down, so that it can be lettered
again. Now. that coffin, considering what
l gave for it, l can sell for very much less
than a manufacturer would charge, and
by n by some one in the trade will want
just such a one, and he will naturally
come to me to get It,"
How will he know that you have a
casket Of that description"
Because l issue a monthly catalogue,
with full descriptions of stock on hand,
and If he Is careful to keep this before
him on his desk he will be able to get a
bargain more than once. l have Just
started in this branch of the business
and at present have the field all to my
self.
and now, sir, you know what a misft
coffin is. Call again. John Preston
Beecher in New York News.