Tombstone epitaph., 1890-06-07
AT HIS OWN WAKE.
Sailor Mike COstlow Surprises the Mourn
 CTS ct His Home.


 GA funny thing happened some years ago." said a fisherman to Boston Globe reporter, ''and if you have time to listen I'll spin a yarn which you can put down for gospel truth.
 ''It was the second year after the schooner Flying Eagle was built, and was one of her crew. That was in the latter part of the eos. At that time all the boats that supplied the Boston marked with fresh fish made their catch on the shore, as we termed it, that is, near the land.
 ''As 1 said, I was one of the Eagles crew, and one day we were fishing on the northeast part of the Middle bank and one of our dories, containing Mike Costlow and John. Rafford, missed the vessel during the heavy snow-storm that set in while we were hauling travis.
 After searching for them all the afternoon we gave it up.
 ''Costlow belonged to this port, and the women folks kicked up a terrible time when they heard the bad news, and the only consolation we could offer was that they might be picked up by a pass ing vessel.
 F'Well, for three weeks the nelgh bors and relatives waited anx1ously for the sea to give up it's dead or their friends return, and as neither was the result of their wait they decided to have first class wake. Costlow's folks lived on Battery street, and his best suit of clothes was taken down from the peg in the closet and stuffed with hay.
 'After all was ready the neighbors came in to view the dummy that was stretched on the table and bewail his loss.
 "After the farce had been carried on for some time heavy step was heard on the stairs and then stumble.
 "'Well, said I, 'pon my word, who ever he is he's in luck, cause he's stum- bling upstairs
 ''The crying went on for some time, then all of sudden there was loud knock at the door.
 "'Arrah! Who can this be that comes knocking at a wake-house door? cried an old lady, but before she could receive an answer in walked Costlow as large as life.
 "'What's this?' said Costlow. 'Is it me or my step-husband?' and fetching kick at the dummy he destroyed the whole outfit in short notice.
 (" Give us cup of tea,' said he, and none of this fooling. It's no way to wei come man home after being away three weeks on board vessel where there was nothing to eat but the masts.'
 "After awhile one person said: 1t is Mike, believe.'
 "'Of course it is,' said he, and if I thought I would look any thing like that stuffed corpse in the corner the devil die I'd ever want to die on this earth.'
 ''He then explained that he and his chum were picked up by German bark and during the heavy northwest gale that came the next day they were driven to sea and their sails blown away. After repairs were made they again headed toward Bostcn, but were again blown off the coast; then they were fa- vored by fair winds and arrived in port in a dilapidated condition.
 After he landed he made his way to the house, and, seeing crape on the door, asked some people who was dead; and being informed that it was himself, proposed to quietly put in an appear ance.
 ''You know the rest. But I am sorry to say that poor Mike was lost on Georges few years ago, when the schooner Paul Revere went down with all hands during a heavy winter gale"