The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-05

good wife jimmy is tho first 10 wakon,
with Tommy, sumbudy's Jack be dead.
TO Z dooarl"
Descending, he grccts tho swartliy
"%pairdncr' OF tho dead miner with n sol
emn yisagc, calculating the while II tho
lumber and coffin furniture nre ready,
when this brief but comprehensive col.
loquy may be heard:
"Nyass II matter, codcn (cousin) Jack,
your"
"T'hec cosn't guess whose dead, YOU"
mo, no, coden Jack; who c9 aH'
"Jacl;'s BilIy's dead, you. llawl (holo
IN tho 'minc-pitchl went oatr about I'm
n smash I'm all to ~scatI.'
Thee doesn't say so?'
Yea, yes. you. Thccs nuns max u
box Tor un"
MAKING THE nOS.
All is now hustle in tho little shop.
The measure for the "box" has been
brought with tho aid Of II "strop' or
string; or the undertaken secures it by
an extraordinary series oil professional
mancuvcrs about tho person Of tho
''pairdncr," who as cautiously admits
certain comparisons regarding his own
statue and that OF the "un' who was
smashed al! 10 seats"
Then the sleepy "prrntice" is bundled
ont Of bed and hurried Off TO rrazc, Hell
ston or PenzanCe for the cotlin-handlcs
and plate, the latter always being u
huge cnnmclcd affair more than II foot
square. The lad,% shivcring with fright,
first proceeds 10 tho house for the
requisite lettering. Then tho dreariest
"trip OH earth is taken by this Cornish
boy. It is often from ten TO twenty
miles and return. Nine times out OF
ten, his route is across bowling moors,
ever dangerous paths that literally
wind about pitfall, OF through s~ix-foot
lanes where the thorr-trees prod and
lance him savaSely. Dark aud drcar
IS this trip Tor any human. Grew
somely dark and drcar it always is for
this Cornish 'prentice, for it always
rains in Cornwall, and the wind for.
ever RACES over the rock-strewn PENN
snla so iierccly that even the grave
stones arr anchored and proppcd that
the sign-posts OF the dead may not be
blown away. lnexprcssibly dark and
lrear is it TO this Cornish lad with the
wrath OF the Smashed I'M" for his only
company.
The country undertaken will complete
his box by the next evening. II is
always the same in Cornwall, OF pine.
stained Il rich, dark cherry, with two
heavy handles OH each side, the huge
enamcled plate on top, upholstered
with carpenters shayings and cheap
white muslin, and provided with Il stout
rope handle, like that Oh an emigrant
chest, ut the head and loot. There are
no hcarscs in this land. No carts,
wagons or carriages are ever seen here
NJ n funeral, unless it be at one Of some
member OF u noble family.
The delivery OF the collin Tor ''layin'
out" has therefore been ior generations
4 matter OF Importance and rude ccre-
mony, and always by hand. From the
universal dread OF these people to come
in any manner OF contact with anything
pertaining TO the dead, ''carryin' the
box" is attended with some mystery
and more difficulty. Usually the under
takers Old c%ronics. who know that
liquor and perhaps Il shilling besides, is
at the end Of the journey, are engaged.
These. four IN number, with the box"
on -timbers between, and with the
joiner at their head. set out on their
luyubrions journey, which is often II
OF many miles.
On arrival Of the place OF destination
ttn .hpy.' 10 cot .lnu-p gEfNn 1Ix.n,nn
IRON the house. In accordance with
long coustom, lie enters alone and an
nounccs his mission. Through just as
old q custom Il short period OF wailingis
then the rule. This ceases rs abruptly
rs ii began ;whcnt the undertaken always
asks OF the widow. "Wcll, jimmy, hast
CO got amy ticker? The elapsc out TIERS
a.little 'fmid." She will invariably re-
ply, 'Ies, my son, plenty, plenty" lie
then repairs tothc thirsty helpers, with
the remark, NO lear boys, long O Jack.
Jinny's got plenty licker;" and they
will as cho@rily reply: 'All roight,
Tommy, we can stand III now"
These matters, essential from time
immemorial, being once adjusted, they
arc followed by Il great amount OF
oiiicious measurement; Tor from first 10
last every possible opportunity for
simple im~prcssivcncss and effect is
made most OF. Sometimes the head
ing" OF the little stairway is removed.
Perhaps the box" must 60 in through
the sccond-story window. But nothing
more terrible could happen than to
have the .box" come into the house in
any other way than "icet first" That
would be an unqualified al absolute
prcsasc OF further death in the same
family, ~or TO n~eighbors who were
watching" with the family.