The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1895-06-20
STRANGE AND CHASTITY.
druosome Talk of San Francisco
Undertaken.
Why He Found Pleasure In his Bu,tro,.
Il Young Lady Who Fell IN Love
with Dead Man and Then
Lost Her Mind.


Ono OF the oldest undertalters IN aaA
Francisco, formerly member OF tho firm OF
Cowen, Potter q Co., recently told an Elk.
aminer reporter that he would not exchange
occupations with any man IN tho State Said
he:
III tell you there Is q singular fascination
IN ministerinR to tho wants of the dead, in
placing over them garlands OF flowers, nice
~ arranging their white faces, and laying
their pale bodies in tho last cashet"
The old veteran went ON portraying the
pleasures CT his pursuit, and as he gave tho
details OF his weird avocation he grew into
an ecstasy not unlike the reveries Of an
opium eater Continuing, the undertaken
said
Experience has taught me that familiari.
tywith tho dead takes the sting from the
grave. My business puts death in less
terrifying light than tho pictures which
tho imagination draws where the actual Ia
seldom witnessed. | have put 80 many in
their last homes that no longer look upon
death with the old fear. l ogreo with tho
man who said Tired OF tho heat and
glamor OF tho day we hear with Joy tho
/. rustling garments of the night 1 look
upon every new face that comes into nv
quiet sleeping apartments over there "a
one more lucky traveller who has reached
at last his journeys end" .s..ssees,. .,pa
o. "Do you ever have favoritos among those
whom you did not know during lifeln sscsst
swell, sir, like modest people with frank
countenances, whether in life or death.
Some corpses have mean countenances
would have declined an introduction in life,
and 30 do not cultivate their society I'm
death. Some seem 10 stare at mey while
others look like sneaks. A dead mans face
Ia n ali Of. 49, A. a
and II has the advantage that no trick OF an
assumed expression can deceive tho eye OF
the observer. -. oc1.spGes~os,r
"There are lovely men and women who
come here, and when they leave us we miss
them and we feel lonely. IL gives mo great
pleasure 10 pin little bouquet upon their
garments, or 10 adjust their heads upon
their pillows. They often need these little
attentions, and they seem pleased when we
are kind TO them. OF course they never
speak, but there Is golden eloquence in their
silence. Different positions In their quiet
faces give language 10 them, and slight
change in attitude makes the contour and
whole effect different .fa5ses Sts-fstfEss >,
"Let mo tell you about young woman
who used to assist me where l formerly
lived. She made handsome bouquets and
garlands during her leisure, and she also
kept the entry books. ,--sssaa-ss,
"Well. sir, that girl has much good phil
osophy on tho subject OF death. She liked
TO read about the old Greeks who dressed
their dead in white, sang odes 10 immortal
ity and placed floral decorations on their
tombs. .s..g5sses
~ often noticed that she spent many idle
hours among the collins after the bodies
were prepared'and properly clothed. l. OF
course, thought that she was simply study
ing the business and trying 10 learn how TO
make what VIC call artistic settings, for she
was always an love with the business . =.
'One day her aiianced for she was en-
gagged TO young lawyer-cnme In TO chat
with her n few moments. He was bright
young fellow, aud they were TO be married
In the fall He had boon coaxing her TO
leave the business, but she would not do IT,
Well, this was delightful June day, ind
Us he left she pinned neat little bouquet
upon the lapel OF his coat. Not noticing my
presence he lightly kissed her on the brow
and departed This did not seem TO trouble
her, although noticed that she bushed as
her sweetheart departed. ! do not know
whether that kiss offended her, but do
know that she seemed troubled for several
days, and after Lawyer Ralfe left her tho
next Friday / noticed that her eyes were
moist. / believed that they had Como
through little lovers quarrel, and Il
thought no more about IL. At least did not
have the slightest suspicion OF the wonder
full alienation OF her affections that was
taking place In her mind. ..s.ses..f 49,. a
'rho next day the body OF one OF tho
handsomest young men I ever saw was
brought into our parlors. He was unknown
but from papers found among his effects IL
was ascertained that his family lived in
London, Eng. He had been out hunting,
and, getting separated from his companions,
the gun was discharged, the charge enter
ing his thigh. Ho soon blod TO death. OF
course you know that he would be very pale
1.-TWO efficient aids In my establishment
helped me TO prepare tho corpse for the
coffin. We dressed him nicely, combed his
beautiful hair, arranged his very handsome
mustache, gave his checks few touches OF
color with the blonder, and left instruc-
tions for our young lady assistant TO have
floral tribute made for the Elks, who were
to manage the funeral. then went home
to dinner, and l was gone several hours.
Whom l returned the girl was work
ing over the face. Sho made handsome
wreath and placed II over his brow. Then
she fairly raved about his beauty. When 1
came back In fifteen minutes she was still
there, and she seemed 10 be talking 10 him.
1 heard her ask him If he still loved her.
IL was with delay that she needed my re-
other work. The next day II was the same,
and when stopped by the corpse a mo-
ment she said she could marry fellow
that handsome. She seemed 20 Slush And
laugh little, but thought nothing OF IL.
Toward evening the Ells and their band
came after the corpse. al you believe
me when tell you my pretty girl kissed
that cold face and burst into Mysteries SO
that could not calm her when IL was ro-
movedr That was twenty-five years ago,
and she was then about eighteen years old.n
"Where is she nowp asked the reporter,
, ~ saw her when | was home two years
ago. She looked well and hearty, and she
, was really handsome, although her hair
was little gray. She told me she had
been married many years. and then she
talked and laughed with her husband, but
he made no reply, for he had been buried
by the Elks many years before You
don't understand Listenl a ,--7r ,stssr b.
"When left her gentle attendants led
her away from the gas-lit parlor into that
part Of the great insane asylum where, for
! aquarter Of century, she has lived and
loved that young Englishman, whose body
, has rested beneath the messy marble SINCE
! we buried him there away back in the six.
ties As l stole away l could hear her
voice echolng through tho great corridors,
for she was laughing and talking with her
husband, the bodiless creation OF ecstac
!, Her eve was bent on vacancy, yet she W
. aanuy. -ae-~a .s.ii.lg'f, ei',.i "a
Encouraging Honesty
Mr.. Holdfast, 10 the editor" Yes, sir
J. there was more than $1,000 IN my pocket
o book when L lost II. You 'uan add TO tho
Il notice that will pay liberal reward foi
/, ia return. I'm always willing 10 encourage
J. | hona.tyn Mr. Holdfast the nOxt morning