The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-15

nance. / fancIed that the expression Of
pride which would occasionally make
Itself evident was by far the deepest
feeling; for surely never had grief like
this fallen to the lot Of woman! The
loss of the corpse was such an unusual
sorrow, and to the emotional negro
what could be more delightful than the
prospective hunt"
J Iwatched Harriet go slowly down the
street; the recently acquired trapplngs
Of woe futtering dIsmally.
1t was late in the next afternoon
when Harriet returned. Her face wore
an almost triumphant expression Of
gloom; her extensive person in Its
black garments was positively awe-In-
splriug; the veil. and the gloves, the
fingers of which were an inch too long,
added still more to her dreary appear
ance. Yet, there was a something
which made me feel that the occasion
had not been one altogether given up
to anguish.
Miss sally"-the glove being neatly
folded in HnrrIets cRpacious lap
Miss Sally, you oughter seen de coffin.
When we found dat corpse down at de
Union de-po We jrs' got US hack en-
driv ter de ondertaker's, and obligated
him ter git us de orpse up ter We alls
house es soon as he could. Den we
cleaned up de house, en- cooked some
pies en- pound cake. en- sont Jlnny's boy
Tom round ter tell de fo!kses bout de
funeral en- de special 'llvrunce corpse.
/ clare TO de Lord, Miss Sally, you
ain't nsver seer such handsome cas-
kit es dem Mary Magazines done give
dat ole cretur! Moss velvit, en- de
shiningest handles. en- things! But
you think dat awdacIous Washington
undertake. amt gone en- nail hit up so
we can't git III en- see how de corpse
look? Well. foikses commence ter
come, en- dey all want ter look en- see
de daid. en- We amt got nOthIr' ter
show UNI!
'Presney, see some on UNI iafIin'
ter themselves, so 1 say ter Jimmy, Dat
coffin Eotter to. be got open ef has ter
chop hlt!' En- Jimmy, she rays, Yes
yonder's dat black. bIg-mouthed Mar
thy Ann JacksInE done ct 70 pieces Of
pie, en- Just hearn her say she 'spects
de corpse is mighty ugly, en- mebbe 1t
nint got no shroud Dat settle hit! We
took de white doves en- de sheuf OF
whea! ofIen de coffin. an sent for Mr.,
Johnsing. de Undertaken, en- he onscrew-
cd de lid. ain't tellin' you no story,
Miss Sally; dat elegInt coffin had glass,
shore nun glass, over de face Cose,
jimmy an me, we bust out cryin' en-
hollerln'; but befo' l done 1t, Just
looked at Marthy Ann Jacksing, en- she
was shorely swumped UP! cose amt
no nlggers round here had no winder
panes In dey collins! De Lord knows
twas cerney n pity ole Aunt Charity
couldn't a seen dat coffin. kase she
would certncy been proud OF 1t, en-
her society members what done got It
for her Well, we alls had nice, we'll
behaved funeral, too. kinder peeped
through my veil en- see how solemn all
dem hacks looked. Everybody what
lived in our neighborhoods was look
In out de wlnders: en- a whole pack OF
chlllen was crowdin' roun' de gate fer
to see the mourncrs a come out.
The gloves were now neatly folded,
and clasping her hands in her lap. her
head swayIng gently to and fro, Har-
rIet continued:
miss Sally, we alls had twenty-one
hacks, on a brIcked-up grave. where
can't no skip-doctors, nor moths. nor
rust, nor nothln' git into IT. De hearse
horses was whlte-but. Lord, honey, /
reckon you is tired hearIn' me talk
dIs-a-way; lemme go git my apron en-
do my cookinI But I amt tole yQn
nothin' bout de society members. Well,
1 is bleeged ter speak dem few mo-
words. All OF we alls members. Jlnnys
on my societies. de True Performers
en- de 'FishermRns dcy come wearin
OF sweet mournin' badgers Cbadges) in
dey hats; den day had long black rib
bons a-tIcd round dey wrIstscs, which
looked mighty sad A-ilyin dIs.er-way
en- dat-er-way. Miss Sally, dem mem
bers certncy did like dem ribbons; dey
act like dey got de haldaohe. a-puttln'
up dcy hands fer ter make dem ribbons
nyr'
Harriet renched for the poker. knew
her story was nearly ended.
I'VE is satisfied wild de funeral, Jimmy
en- the. Miss Sally" Inserting the end
OF the poker between the bars. "who
do you reckon Is a.goln' ter sit de
shoancc what dc Mary Magazines
owes Charity? She done bclongst ter
dat society fer nigh bout forty year.
But, you know, Is mighty feared
giving the fire vigorous punch--"dcy
done put all de money in de coffin"
BUILDS up tho system; puts pure,
rich blood In the veins. makes men and