The Portland daily press., 1894-07-13
EXPERIENCES OF UNDERWRITERS.
While Preparing People For the Grave
They See Amusing Incidents.

While Preparing People For the Grave
They See Amusing Incidents.
A young man who sat down to q ban
quot that was spread on tho tops of several
collins tells Chicago Herald reporter
how he passed the time:
This banquet was given by undertake
ers of the upper crust. There was nothing
grewsome in the surroundings, save that
the viands were eaten from dainty ware
on snowy linen which was spread over
number of collins. AS these collins had
never been used, and never would be, for
they were sample collins, there was moth
ing Objectionable in the idea. And it was
that which brought out fact that was
interesting to me and is not at all harrow
ing. / asked the man who was at the
helm what he meant by sample collins.
HE said that in first class establish
ments, such as his, it was always custom
airy to keep q number of ready made cas-
kets, differently trimmed and mounted, to
show to patrons, The prices of such collins
range from $3.50 to 81, 200. 1t seems from
what he said that man never orders a
coffin until he has felt of the sample.
Now, in the course Of a few months in a
big establishment like the one in mind
hundreds of people call to select, and as
each one rubs his hand over the cover of
the casket you can readily see that such
repeated handling would make the coffin
shop worn. So In time the casket is taken
to the factory and destroyed. A sample
coffin is never sold or used by first class
undertake. Its time is from to IA
months in the shop. My friend would not
admit that he did not sell or use samples
collins from any idea of superstition, but
l rather suspect there is something of the
sort governing him.
Later in the evening the assembled
undertakers and their friends began to
throw off some of the conventionalities
chat had been noticeable when they first
sat down. One man was called up by the
toastmaster, who had the appearance of
pallbearer. | have forgotten what they
called him, but it was his business to dress
the corpses that were brought to his estab-
lishment He was funny looking duck,
and [ sat where l could take notes of his
speech without violating any of the pro
prieties. He said he had funny expert
ence once. He explained that in putting
coat on corpse the coat was always slit in
the back. That obviated turning the body.
On the night of which he spoke he said he
saw the clothing on a chair. The evening
was warm, and the dresser threw off his
own coat, and while making arrangements
to dress the corpse he began to talk to the
man in the casket, as be said he always
did while he worked, as it kept him from
thinking
THE speaker told all this in the most
solemn manner He proceeded to say that
he dressed the corpse in approved manner
and went away. When he got home he
discovered he had ripped up his own coat
and put it on the corpse and had put OH
that which had been placed on the chair.
But he said the mistake could not be recti-
fled. Ever thereafter in attending to his
business he said he always hung his coat
on peg by itself, saying to the dead man;
You can't have this coat. One Of you fell
lows wore one of mine away once, and
you can't do it again.
1.-The guests around the table seemed to
think it was one Of the best stories of the
night"