The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-19

GROUND THIP" FOR A CORPSE.
solution of a Puzzle That Bothered
the Sons and Daughters of the His
ing Moon

the sums uhu DAuEhteES OF the ms
ing Moon.
From the New York Sun.
He was aged and dlmnutive. He wore
long coat of ancient pattern and a stove-
pipe hat from which the nap had vanished
in The eos. His collar reached up to the
fringe of white wool on the back Of his
head and his knotted face was blacker than
the old satin stock about his neck That
grave problem engaged his mind was
shown by the serious expression of his face
as he moved about with the rocking gait
Of stiff joints among the shifting throng
at one of the main railroad stations at
New Orleans He had several times ad-
vanced toward the ticket sellers window
and as often stopped short OF 1t and saun-
tered to The sunny street to hold debate
with himself emphasizing the points of
the discussions with the extended forefin-
ger of one hand upon the open palm of the
other. At length he permitted himself to
drift within the guard rail in front of the
ticket window and resting his arms upon
the ledge inquired
What's de fab to Pontchatou!a?"
Two dollars and sixty-five cents the
agent replied
He looked at the window man for a
10 the street and took up the silent debate
apparently from new standpoint, for his
niger was applied to the thumb as well
as the palm of the open hand. The ra-
tiocinating process was arrested by piece
of pantomime which indicated that ma
terial factor had been omitted, and, re-
turning to the window, he asked:
What's de roun trip to Pontchatoula
an back agin'? o.
Five dollars" snapped the agent.
Again the old man stared silently and
moved away TO the sidewalk. The con-
tention seemed to be more animated, as
it was addressed now to one finger, now
to another, and it was prolonged as the
probabilities of the case aternated be-
tween the right hand and the left. But
some progress must have been made, for
with an air of now knowing what he
wanted he again appeared at the window
and said:
What's de fab to Pontchatoula fo'
cawpse in a cofin?"
Two dollars and sixty-1ve cents"
The response was given in that tone
which discovers the contest between an
noyance and amusement The inquirer
appeared puzzled by the information and
to take it in but slowly. With bowed
head and knit brows he repaired to his
post in the sunshine 20 take counsel with
himself on this new aspect of the case.
The situation must have been complicated
and the difficulties multiplied, for there
was much shaking of the head with re-
peated telling off of the fingers of both
hands; but when the clouds lifted and the
situation settled down to five fingers of
the left hand contemplated in juXta-posi-
ton to one of the right, the venerable To-
gician rocked himself back to the window
ana with the emphasis of finality asked:
What's de roun' trip to Ponchatoula
an back again TO a cawpse in a coffin?"
Five dollars said the ticket man. no
longer able to restrain his risibles. you
don't want to take a corpse up there and
bring 1t back again. do your"
Il tell you how it is, boss" said the
old man with an air of candor and inn
portance. Il is de Mystic Patryock o.
de Fust Circle O. de Sons an Daughters
O. de Rsin' Moon. Brother Latham he was
a shinin' Mystic o. de Sister Circle o. de
Sons an Daughters at Pontchatoula. Las
fall he tux down wifi a lingerin' sickness
an sense dey couldn't git no fust class
physick an no sho' 'nough doctors up dar
de Pontchatoula Sons an Daughters sont
him down heah TO de Charity Hospital
in de kyuh o de F'ust Circle. Co'se de ply
sick wus fust class an so wus de doc
tors, but dey warnt no use, an Brother
Latham died dis mo'nin', an de Fust Cir
Gle down heah is gwine 10 bury him in de
best style O. de Risn' Moons.
DE rule O. de safety is, dat when
Mystic dieS MS circle shaR look on his
face TO he's buried. Oars nigh bout
fifty sons an daughters in the Pontcha-
toula circle, an at five dollars a head TO
de roun' trip il would cost mon a hundred
dollars TO 'em to come down heah to look
on de face o Brother Latham, an de treas
ury O. de Pontchatoula Circle Is moughty
low. SO de fust circle jest jedged it was
cheaper an best to git a roun trip tick
ct an send Brother Latham on a sour
sion to Pontchato ula an back SOS de sons
an daufhters kin look on his face up dar
an return him to de fust circle heah 70
de buryin An ii wolves on me, de Mys-
tic Patryock, to range de matter, an
I'll take lie 'scurson ticket TO Brother
Latham"
out the company's loss.
The advantage enjoyed by Indiana of
cheaD natural eas as fua1 for ,,oorufactr