Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-11-26


60. but when the pallbcarers and
strpamcr5 Of Grape this was voted by
the majority as too gay That cir
cumstance alone was sufficient to rem
der that funeral famous, but it was re-
membered, too, as having shocked tho
propricties in another and more serious
manner No one would be so narrow
minded as to object to the custom of
the return procession falling into n
series Of horse races of the widest de-
scription and ending up at Latour's in
n general riot. But to race with the
corpse was considered bad form The
corpse driver" as he was called. could
hardly be blamed on this occasion.
His acknowledged place was at the
head of the procession, and it was
be retained. The fault lay clearly with
the driver of the y l. ranch sleigh,
containing the mourners IAN innova-
ton, by the way who felt aggrieved
that Hi Kendall, driving the Ashley
team with the pallbearers another
innovations. should I've given tina place
Of honor next the corpse.
The X J. driver wanted TO know
what. in the name OF all that was black
ana blue. the Ashley ranch had TO do
with the funcral? Whose was that
corpse. anyway? Didn't it belong TO the
\ l. ranch? III, on the other hand,
contendcd that the corpse was in
charge of the palibearers It was
/ their duty to soc it right to the grave,
and II they were not on hand how was
it goin to get there? They didn't eX-
poet that it would Git up and get there
! by itself did they! Iii didn't want 10
BANKED mourners foolin round that
corp till it WAS properly planted; after
that they might git in their work.
But the y |. driver could not accept
this view. and at the first opportunity
slipped past Hi and his pallbearers
and took the place next the sleigh that
carried the coffin. It is possible that Iii
might have borne with this afiront and
| loss of position with even mind. but
the iecrinG remarks Of the lnournors as
they slid past triunphantly could not
be endured, amt the next moment the
three teams We're abreast in a race as
for dear life. The corpse driver, hav-
ing the advantage OF the beaten track,
soon left the other two behind running
neck and neck for second place. which
was captured finally by Hi AND main
tained to the grave side in spite Of
many attempts on the part of the y l.
The whole proceeding however. was
considered quite improper, ana at La
tours that night. after full and bibu-
louS discussion, it was agreed that the
corpse driver fairly distributed the
blame. For his part. he said, he knew
lie hadn't onght to make no corr
git any such move on, hut he wasn't
gon' to see that there corp take second
place at his own funeral. Not If he
could help it. And as for the others, be
BANKED sight more to do with the
lplantin than them glddy mourners
But when they gathered at the Mere
6th ranch to carry out the Pilot to his
grave it was felt that the foothill corn
try was called to new experience
They We're all here-the IN from
the Porcupine and from beyond The
Fort, the police with the inspector in
command. all the farmers for twenty
miles around, and Of course all the
ranchers and cowboys of the SW3,r
Creek country. There was no effort II
repression. There was no need for il
the cowboys for the first time IN thcil
experience there was no heart Tor fun
And as they rode up and hjtched theii
horses 10 the fence or drove their
sleighs into the yard and rock OF me
bells there was no loud voiced Saluta
ton, no guying nor chatting. but witt
silent nod they took their places in III,
crowd about the door or passed into
the Kitchen.
The men from the POroUpne NOulC
not quite understand the gloomy 81
lcnce. 1t was something ulpre"rdcnt
"a in a country where men laughed al
care to scorn and salNted death witt
a nod, But they were quick to reac
signs. and, with characteristic courtesy
they fell in with the mood they coulC
not understand. There il no man lv
INK 50 duItN W lSti NNuI lI'ON NUl 80
ready to adapt himself 10 il as is the
true W"Stcrnsr.
This vas he day of the cowboys
grief. To the rest of the community
the Pilot was preacher 10 them he ws.
comradc and friend. They had beer
slow 10 admit him 70 their confidence
bat steadily he had won his place viii
them till within the last few months
they had. come to count him as 81
themselves lie had ridden The range
with them. he had slept in their shack,
and cooked his meals on their ~
stoves, and, besides, he was Rill':
chum. That alone was enough to civ,
him a right TO all they owned He was
theirs, and they were only beginning i,
take full pride in him when he passeC
out from thcm leaving an emptiness il
thcir life new and unexplained.
No man i'm that country had eve,
shown concern for them, nor had ii oc
Cured TO them that any man could Ill
the Pilot came. 1t took them long t,
believe that the interest he showed II
them was genuine and not simply pro
foSSional 1hcu too from preacher
they had expected chiefly pity, warn
Ing. icbul,e. The Pilot aston shed then
by giving them respect, admiration anC
open hearted affection. 1t was montl'
before they could get over their SuS
DiciOn that ne was Hmm bucpiDr them