Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-09-13


1t was a curious story, and since you
have all told some experience of your
own, to help the time along this rainy
day, don't mind if | tell it. 1t hap
pened ten years ago, and soon after
my husband died.
was left very poor. and was very
| thankful when my uncle John wrote
To me that if | would come to London,
he would give me home and steady
wages to help him in his shop, He was
a florist, and had a nursery in the sub
urbs and shop in town. 1t was not
very big shop nor a very large nursery
but he had reputation for cultivating
rare choice flowers, and his business
was with rich people, who would pay
any price for something that was not
common.
! had not been long with him before
he began to depend upon me to fill his
best orders. for had natural gift for
arranging flowers, and my baskets and
bouquets were much admired,
SO, one morning when | went in, |
was not surprised when he said to me:
Il want you to 90 to No, -, Oscar
street. to dress room for funeral
1t is big order. Old Mrs Howell is
dead, and there will be no end of swell
people there"
went on the car, and the wagon
with the flowers was there to meet me.
| While was busy about the room, the
coffin was brought down, and lady
came to me.
Can you arrange the flowers in the
/ ia af
corpse, she said.
YES, ma'am,n said, and she went
away; and the undertakers men, they
went away.
was alone in large, half-dark par
! Tors, with only the coffin for company.
| was not particularly brave, and | did
! SILVER when | took n box of loose
! flowers, and went over to dress the
/ corpse with them. But the old lady "
ing there, with her soft white hair and
! pretty lace cap, had nothing horrible
! about her unless it was the coffin. Her
! lips had faint smile, and as | put the
white flowers around her face, | touch
/ ed the check gently. My heart seemed
to stop, for it was warm. Many times
! had touched a corpse, and | knew
| the feeling. | was half-Suffocated,
when both my wrists were grasped,
and Mrs. Howell drew herself up by
them and opened her eyes.
Marie she said In faint voice,
/ "Marie, | am afraid of Timothy and
his wife; but if ! die, Marie, look in
the false drawer Of my dressing-case. "
Her voice was scarcely more than n
whisper, but every word was distinct.
1t was silly Of me, ] know. but | gave
one scream and dropped in a dead
faint
When | came to myself there was an
old woman bathing my face, and as
soon as she saw me open my eyes, she
said:
There, you feel better now, don't
you? No wonder YOU were frighten-
ed, She isn't here. They've taken her
up stairs, and the doctor is with her
and her nephew and niece, ami I'll 90,
il You feel all right, for | am her
nurse.
but is she alive?" | asked.
YES, dear. 1t was a trance they
say, and She is coming ont of it. There,
/ can you gel up2'
Z h+tA -'tf AAtN 81 Sass Va NA44Ns 1AANt 4
went back to the shop.
But the very same week uncle John
had another funeral order for Mrs Hol-
we'll aud she must have been dead that
time, for she was buried. but I could
] not dress the laom. think l should
4 have died If ] had tried.
But after She was buried | thought
very often about what She had said,
and | wondered if | ought to 20 there
and tell Her folks about it. 1t was real
I ~ only nervous dread of going near
the house that prevented me. and, af-
I ter all, il was none of my business.
1t must have been several months af-
| forwards, for it was warm weather,
I and Mrs. Holwell died in October when
| ODE dag, As / wa. dressing some bas-