The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-08-07

Especial 70 he Rorld
LAMBERTvILLE, Aug 3.-Eot three miles
from this town. in farmhouse, is the
most curious memorial of man that
probably was ever prepared. It is the
strange tribute to the memory Of Deacon
Elisha Pratt by his wife.
The deacon was very jolly man and
one Of the main props Of the local Metho-
dist church. He was not only jolly, but
he was very fond of society. He was
never so happy as when he had his house
full of company. The ministers of the
church, who travelled more or less, loved
to stay over night at the Pratt residence.
Pratt was prosperous farmer. His acres
were many and his crops were nearly
always profitable. His house was one of
the long, comfortable mansions of the
New England type. Pratt built it after
the plan of the old Pratt homestead in
Vermont, where the deacon was born.
There were plenty Of big bedrooms, with
cSpacious feather mattresses.
Not only was the deacon jolly and fond
of society, but he was a mighty good
liver. In fact, If he had bad habit it
was that of overeating. Rum did not
bother the deacon much because he rarely
inGulged even in drink of staunch Jersey
applejack. But he was decidedly fond of
cider, and he kept it in his cellar all the
year round. 1t was of pretty hard
variety, and when partaken Of in copious
quantities IL did up the drinker in short
order.
1t was one year ago this month that the
tai 4. - 1. R..lF -
clergymen on their way to Ocean Grove.
Pratt Invited them to stay over night and
promised to give them good dinner.
His Invitations were accepted, aud about
dozen ministers and some of their wives
sat around the deacon's festal board. Mrs.
Pratt, vino loved her husband devotedly,
and knowing his appetite, catered to it on
all occasions, had beaten her record in
the preparation OF the meal. 1t was
regular old-fashioned New England din
ner, with modern trimmings. There were
soup and meats, all kinds OF vegetables,
including cucumbcrs, pastry, watermelon,
grapes, ice-cream and hard cider In album
dance. The deacon was in one OF his
jolliest moods and likewise in one OF his
hungriest. He ate beyond moderation,
her husbands appetite because 1t did
honor to her cooking, was anxious about
his health. She roted carefully how much
he ate of each article and treasured it in
her mind.
The party broke up about IL O'Clock.
At 5 o'clock the next afternoon Deacon
Pratt died of cholera morbus. His wife
could not be consofed for days. The
funeral was the largest the neighborhood
had witnessed for half century. Eight
of the ministers present at the dinner acted
as pall-bearers and the other four made
remarks oye- the coffin. After the body
had been inferred several days number
of enterprising tombstone-makers called
on the widow TO ascertain what kind of q
shaft she proposed TO erect over the re-
mains OF her husband. Mrs. Pratt said
she wanted very plain slab, as she had
a different and more fitting memorial 10
mind. So the grave is ..arlsed by very
ordinary piece of ma. BILE with the mere
mention Of the deacol's age and birth
place, aud representation of two angels
bearing a soul aloft, on it. Two weeks
after the funeral Mrs. Pratt wen to Phila-
delphla and ordered the wonderful me-
mortal already referred to. 1t required
some weeks TO got II up, and then 1t was
sent to the farm.
Here is the best description that can be
given OF the tribute to the deacon. Under
a large glass case Is an enormous silver
platter. On this platter, arranged in
regular order, are portions Of meat, vege.
tables, watermelon, cucumber, ice-cream,
pic, &C., moulded in WAX. They repre-
sent, as nearly as possible, the exact
quantity OF each of these articles that the
deacon ate the evening before he died.
They stand on the platter in just the order
that the real articles were consumed by
Mr.. Pratt Scattered through the solids
are goblets full Of wax colored TO repro.
sent the cider that the deacon imbibed
during the same dinner. Each wax imi.
tatlon is perfect and looks as though il
were n real piece Of meat or portion oil
fruit. The quality represented Is enor.
nous, and one feels at once that any man
ought to die after getting away with such
a meal. On top OF the glass case Is a
little arch made of solid silver. Above
the arch Is the silver figure of an angel
blowing trumpet. Suspended from the
centre OF the arch Is tiny tablet OF white
marble on which, In deep black letters,
are engraved the following words:
"This Is what the deacon died OFF,
| AS ridiculous rs this all seems, Il was
anything but ridiculous to the widow.
On the contrary, she considers it the most
profound tribute. The case stands on a
table In the parlor, the cloth OF which Ia
entirely black. Every evening since the
memorial arrived Mrs. Pratt has closed
the parlor doors and sat in front of the
wax memorial for an hour mud wept MS
though her heart would break. She never
goes near the dcacon's grave. She says
there Is nothing there to remind her OF
| Pratt, while beneath the case are the SYM
bols, imperfect duplicate OF the things he
was so fond OF when alive. On Memo
rial Day, while other widows in the vicIn-
| ity went 10 the cemeteries and strewed
| flowers on graves of their beloved, tho
Widow Pratt remained In her parior and
slowly waved over the glass case the flag
that the deacon used to stick out Of the
window on patriotic anniversaries, sob
bing with each flutter OF the Stars and
Stripes. When any of her friends aud re-
latives call they are at once ushered into
the parlor and made TO meekly survey the
duplicate OF the dcacon's last meal. We're
any one to even get close to the edge OF a
smile, 1t would mean the instant loss OF the
Widow Pratt's friendship. No grave evel
marked truer or more lasting grief thar
does this case OF wax vlctuals.
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