The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-23
SLEPT IN HIS COFFIN.
QUEER THINGS THAT UNDERTAK-
ERS COME ACROSS.

concerning the rlu6i O4SPOSleAOh vi
Their Mortal Remains-The Woman
who Buried Her Husbands Verti-
cally-Curious Funeral Facts.
From the Baltimore Herald.
81 have met with thousand and one ode
fancies and curious notions during my con
nection with the undertaking business,
said a prominent funeral director to a re-
porter the other day. "Indeed. l think II
is safe to say that 90 out of every 100 per
sons have and express preference of some
kind or another as to the disposition to be
made of their bodies after death. Some
times their requests arc complied with
sometimes they're not. Generally the
preference relates only to some minor de-
tail, either of the coffin, of the grave. or OF
the burial ceremony. Some people want a
plain, wooden coffin-mahogany, walnut,
or ebony. Some want metal casket. Some
want their casket covered with black cloth,
some with white The desire for certain
style of handle is often expressed, and
women are frequently concerned about the
lining, wanting it of a color to suit their
complexion. Some people, too, want their
coffius made large and roomy; others want
them to fit exactly.
VERY often people want to be buried in a
particular spot, and give express instruc-
lions as to the direction in which the grave
is to lie and how deep it must be. Then, too,
some persons want a quiet, private funeral,
while others are uneasy uatil promised that
they will be given grand and costly burial
"All these are matters that can be easily
attended TO, and they generally are But there
are requests made by people in regard to
their ohsequies that are extraordinary, and
in some instances ridiculous. I'll tell you
about few cases that have come under my
own notice.
"There was an old lady died few years
ago who had had new and very
costly set of teeth made just before her last
illness. When she learned that death was
imminent her greatest lament seemed to be
that she should never have an opportunity
to wear those teeth. Finally a bright
thought struck her, and calling her husband
TO her bedside she begged him to have her
lips SO arranged after death that her
friends would be able to see and
admire her beautiful teeth. The
old man promised, and almost
with her dying breath she reminded him of
it, We were summoned to perform the
necessary duties after her death, and the
widower having explained the matter of
the teeth, declared that his wifes request
must be carried out He had promised and
could not think of deceiving her. We did
the best we could. The result was rather
startling, but the teeth showed, and the old
man was satisfied-so we didn't have any
thing to say, of course.
81 remember another case of a middle
aged single man who had been great
dresser-a regular dandy in fact. He left
directions that he should be buried in the
last suit Of clothes he had bought. As he
was man of considerable wealth and had
left some very generous requests to his
friends, they decided to comply with his
request, and his valet was told to bring the
suit. When he returned he carried the
loudest suit of clothes l ever saw. 1t was
of plaid two or three inches broad,
and green, blue and yellow in
color. With it came shirt covered
with pictures of ballet dancers in every
conceivable attitude, and a necktie to
match. The appearance of these unex-
pected articles caused some CONSERVATION
but the dead mans friends finally decided
to let him have his way and bury him as he
had requested. The body was accordingly
robed in the flashy shirt and suit a dog
head pin stuck into the tie, a single eve
glass placed over the staring eye, and the
dandy was ready for his last resting place
Sometimes people want things buried
with them. A lady whose principal fort
une consisted of her many and costly jew
els made great stir among her friends
and relatives by requesting in her will that
she should be ornamented with all of them
when finally prepared for the grave. She
had provided, too. that unless this was done
not one of her friends should receive penny
from her estate. Here was Quandary. but
the matter was finally settled by placing
the jewels upon the corpse, and then after
1t bad remained few days in the vault, re-
moving them.
81 was once called upon to bury man
who had at soma nravi0,ls married. oh =. ap
one OF his great toes. just as 1 was about
TO screw down the cover of the casket his
weeping widow came to me with "a small
Jar, and said that her husband had express
ly desired her to bury this with him. |
looked at it and found that it was the miss
ing toe. neatly and carefully preserved in
alcohol.
81 never buried any one who had made
his own coffin, but | have heard of such
cases. Several times. however, | have sold
people their own collins, and in some in
stances two or three years or longer before
they died. Sometimes the boxes were left
with me until needed. and sometimes they
were taken home at once. The most
peculiar case of this kind | ever had was
that OF an artist who lived in a couple of
rooms by himself over in the western part
OF the city. He had plenty of money, and
ms rooms were elegantly furnished but
all IN the most somber colors. One
day he came to me and ordered a
coffin made. Ii was to be black inside and
out, and was to be large enough for him to
lie IN comfortably. Another thing he was
explicit about was that it was to be lined
throughout with spring cushions | made
It and sent it to his rooms, as be directed.
Four years later | was called to bury him
then found that during all that time he
had used his coffin for bed-sleeping in il
always-and he had left a request to be
buried in it, He said he had grown used to
it. and did not think he would sleep we'll in
any other
Il once had man who was about to die
send for me and order coffin. He was a
very small man, not more than four feet
high, but he said he wanted his coffin six
feet long The law said he, gives every
man six feet OF earth, and I'm going to have
my full share
l frequently have people try to drive
bargains with me for caskets for their dead
friends. About the best case of economy
III that line l ever had, however, was that
OF young widow who gave orders that
her husbands coffin should be placed
IN the ground perpendicularly. A wear
ana half later she had another hus-
Dand TO bury, and his coffin was placed side
by side with that of No. l. AT intervals
sne had more husbands TO bury, and finally
when No. was placed under tae sod no
more space had been taken than is USUALLY
occupied with one grave. She said it saved
trouble, because she really had only one