Wichita eagle., 1889-07-27
STRANGE AND CHASTITY.
GREENSBORO TALK OF AN OLD SAN
FRANCISCO UNDERTAKES.

| FRANCISCO UNDER Ak6S.
Why He Found Pleasure in the Pursuit.
Assistant Who Fell in Love with q Dead
Man and Went Insane.
| One of the Oldest undertakers in San Fran
cisco recently told an Examiner reporter that
| he would not exchange occupations with any
man In the state Said he:
Il tell you there Is a singular fascination
| in ministering TO the wants of the dead, in
| placing over them garlands of flowers, nicely
arranging their white faces. and laying their
| pale bodies in the last casket."
The old veteran went on portraying the
pleasures Of his pursuit, and as he gave the
| details of his weird vocation he grew into an
ecstasy not unlike the reveries of an opium
eater Continuing, the undertaken said:
Experience has taught me- that familiarity
with the dead takes the sting from the grave.
My business puts death in q less terrifying
light than the pictures which the magma
ton draws where the actual Is seldom wit
messed. | have put so many in their last
homes that l no longer look upon death with
the old fear. l agree with the man who
said: Tired of the heat and glamour Of the
day, we hear with JOY the rustling garments
of the night look upon every new face
that comes into my quiet sleeping apartments
over there as one uaore lucky traveller who
has reached at last his journeys end"
SOME STRANGE IDEAS.
do you ever have favorites among those
whom you did not know during lifel"
Very often, indeed. | have had people
come here and felt from the first glance that
would love them for their winning ways"
Look here! What do you mean by speak
ing of the winning ways of the deadi"
well, sir, / like modest people with frank
countenances, whether In life or death. Some
corpses have mean countenanoes. / would
have declined an introduction in life, and SO
do not cultivate their society in death. Some
seem to stare at me, while others look like
sneaks. A dead mans face Is good photo
graph Of what he was in life, and it has the
advantage that no trick Of en- assumed ex-
preston can deceive the eye of the observer.
"There are lovely men and women who
come here, and when they leave Us we miss
them and we feel lonely. 1t gives me great
pleasure 70 pin little bouquet upon their gar
ments or to adjust their heads upon their
pillows. They often need these little atten-
tions, and they seem pleased when we are
kind to them. OF course, they never speak,
but there is golden eloquence in their silence.
Different positions of their quiet faces give a
language to them, and slight change In at
titude makes the contour and whole effect diff.
ferent
LET me tell you about a young woman
who used to assist me where formerly lived.
She made handsome bouquets and garlands
during her leisure, and she also kept the en-
try books
''Wen, sir, that girl had much good phil
osophy on the subject of death. She liked to
read about the old Greeks who dressed their
dead in white, sang odes to Immortality, and
placed floral decorations on their tombs.
81 often noticed that she spent many idle
hours among the collins after the bodies were
prepared and properly clothed l of course
thought that she was simply studying the
business and trying to learn how TO make
what we call artistic settings, for she was al
ways in love with the business.
zone day her afIianced-for she was en-
gagged to young lawyer-came in to chat
with her few moments. He was bright
young fellow, and they were to be married in
the fall. He had been coaxing her to leave
the business, but she would not do it, Well,
this was a delightful June day, and as he left
she pinned a neat little bouquet upon the la
pei of his coat Not noticing my presence he
lightly kissed her on the brow, and departed.
This did not seem to trouble her, although
noticed that she blushed as her sweetheart de-
parted. do not know whether that kiss Of
Tended her, but 1 do know that she seemed
troubled for several days, and after Lawyer
Ralfe left her next Friday noticed that her
eyes were moist. l believed they had gone
through little lovers quarrel, and thought
no more about it. At least did not have the
slightest suspicion of the wonderful alienation
of her affections that was taking place in her
mind
The next day the body Of one of the hand
soonest young men ] ever saw was brought
into our parlors He was unknown, but from
papers found among bis effects it was ascer-
tanned that his family lived in London, Eng
land. He had been out hunting, and, getting
separated from his companions, the gun was
discharged, the charge entering his thigh.
He soon bled TO death. OF course you know
that be would be very pale.
Two efficient aids in the establishment
helped me to prepare the corpse for the cot
fin. We dressed him nicely, combed his beau
tiful hair, arranged his very handsome mus
tache gave his cheeks few touches of color
with the bender, and left instructions for
our young lady assistant to have q floral
tribute made for the Elks, who were to man
age the funeral. / then went home 10 din
ner, and was gone several hours. When I
returned the girl was working over the face
She made a handsome wreath and placed IL
over his brow. Then she fairly raved about
his beauty When I came back in fifteen
minutes she was still there, and she seemed TO
be talking to him. / heard her ask him II be
still loved her 1t was with delay that she
heeded my request to come away and attend
to some other work. The next day it was
the same, and when | stopped by the corpse
moment she said she could marry fellow
that handsome. She seemed to blush and
laugh little, but l thought nothing Of IL
Toward evening the Elks and their band
came after the corpse VIII you believe me
when tell you my pretty girl kissed tina.
cold face and burst into Mysteries 50 that we
could not calm her when IL was removed
That was twenty-five years ago. and she was
then about IS years old"
And where is she nowF' asked the re-
porter
81 saw her when was home two years
ago She looked well and hearty, and she
was really handsome, although her hair was
little gray. She told me she had been mar
ried many years, and then she talked and
laughed with her husband, but be made no
reply, for he had been buried by the Eiks
many years before, You don't un6erg.andi
Listeul
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