Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-11

son Walter when personally applied for
and under certain conditions, one of
which was that the person applying
must remove his remains to America, in
accordance with his dying wish. This
trust bound not only the counselor at
law, but also his heirs, with much more
that l put into the story to make it
plausible.
CHAPTER V.
AGAIN IN AMERICA-GREAr WORK IN THE
PASoNAGESSIT CEMETERY-MY FATHER
IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ASHES OF HIS
ANCESTORS.
On my arrival in New York with my
prizes l purchased magnificent caSkets
for both Sir Archibald and Lady Flea
nor, telegraphing my father what was
about, and that the caskets were to be
supposed to come from England.
AS may we'll be imagined, there was a
grand social upheaval in Pasonagessit
when my father made known the con-
tents of my London letter and an
nounced that was about to sail from
England i'll charge of the remains of his
great-grandfather and great grandmoth-
er, Sir Archibald and Lady Eleanor
johnson. Nothing else was talked of
in the village. At first a few venerable
DANES called to talk over the great fam
lily event with my mother. Then the
Bradfords began to call. and soon there
was grand rush of both young and old.
Pasonagessit precipitated itself upon the
johnson mansion.
AL this time my father was busy. He
had found what he had long mcclellan
occupation-and was in his element. He
at once bought large plat of ground in
the PasonagesSit cemetery and an
nounced that he intended to remove to
it the remains of his father, mother,
grandfather, grandmother and all his
ancestors, whose tombs We're scattered
through New England in several distant
and neglected graveyardS. He became
SO interested and so thoroughly in ear
nest in this work that he almost convinced
himself that the remains about to ar
rive from England were really those of
his great grandfather and great-Grand-
mother.
He Immediately gave orders for the
disinterment and removal to Pasonages-
sit of the remains of his father. mother
and other ancestors whose graves We're
i'll New England, a work he would never
have thought of had it not been for his
having first undertaken the great enter
prise of bringing over from England his
great grandparents.
The event was naturally pleasing to the
pride of my mother and sisters There
fore when they saw my father wholly
absorbed in the new undertaking and
sparing neither pains nor expense in car
rving out his plans their enthusiasm be-
came almost boundless. Nearly every
day they were out 10 where he was en-
gagged i'll experimenting the work of lay
ing ont his burial lot. The county survey
or was employed, and the sites of all the
proposed tomhs We're traced and perma-
nently marked. Rev. Nantucket Sperm,
Captain shrimp and all the church Off
GERS were led out to the churchyard
and solemnly consulted.
In explaining his plans my father was
in his glory. Here would be the tombs
of Sir Archibald and Lady Eleanor; ad-
joining would be those of my great
grandfather and great-grandmother, and
so on down. Indeed, from quite an ac-
cidental beginning, my family were in
the thick of what might be termed a
grand sepulchral boom. Others, too,
caught the infection. and there was a
general overhauling of tombs and bright
ening up of the Pasonagessit graveyard.
Soon it had been so beautitied that all in
the village We're proud of it,
When my father was informed of my
arrival in New York. he at once dropped
all his work and joined me. Never be-
fore had i seen the old gentleman so
thoroughly in earnest and so filled TO
saturation with any hobby or undertake
ing.
When | took him 10 the undertaker's
and showed him the splendid and costly
caskets i'll which reposed the remains of
Sir Archibald and Lady Eleanor, he was
much affected. l then pointed ont the
family arms on the coffin plates and ex-
nbited to him a number of the silver
gilt buttons of my great-great- grand
father.
To ny astonishment. while was glib
ly running on about these things. the
old gentleman suddenly broke down.
Leaning his mead upon my shoulder. he
said, Il can't uelp it. my Son" and he
Sobbed aloud.
This exhibition OF feeling on the part
of my good father brought tears to my
eyes. and we wept together.
The undertaken, who of course knew
how very ancient the remains were, was
quite surprised at such an outburst of
grief. Addressing my father, he said:
My dear sir. Your excellent relative de
parted for the better land a very long
time ago. You could not have had the
pleasure of personal acquaintance with
him"
Il cannot help but weep" said my IA
Their. He was, You must know, sir, my
great -grandfather--one 10 whom l am
indebted for my very existence. Can
stand in the presence of his remains, sir
| and not be moved? No, sir; I owe TO hi,
ashes the tribute of n few tears"
The undertaken gave my father mp a
I being one of the inconsolables. As tn,
man of collins moved away my fathe
I turned his fearful eyes upon ME and said
sam. who knows but by some strang,
| chance you have hit upon my real great
/ grandfather and great-grandmother
/ Archibald and Eleanor, Sam-both oil,
| family names. l have often and oftel
heard my father say that his father cam
! from Norfolk. England, and Thetford-
Thetford sounds familiar. l feel, Sam
that God guided You on your mission
feel. my son. that am standing in tn
presence of the bones and ashes of m
ancestors"
To hear my father talk in this nanne
was very affecting. and we both left tn
rooms of the undertaken with red an
tear dimmed eyes.
CHAPTER VI.
WALTER JEPSoN.
While we were still standing in tn
street in front of the undertaker's MOI
ping our eyes preparatory to returning
our hotel, very seedy and dilapidate
old man came siding up to US. Address