Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-11

was dressed IN the best garments he
possessed Tommy Randall was on
hand as general manager He was OBJ
seautous and even seemingly fawninS
to the Rev. Paul Falmouth He spoke
good naturally to Gordon and gave
everybody the impression that the
whole arrangement was OF his own
planning And in fact that night when
Gordon ran over all the incidents of
that remarkable day he almost smiled
to think that Tommy Randall had
scored triumph with Louie's funeral
as the background
The quartet sat out in the corridor,
and the minister stood in the doorway
where be could be heard by the crowd
in the ROOMS and outside. The three
rooms were damned with a promiseu-
GUS mob that was packed into every
conceivable corner and left the under
taker and Tommy Randall merely room
enough to squeeze themselves in close
up by the coffin Gordon was assigned
a place by Mrs. Caylor. Out on the
roofs that commanded a view Of the
minister and the singers motley
crowd OF children, boys, young men
and old women and babies was clus-
tered in various degrees Of more or less
noisy interest which quieted down to
an intense stiffness when the quartet
rose to sing the first selection
The singers had evidently made up
their minds to make the best Of a
very bad situa ton They were tech
nically skil1ful. and from variety
OF reasons they sang with a power
that probably astonished themselves,
The unwonted surroundings, the very
sGualer and inhuman aspect OF every
repulsive physical thing. the staring
white faces that grUw up In tenement
atmosphere until they become types
that can be fitted on to any other tene-
nent house grown person all this act
ed with definite measure Of excite
ment upon the quartet. and as mat
ter of fact Rev Paul Falmouth sale to
himself he had never heard them sing
with more expression or real feeling
on any occasion
When the song ceased, sigh went
up through the rooms. and out on the
roofs movement could be heard that
was like applause, Falmouth stood up
and began to talk. He was not at all
afraid or seemingly conscious Of his
unusual situar ton He talked OF eter-
nal life, how it began, what it was
worth how it could be distinguished
from physical life
The people understood him Mrs
CayIor who had sobbed al through
the singing. was perfectly quiet while
Falmouth talked and afrervard. when
be prayed for her and for all mothers
who had lost children
Then the quartet sang again. When
they ended, there was ulmista kable
appla use from the is The sopra no
turned red. the alto looked confused,
the tenor scowled and the bass seemed
uncerta IN whether to smile or frown-
Gordon came to the rescue by rising
and helping Mrs Caylor as she took a
last look at the poor figure in the coffin.
She shrieked and lung up her arms
until the undertaken somewhat rough
~, but, as Gordon knew afrerward
with 10 real intention Of being go
thrust the sliding cover OF the coffin
up II it's groove, covering the body
from sight Tommy Randall took one
end Of the coffin, the undertaken took
the other end and the brief procession
made its way unceremoniousIy out OF
the room and down to the wager
which was in waiting Oh Bowen street
| Falmouth went in and spoke few
words of comfort to the mother whit
/ seemed now that it was all over. tt
| have resigned herself to her usual apa
thy When the minister came out. Cor
| don and the singers were grouped to
gether watching the crowd dispers,
! from the roofs and back staircases, g
as to get out on the street and see th'
coffin loaded into the wagon
This is horribIe-horrible. Let Us &c
out es soon as possibIe:' the sopran,
murnured- She was holding fin
scented handkerchief to her face. Tn
smoke from the chimneys Of the hous
below was drifting in heavy nasse
up through the corridor and into th
rooms of all the apartments that open
ed on it as the only outlet
First time ever heard applause a
a funeral the tenor mutcered, speak
ing partly to Gordon Gordon looked a
the singer quietly and simply said
How many Of the people ever hear
first class music: Did you ever thin
there is more than one kind Of bur
gg:"
They all went down the stairway tt
gether, as they had come Up, Gordo
as before leading the way. Going dow
the alto said: But this is simply awfu
How can human beings live in sue
placesv
They don't live" Gordon said. e,
actly as he had said to Mr.. Marsh ''B
careful of that step The stairs are ul
. usually clean today I think Mr. Raj
dali is responsible for that I never 81
the corridor so clean as it was today
i Clean the soprano gasped- I sha
J never be able to wear this dress again
, I ~ no ~ r