Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-04-02
The ConsuI's Story.

MIS-, lICICD BuT1lB Wub uHllc VIZ
known to me; but was sorry to see
her come in. She was one OF the
radiant brunetiea whose cheeks get n
lovely red when the thermometer
runs near zero, and who can light the
gas with her fingers when frost IL
about. She was In widows garb of
the most aggressive sort, and she
looked M happy as prisoner just
escaped from n jaicr She trippcd me
d sliding courtesy and swan into II
chair. There was positively not an
angle about her.
II haf come on Il sad business" she
said The hardening OF the final "f'
showed the French woman, but there
was no other evidence Of 1t.
| bowed, and looked up with sym
pathy and inquiry
MY dear husbant, he Is Diet"
mutely expressed my commiscra-
ton,
"IIc has died very suddainly. and |
haf decided that | can not leave his
body In this cold Englant where IL
noting sympatica. VIII take him
back to New York on the steamer"
Her long laahcs fell like a velvet
pail M she said this, and then slowly
came upward Beneath them | could
see pair of dark brown eyes shining
through film of tears. II was like II
rainbow in the mist.
MY denr husbant. he was no goot to
me- He lies In II leaden coffin at the
cemetery house, and we must take him
away tomorrow. It will be for You to
do something for me. You shall say
that he IL inside. If not this, dcy
open him at the custom house"
but cannot give you the usual
certificate without actually seeing him
I'm the coffin -
"Doy will not let me open de coffin
no more | did not know yesterday or
would have sent for you. You must
do this"
She leaned over In pleading en-
treaty and murmured; MY poor
hushant, he IL not here to protect me
and help me like he used to do, If my
consul does not help me, who can help
me- and where shall | go?"
felt NJ though II was positively
criminal to torture this poor lady amy
longer with suggestions of s'rir' com
plianco with the law. said ! would
do al, could to smooth the hard path
of widowhood and asked for thc death
certificate II was duly handed to mc,
a ia nn ri ipnlnyA A
big splash of ink covered the place OF
demise, but that was obviously an ac-
cidcnt Then intimated that was
quite satisfied tho husband was N the
coffin. but that | folt must at least 20
and sec the outside OF the rCvCplnClc.
"You shall come with me" she said,
and together we drove over to the
cemetery. 1t was u pleasant after
noon, and ! enjoyed the drive i'm
mcnRcly Mrs. BURNS also seemed To
find tho air cXhilarating and laughed
several times in SO hearty way that
was moved 10 express my satslaC-
ton at the way she was bearing up
under her great bereavement
All ycs!" she said, with sigh,
"somctimcs do forget that | shall not
see my husbant any more"
"Wns he i'll long"
ellis hcalt' was what you call pre-
pre- carious. Ia dat how you call IT.?
THAT Is right"
"lIe was man who loved de mys-
terry and de romance. We have had
many romanccs.
"Ah, tell me one, for instance"
mo; dose t'inEs are sacred in his
tomb He was very large man, long
but not what YOU call fat His coffin
seems very large"
And have all your romanccs been
with your husband"
II do not tell you dat Mr., Consul"
and she smiled us though she could
whole Volumes unfold,
Al the cemetery | found IN til,
mortuary chapel an immense leader
coffin which looked large and grew
some enough to contain the remain.
of two husbands instead of one, and
felt that the widow had completely
made out her case. Upon my return
therefore gave her the following Ger
titicate smmounted by large Amer
lean eagle
Consulate of the t. s. A.,
--, ., the undersigned consu
OF the United States OF America 70
, do hereby certify and max
known to all II may concern that o.
Monday, the - day of --, A |
1S, at the consulate aforesaid. tn
leadel coffin containing the morris
remains of Samuel Burns was soldere
down in my presence, said Samut