The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-11-20
A PRUDENT SUFFERER.
He Hated to Spend the Money, but He
Had to DO It,

published by special arrangement with them.l
Mr. Phipps, Of the firm of Phipps g.
Hodge, the Danbury undertakers, was
sitting in his shop Saturday afternoon,
ruminating gloomily. upon the dull
times, when the door opened and in
came a stranger The visitor was a slim
faced man, dressed in dun colored suit
of rather tight fitting clothes. He looked
clear around the room, carefully avoid
ing glance at the undertaken until the
circuit was completed ...
Then he looked curiously at him and
said;>
"1s the boss imp.
yes, sir; I'm one of them. Is there
anything can do for you, sir?"
"Well, that'll depend on how we kin
deal, reckon" replied the stranger in a
tone of subdued shrewdness 81 have
just had to shoulder pretty heavy affiic-
ton. My old woman went under yes
| terday." He paused and looked inter-
negatively over the array of coffins and
caskets.
"Your wife is deadY" inquired Mr.
Phipps, with professional anxiety.
you've hit it square, boss" replied
the stranger with an approving nod.
"What time yesterday did the sad
event occur2"
about p. M, as near as we kin
reckon"
pass away peacefullyT'
"Lit out without groan," explained
the bereaved "She'd been sick, off an
on, for about two years an better. Not
right down sick all that time; but then
don't think she done a square days
work in two years. It's been a great ex-
pense all through; but don't complain,
howsumever. | came in today to see
about fxin her up"
"Ah, yesl You wish to secure a burial
case, We have, as you see, various
kinds. You will want something rather
nice, / fancyY' said Mr.. Phipps.
"Well, yes; | want something that
will show considerable grief an sorrer,
but nothin that's going to upset folks,
you know. We are plain people, boss,
an at a time like this, with a great af-
Fiction shouldered on us, we don't feel
like riling up the neighbors. If it was a
huskin bee, now, or barn raisin even,
I'd calculate to make their eyes prance
right around in their heads, but" and he
sighed heavily, "this is boss of another
color"
"How would this do2 suggested Mr.
Phipps, indicating plain rosewood.
4 Whats the price of that? You see,
boss we live over in Baxter Plain. It's
a small place, an there amt much style.
We don't want to go in too heavy, you
know"
Certainly not, but this is rather
neat looking article"
eyes," conceded the widower, at does
seem as if one needn't feel uneasy with
that coffin in the front room, an the room
full of people,"
81 can let you have that for forty-fv
dollars"
"Jee- Oh, ! couldn't think of pay
: ing thatl Forty-five dollarsl why, you
kin get wagon in two colors for that
money. You see, boss, this is a plain
country funeral, an not a torchlight
procession" feelingly explained the wild
over.
"How will this do, them" next in,
quired the undertaken, hastily pointing
to another article, of common wood
DflBhJly stained,
allow much is that?"
"Only eighteen dollars"
eighteen dollars, hey? Well, that's
much more like it. Still, don't it strike
you that eighteen dollars is pretty steel
. for these timesY"
Not for an article like that, sir,
can assure you that such a coffin coult
not have been bought for a cent less thar
twenty-five dollars one year ago."
, sit may be cheap, as you say" rumi
mated the bereaved. "Yet eighteen dol
lars is a good big pile of money. wan
something nice, of coufse but dom
{ want to jump in so mighty heavy as t.
make people think | never had funera
before You get what mean?"
"Now, this is an article that just an
swers the purpose, in my Judgment; and
have had years of experience"
Eyes, yes, You must 'av' tucked in I
heap of en-" said the stranger in toni
of unqualified respect "This is a sounC
one suppose" he continued, tapping
the sides
Perfectly so; we use the very bes'
kinds of wood, explained Mr.. Phipps.
Just see here a minute" exclaimed
4 the stranger, suddenly and impressively
Il drawing the undertaken to one side
}. 'You say that coffin is sound as nut
Z an you want eighteen dollars for it
Now, want you to understand there
amt anything small about me, an thai
I've got just as much respect for th'
dead as any other man living, | don
care where Won snake him from Bu
winter is coming on, you know, an w
owe little to the living as well. That
a sound coffin, an sound coffin doe
well enough in the right place, yot
know; but ! want to ask you, as MAJ
!. of experience in these things, an under
standing what grief is, if you amt got
box of that pattern that's got some sor
in of defect in the wood, which you coul'
Il knock off little on"
O. tGI bavapft cir