The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-10-22

Lincoln and Antywine also helped
the cooper make Shickshack's coffin,
for neighbor was then obliged to de-
No fee was ever charged, though If
one was offered it had to be accepted.
Religion did little to soften the grim
ness of death in those early days. The
implanted coffin stood on two chairs
in the largest room Of the tavern, and
Mahala Cameron's father, hymn book
in hand, placed himself behind it as
behind an intrenchment. whence he
could launch warnings on the I'M
certainty of life. His father called old
Daddy Cameron, a tremulous and
toothless creature, who encountered age
as a disease rather than a transition,
sat by, signing, as if to illustrate the
unpleasantness of life's certainty.
Such funeral rites as New Salem
afforded were held In the early fore
noon, because snow continued to fall,
and seven miles of drift had to be cut
through to Concord burying ground.
The entire population, as well as men
tavern. People stared when Don Pedro
Lorimer came in with Redmond
Clary, richly and warmly dressed, as if
he had not found it Improbable to
plead the annexation of Cuba. His
shining black hair and olive face had
placid, worldly look. One hard-work-
ing woman whispered to another that
;,,lr I,,,, IA
in his mouth, and he appeared the
last man to rob an orphan or to run
her off with him against her will.
Peggy saw him through her tears
with Indignation. She sat beside Anty-
wine on one of three chairs which Ann
Rutledge had placed at the head OF
the coffin for Shickshacks family. But
the third chair remained vacant until
the preacher stood in embarrassment,
undecided whether or not to raise a
hymn while all the mourners gathered.
Shickshack's widow finally entered
the tavern muffied from the snow in
a blanket, carrying a basket on her
arm. The crowded assembly opened
to let her pass. She set her basket
down, and with a vicious pounce took
Antywine and Peggy by the ear. Anty-
wine visibly restrained himself and
walked unresisting with Peggy to the
foot of the coffin. Sally showed the
chairs after them. and returned to her
own place as chief mourner
This isn't your funeral" the be-
reaved woman explained sourly to
them. He wasn't no kin to either
of vel"
Solemn-featured neighbors relaxed
in countenance and looked sidelong at
one another They watched Sally lay
off the blanket and take from her
basket a rusty mourning shawl, a black
bonnet and Grape veil. In this regalia,
kept for her husbands funerals, she
dressed herself publicly, and. having
completed her preparations, sat down,
heaving deep sigh. The sight of her
beard under widows weeds SO affect
ed one CT the Grove boys that he dis
graced himself by an audible snort.
He did not mind disturbing meeting,
but a funeral was different; and he
whispered alphabetically to the man
beside him: Il bet God laughed when
He made that woman"
Candles were lighted in the tavern
before the masculine population of
New Salem-for only those went who
could shovel snow and help dig grave
returned from burying Shickshack.
A river of icy air flowing out of the
northwest had by that time cleared
the storm away. Peggy and Anty-
wine were to spend the second night
of their peculiar Orphanage at the Rut-
lodges, in order to settle the business
Of PeSgy's own Inheritance, which
Shickshack had silently passed on to
his successors.
They sat down with Lincoln and Ann
Rutledge in the best room, and he put
the rattlesnake skin before them on
a table. Peggy looked at it curiously,
having never before seen her fortune,
or the case which held it. The spots
described by scales made her shudder
Ann also saw 1t with aversion, and
wondered why Shickshack preferred
that to a strong piece of bucksiin.
"A rattlesnake," said Lincoln, when
you get over the first shock of intro
duction to him, is a mighty pretty fell
low. See his combine Of colors, He
has lost his first freshness and his
rattles, trying to bruise the tough hide
of mankind. But | doubt If he ever
stung nybody; he wouldn't unless he
was crowded"
Through an open door the tavern
kitchen displayed a roaring hearth
where the Dutch oven, with Goals on
its head and beneath its feet, held a
Joint of venison A coffee pot, standing
on a triyet over embers, sent perfume
abroad. Johnnycakes of parched corn
ground In the hand mill were browning
on boards slanted toward the fire
the best bread that ever was e't,"
testihes a surviving New Salemite
Hominy kissing in pork fat sent its
song through the room, while the
younger Rutledge girls helped their
mother bring 10 the table cold turkey,
cream and butter, fruits preserved In
mamie SyruD and honey fOunl In the