The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-07-19
THIS Is TOUGH.

of a woman who was poor and whose
husband was poor-a cheap pine box,
stained with a nickeTs worth of some
coloring liquid, was the coffin which
made her narrow bed in the quiet prison
cell. That pine box would have cost
about two dollars and fifty cents-had
those who sold it had any regard for
conscience, for duty, for that charity
which is due and so often is not given.
But the ghouls and human hyenas who
sold the cheap pine affair eXacted twelve
dollars, and the pauper could have no
cheaper affair, understand. The man
who had to pay the bilI-he did not OBJ
ject. 1t was not his style to say that he
could not afford to buy for his dead wife
the cheapest box-yet those who sold it
got twelve dollars.
1t may be all right-but we believe it is
all wrong. We believe that no human
being has a right TO rob a cOrpse-Or the
friends of the corpse while the corpse is
fresh. 1t is easy enough to skin your old
father out of something. 1t is easy enough
to rob your mother-it is easy TO do many
t~hings-but it is the easiest thing in the
world to take advantage of a heart broken
and grief stricken father, husband or
brother when that dread day comes.
People walk on tip-toes in front Of
death. They view the dead with fearful
eyes and no voice speaks. The ghoul
who m in and robs those friends
and it is robbery, pure and s~imple-well,
there is no place for him. When men
become vampires and think with those
who think that might makes right; when
they say there is lone woman, she can
not defend herself-there is a grief
stricken father-let Us set upon him-we
tell you people that such business should
be unlawful-that it should be made the
same crime as if you robbed the man in
any other way.
Twelve dollars for a pine box-and
that a cotfin-twelve dollars for some
thing that had to be purchased-twelve
flched from a poor man to bury
dead wife-and yet the world points
to men who coin the dollars in that way
as being successful business men.
We believe that the world is wrong.
we find men and women with socie-
ties to raise funds to send missionaries
to Africa and GOD knows where-we
find them raising money to regulate the
appetite Of men, but we hear nothing
about the protection which should be
given those who are obliged to die. 1t
is well enough to figure on some comfort
in the next world, but one should take
pride in going out Of this in a decent
manner.
Suppose the case: Suppose that the
of a town who did not believe in
robbery would have a general fund-haye
A company and organize a coffin reposi-
5ory-company, depot, manufacturing
concern, anything so it sold collins at a
living profit only. Then when Death
danced his dizzy whirl you could 60 there
and be protected. Make a contrast. If
| pauper dies the county buries him.
pine box costs but five dollars-while
he man who is not a pauper is charged
we've for the same business.
1t is not perhaps a subject that is juicy,
Dut we are in favor of this community |
to it that a poor man can buy a
pine box for his wife's grave at some
reasonable. The case in question
S lot the only one where exoIbitant
prices have been charged.
The Vampires should go.
f THEM AT 1T.
If tho ror,Dop+ Drob;b;,;o.;-