Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-02
' a EiHs sa %g H'..
 "TANGIBIE E SORROW. ]"
bAS Expressed by the Mourners at the 0bsequies of a Departed
 COIOred Brother. .r

BrpthkrSJenkins had died; there he Hay in rude pine box before the altar. gThe church was crowded with sorrow- ing mourners; the men sat on the right side, and the women on the left; ban dana handkerchiefs were in evidence. There was much shifting and wailing and bowling. Brother J- was the preacher, and sat directly behind the coffin, facing the congregation. He had asked Brother Gardner, the pre- siding elder, to say few words about the dear departed. Brother Gardner arose, clearing his throat vigorourly and wiping his eyes again and again. He glanced toward the Amen corner, where sat the bereaved widow Matil- da and long row of fatherless chil-' dren. Clearing his throat again, he began in the most solemn and holy tone, relates the Boston Transcript.
 "Bredderin' an belubbed friends of the DOT departed Brudder Jinkins: We is gaddered here agin to-day to mourn de obsequies ob dis here pillar ob de church;' him was a lilly ob de valley flower ob de flock an de shepherd ob Israel; him was de best husband an ladder dat any 'oman eb- Der had; him was chile ob de Lord; him was de best man dat ebber trod de streets ob Fernandina, an we as Sembles to offer our synpa thies to- day to DOT Sister Matilda, an dem 13 bead of fatherless cEillen.'
 Howl after howl vent up; some of the visitors felt impressed with the importance of the late brother, and ilsympathized deeply with the poor sor- rowing widow, and wondered how the church would ever get along without him.
 Suddenly Brother Johnson, the preacher, interrupted him as he was about to continue his fowery praise, and, standing on tiptoes and scream ling out with all his might, called in lthunde dering tones:
 'Brudder Gardner am yo' throo'? Am yo' throo' tellin' all dem beauti- ful lies? I want yo' to know dat nig- tger am dade; him's long way past sswhar dem beautiful lies of yourn am lgwine to do him any good whatsomeb- Der, and him's a long ways past whar any trufe am gwine to hurt him, an nse gwine to tell de truf about dat ynigger! Him was the dead-beatenest lnigger Fernandina ebber seed! Him was drunk hand runnin' ebber night fo' 40 0yearss Yo' an I, Brudder Gard ,ner, ain'ts done snothin' but pull him }out ob de callaboose thousands of times (pointing to the dead); hump, yo' know, dat's de trufe, ole man, no I'sputin' wid me now; lie down dar quiet, I gay;s de Lord knows yo' would ibe drunk dis minute if de debbil didn't hab yo', or had any whisky dar you could buy. want de congregation to stop all dat snifin' round here ober dat lazy, trifiin', drunken nigger; an as fo' wastin' your sorrow ober DOT Sister Matilda an dem 13 hade ob fad derless chillen, I, me, myself fink she done made mighty good riddance of load rubbish" (with loving glance to- ward the Amen corner), ian I hope the fust young buck she'll spark will be me! An what's more. dis here nig- ger cost me money fo' dis box to bury him in; Ise out of pocket five dollars, an Ise gwine to be disembursed befo I leab de meetin'!
 "Yo'se all sayin' yo'se sorry round here; now I'se gwine to glib yo' de chance to show how sorry yo' am, sho
 'nough; come along heah ebbery last one of yo an put yo' money down in tangible sorrow an show how sorry yo' is; walk long up libely now an put yo' money down.
 Sister Polly. Ann, yo's workin' fo
 SIS a month; yo' handkerchief done say iyo's sorry lot; what yo pocketbooh 595aaaaaasasasassa.I1a saaa.Ia1sa