Evening journal., 1891-07-23
HER TWO FUNERALS.

4 We heard a strange experience the othe
day, which happened TO one of the inmate
10 one VI the large public institutions o
i the city who died short time ago. an,
! whose large funeral attracted surprise an,
I comment as It passed through one Of tn
most fashionable thoroughfares on its wa,
/ 70 the cemetery This is the story:
Years ago, during the last cholera epi
demic, the subject Of this sketch then ,
young woman In the prime Of life. wa,
| seized with violent attack Of the disor
der, 1t was supposed that she would re
cover, but she collapsed suddenly and wa,
laid out for dead.
She had no relations and she was depend.
ent upon the people with whom she had
J lived for home. She occupied position
lower than that Of menial, for she gave
her services IN exchange for food and shell
ter. As she did not assert her individual
lty, no sort Of respect was shown to her by
those who accepted her services, and who,
In order TO mike her aware Of their gener.
osity, continually reminded her Of her in.
competency
| II was O'Clock IN the morning when the
woman died. The Jealous young phvsician
who gave his time and talents 10 the poor
In the interest of bis profession came in
just after she had expired He examined
her with great care and attention He had
not expected her TO die Indeed. there
seemed no good reason for her death.
Have you any brandyf" he asked at
length Of the woman Of the house, who
stood by.
NO" said the woman.
| The doctor took flask from his pocket
and poured some brandy into a cup.
"Moisten her lips with this" he said.
"and try to get her TO swallow a little il
! you can. She may revive. IL don't
| think she is dead" he continued, with the
truthfulness Of one who had not discovered
human nature to be entirely contemptible
aud who reposed confidence ia his kind.
AT O'Clock will return. If there Is no
change in her condition will then give
you a certificate Of DEATH
He hurried away. He belonged to the
noblest OF all professions and his zeal was
at white heat lie was making his reputa.
tion.
When he had gone the woman looked at
the brandy and then at the woman on the
bed, whom she had helped TO kill by her
hard exactions. "What is the use Of vast.
ing the brandy2" she thought.
Nevertheless she put some on the lips Of
the dead woman.
Then she went and told her husband, who
was not yet up.
"She was gOod servant" said the man.
though she had vile temper. You will
have to do your own wogk now" he fin-
ished.
After he had dressed himself he went to
look mt the woman. She is dead y he de-
clared, and then he drank the brandy.
II suppose he said TO his wife while
they were having breakfast, "that | had
beSer get a coffin. They give them away
at the station. II is useless to keep the
woman until tomorrow Sawbones doesn't
know"
He is too young TO know much re-
piled the woman, with the contempt that
all women feel for the opinions OF young
and inexperienced professional men.
So IL came about that in the course OF a
few hours the woman was not only consid-
cred dead, but she was put in long pine
coilin-a hideous sort Of box made especial
" for distribution among the poor in that
dreadful time-and shortly afterward the
box was placed in cart and driven out to
that part Of the town where the friendless
and the wretched We're buried free OF
charge
TO his wife after the cart had ratified down
the street, SAY the woman did not rally.
Then he will gveyou certificate and there
will be no trouble"
Promptly az 3 o'clock the young man ar
rived. Tho woman Of the house sat in the
door
"She Is no betterm asked the doctor
NO" said the woman. ''she did not rally;
she is dead"
did you give her the hrandyY
II moistened her lips with it, but she
couldn't swallow" answered the woman.
The young disciple Of Esculapius looked
thoughtfully down the hot narrow street.
Had he been older his face would have
looked haggard, for he was utterly tired
out The woman still sat immovably In
the doorway
She seemed a strong womann said the
doctor refectively, "and she was young"
Death takes the strong as well as the
weak" said the woman.
The doctor took out his little book, lean
ing against the side Of the house ia sheer
weariness as he wrote Then he tore ont
a leaf and handed it TO the woman.
"Shewas good servant said the guard
ian Of the threshold magnanimously.
Have you made arrangements TO bury
herr" asked the young man.
MY husband is out now" replied the
woman evasively
"Iou need not be at any expense" said
the doctor kindly, who was extravagantly
wasting his sympathy on the wrong sort
OF people; If you will apply at this address
you can get what is necessary He held ont
another slip Of paper and then hurried
away.
The woman looked at the certificate Of
death and then at the address and then
after the departing doctor MAYBE he is
older than he looks" she said. ''If he had
asked to see the woman ! don't believe
could have kept him out"
Meantime the cart rattling over the mn.
even road had revived the woman who
was thought to be dead She Immediately
realized her frightful situation. She was
in her coffin, and they were taking her TO
the cemetery. Terror stricken, She began
to make some violent efforts 70 be heard
but the cart ratified over the cobblestone
road which led out from the city. Could
she make herself heard before they reached
the gravel She felt unable to scream. and
she realized that it was useless TO expend
the little strength she had now. She would
reserve this effort for the time when they
were taking the coffin to the grave; but
how long must she wait before they
reached the eemeteryi Meantime she