Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-05
TIT. FUNERAL MAN.
uncanny Decision Of a Curious chsrso-
ter who FOLLOW. the hesrss.


uncanny Dc,i. Of Curious charao-
ter who Toilow. the nearss.
Afuncral procession wound rs gloomy
way down Mission street. Tho car
riagcs rolled heavily over the pave
ment.
Tho hear.e WINS white one, and the
little coffin inside was covered with
flowers.
An old man passing along stopped
and raised his hat ~ the heersc passed
him. aud n groupof noisy street ganiins
stopped their play moment. As tho
last carriage turned the corner a strange
figure stumbled into sigh'--a weird
figure that seemed TO loom suddenly
out OF the mist like aspccter--thc iigur
OF u tall old man running.
lie was running o. fast NJ he could.
with a sort Of hating limp that brought
him every minute nearer the last ear
ringc. Ho stumbled painfully over u
stone In the street, but he never paused.
lie limpsd brcathles~ly on, his wild
eyes glowing with an eagcr light. ~.
was thin, gnunt old man with lag.
gard face and Jaws that moved horri.
bly,.
Just as the procession stopped at the
church the strange figure stumbled for
ward.
Wien the little coffin was lifted ten.
DERBY from the white hear.e the figure
pushed eagerly up to the stops. The
pallbcarcns walked carefully up the
stairs to the door.
ON the topmost step stood the tall
man. Ho wss still. Ills lean arm was
stretched out In n stately gesture. His
wild eyes were nlight with fanatics
enthusiasm.
Whrn tho coffin passed him he waved
his siick with n kingly dignity. lie
mut,ercd something TO himself A pO.
licciunn took him by the arm.
Move on" he mld.
The tall mnn started suddenly. The
light faded from his face. He limpcd
silently away. A little child standing
near the stops clutched her mother
oh slic sud, terrified, there Is
the funeral man"
The funeral man Il q well known
character. Al tho undertakes know
him. All the sections know linn, but
no one knows where he lives.
Bono horrid intuition seems 20 tell
him where tho unburied dead arc ~.
ing. lie hRuuts the afflicted neighbour.
hood until the frneralproccsslon forms
Then l,o hurries behind the carriages
aud always manages 10 reach the church
In time 20 meet tho coffin ss Il IL borne
10 tho church. Sometimes u cortcro
starts without his haunting shape. but
be always starts into sight somewhere
ond hurrics, llmpine, after the last ear
ringe.
Iic n very tall and very thin. Ills
gaunt ngnn, j. incascd Ia tisht fitting
frouk coat, which Ia shiny aud thread
bare. bat scrupulously neat III. head
is covered by gray cap aud lac carries
Ia his hand n long stick. lie never
speaks to nny one nor does lie reply
NH'fl ouf autFtr-'s iliuls
No on. ever secs him except ut "a
funeral. lie seems 20 think II lis mis-
sion Ia mutter his mysterious words
over the bodies Of the dead. Whether
they bc curses or blessings no one can
guess, There is scarcely church In
tho city upon whose steps he las not
stood and waved bis gaunt arm IL mys.
tcrlous greeting to silent figure IN the
coffin.
The drivers Of tho hcarsns know
him, and look back rtpcctantly at the
sound Of his stumbling limp.
Tho ilt,ls children Of tho POOR, who
wander aimlessly In tho wake al any
procession, knor HIN, and shrink away
frightened Mt bis approach. Yet he has
never harmed them. lie sees nothing
hut tho nodding Of tho mourning
plrmes. lie listens only To the rumble
OF tho heavy wheel- OF hearse.
No one knows his namo or how he
lives. He isslmply tho Funeral Man 4"
To what strange happening he owes
this glloulish fancy who can sayl-san
Francisco Examiner.