Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-05-03
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MoRGuE.

SuNDA1 AfIEhNOON Al IdE hlOhGU6s
ly ask any questions concerning the dead.
They merely pass along as you see them
now and mako whatever comments come
into their mind. Not one of this number
in here now is related or even acquainted
with any one locked up there, yet 1 can see
faces which have become familiar because
of their frequent visits to the morgue on
Sunday afternoons Where they all come
from and why they should choose this
place instead of some pleasant park or out
side exercise is beyond my comprehension,
yet here they are, and here they will be as
often as the seventh day comes around"
While the deputy coroner was speaking
q bevy of damsels not to exceed IA years of
age, neatly dressed and bright looking,
stole quietly into the room. They trod on
tiptoe and spoke in whispers, yet they
made the round and looked in turn on the
face Of every body in the boxes. They de-
parted as noiselessly, not an audible word
being spoken while they were in the room.
Once outside their tongues were loosened
from the spell and they related their feel
ings with great animation.
"Girls," said one, as they linked arms
and started back toward the hospital, ooh,
I was SO scared when looked at that man
in the corner! You know the one2 Well,
when he looked up at me something SEEM
ed to just catch me, and almost scream.
ed"
"Oh, don't know" another made re-
ply. They're dead, and never did see
any reason for being afraid of them. Yet I
was feeling little creepy myself" And
the party passed out of sight.
Enter young man of Is, possibly, at
tending two damsels of fewer years. One
was red checked and hearty, and the 9TH
er, evidently merely present out Of courte-
sy, was pale and appeared to be a working
girl. They strobe into the room, tie young
mans bearing being a palpable effort to
appear at ease. They made the round and
spoke in whispers, the custom of most Of
the visitors. Suddenly the red checked girl
looked at her escort with glistening eyes,
and with an audible litter said in shock
ed tone, "why, George!" George made
some other remark, and the girls started
hastily for the door and refused to return.
George did not insist very strenuously.
They were succeeded by sturdy man of
some 30 years, bearing little girl scarcely
more than an infant. His wife obediently
frudged behind, marshaling q couple of
faxen haired and pigtailed sisters. The
man walked up to the first cage, gazed in
. moment, pushed that baby's face over
the glass cover, asked If the child saw, and
then putting the little one on the floor
lifted the two other children in turn that
they might not miss the sight. The baby
took her mothers hand and turned a pair
Of pretty, innocent eyes upward and said,
Il saw 1t, mamma"
Mamma smiled indulgently and turned
AWAY from the boxes long enough to indi-
ate to the child that she heard, and then
she resumed her pursuit. She finally took
up the baby ngain and permitted it to re-
new its acquaintance with death. So the
tamily made the rounds of the room and
then quietly and sedately departed into
the glad sun Inc.
Thus the procession continued through
out the afternoon Probably / 900 visitors
looked upon the drawn faces of the dead
that day, and not half dozen Of them
made any inquiries Of the srardA