The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1890-06-11
SOME STRANGE PECULIAR
III rs

terfiy She'll
Raleigh Chronicle.
In very interesting conversation
with Mr.. J. j. Coleman, OF Gordon
ton. Person county, he gave an outs
line Of some of the peeuliarities of q
very peculiar family in his neighbour
hood. &c.,. II
About sixty years ago Richard
Harges settled near where Mr.. Cole
man now resides. In clearing up a
field In which there was an immense
quantity ofsassafrss sprouts, he turn
ed out one about the size of his finger,
and unused that if he could only live
until that little sprout should grow
large enough to make the plank to
make his coffin, that he could then
feel resigned to being gathered unit
his fathers lie watched carefully
the little .sprout as it grew to be a
bush and then tree, through forty
long, weary years. Then seeing
signs of decay, he cut it down and
hauled it to a saw.mill. and had i,
sawed into plank, out of which, true
to his resolve. made more than forty
years before. he had his coffin made,
and kept it under his bed for u mum.
Der Of years, using it as conyenien
place for storing winter apples, and
the JUICE of the APPLE. which be
ALWAYS KEPT in his "little brown
Jug"
At length the rats, having scented
the nice yellow apples during the
long nights of winter. cut hole in
the eoffin, 'vhereupon the old mar
placed it on wagon ana took it tc
Roxboro, ten miles distant. to get il
repaired; and 10 CRAFTY the crowd
that soon gathered, attracted by the
singularity o! the scsne, placed him
self in it to show the neatness Of the
fit.
The old gentleman at last died and
was by gentle hands placed instLe
coffin and buried where he now
sleeps.
He left two daughter who haze
now grown old; and in addition to
many of the peculiarities Common to
old maids, seem to have inherited
some Of the eccentricIties of their
father. The older one, Miss Beckie,
about two years since drove q one.
horse wagon up to Mr.. Coleman's
saw mill loaded with q walnut log.
and said that she had enough of tie
sAssAFIG plank left from the OLD
MAN 5 COFFIN to make the ends and
one side Of hers, and she wanted the
log sawed into plank to finish it.
MIR. Coleman, at her request, took
her measure an cut the log the
proper length and sawed the plank,
she insisted that be take the exact
length rs she did not want to paw for
saving longer plank than was me-
cessary.
Miss Beckie had her coffin made
using all the SAsslFlG that remained.
and finishing with walnut; had il
painted with black and deep green
stripes, with q border running
around The top ard bottom, Of green
spots about the size Of a sily,r ouar,
ter, and ner name painted on the top
Of the lid in deep green letters. The
inside WIS lined with bottle greet
calico, and the winding sheet was
made Of the same material thinner
with black satin, and q feather pil-
low trimmed in the same way. 4,
complete this strange burial outfit.
she made long skirt u the sam,
goods and trimmed .ii in the same
manLer, which she sa.s, Is to keep
the dust of.
She laid away quite number Of
years ago, and has carefully kept Tor
the special occasion, q fashionable
young ladT's bonnet ard = black veil
Of more than fifty years sgo. She
keeps this strange paraphernaIia up
stairs in their house, and takes great
pleasure in showing Il to callers, and
call it b. the pet name Of her little
butterfly she'll"
These sisters, living iu the same
house, occupy separate rooms, never
sit by the same Dire, and never have
been known to sit down to the SAME
table together. Mr.. Coleman ID d
gentleman Of the highest yeracity
and youches for the accuracy of biz
statement. Nos, will some one
please come TO the front With a more
queer or curious ibmiIy than this.