The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1903-11-25
Negro Funeral Service in Florida

Ihe Boston Transcript thus des
cribes negro funeral in Fernan
dina. Florida:
Brother Jenkins had died; ;ther'
he lay in a rude pine box before th'
alter. The church was crowded
with sorrowing mourners; the msr
sat on the right side .and the won,
en- on the left; bandanna handker
chiefs ware in evidence There wal
much emitting and wailing and
bowling. Brother j was the prenct
er, and sat directly behind the oof-
| fin. facing the congregation. He
had asked Brother Gardner, the
presiding elder, to say few words
about the dear departed. Bro
Gardner arose, clearing his throat
| vigorously and wiping his eyes
again and again. He glanced tow,
ard the amen corner where sat the
bsreaved widow Matilda and long
row of fatherless children. Clear
ing his throat again. he began, in
the most solemn and holy tone:
"Breddern an beInbbed friends
of the po' departed Brudder Jen-
kins: We is gadeered here again
today to mourn the obsequies of
dis here pillar OBJ de churoh; him
was lily OBJ de valley flower oh
de fiock,' an de shepherd OBJ Israel; /;
him was de best husband an fad
der dat any 'oo-man ebber had, him
was de best man dat ebber trod de
streets OBJ Fernandina an we as
sembIes to offer our sympathies to.
day to p'or Sister Matilda an dem
thirteen hade OBJ fatherless chill.
un."
Howl after howl went up, some
of the visitors felt impressed with
the importance of the late brother,
and sympathized deeply with the
poor sorrowing widow, and wond-
cred how the, church would ever
get along without him.
Suddenly Brother johnson, the
preacher, Interrupted him as he,
was about to continue his fiowery
praise, and. standing on tiptoes and
screaming out with all his might,
called in laundering tones:
"Brudder Gardner, am yo' throoP
Am yo' throo tellin' all de beauti-
full lies? 1 want yo' to know dat
niger am dade; him's long way
past whar dem beautiful lies OBJ
yourn am gwine to do him any
good what somebber, an him's
long ways pas whar my trufe am a
gwine to hurt him, an Ise gwine
to tell de truf about dat niggerI
Him was the dead beatenest mig
ger Fernandina ebber seed! Him
was drunk hand runnin' ebber
night TO forty years. Yo' an 1,
Brudder Gardner, amt done MOTH
in but pull him out OBJ de calla-
boose thousands of times" (point-
ing to the dead;) "hump, yo' know
dat's de trufe, old man; no 'spufin'
wild me now; lie down dar quiet
now Il say; de Lord knows yo'
would be drunk dis minute if de
debbil didn't hsb yo' or had whisk-
ey dar yo' could buy. 1 want the
congregation to stop dat sniffin'
round here ober dat lazy, trifin'
drunken niger; an as fo' wastin'
your sorrow ober po'r sister Matil.
da an dem thirteen hade of fadder-
less chillun, 1, me. myself fink she
don made mighty good riddanoe of
bad rubbish" with loving glance
toward the amen corner, "an 1
hope the first young buck she'll
spark will be mel An what's more,
dis here niger cost me money fo'
dis box to bury him in; Use out OBJ
pocket So. an Use gwine to be dis
imbursed befo' 1 leab de meetingl
Yo'se all sayin, 20 ,se sorry round
here; now Use gwine to glib yo'de
chance to show how sorry yo' am
sho 'nough; come along heah eb-
berry one OBJ yo' an put 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' $15 a month; yo' handkerchief
done say yo's sorry lot; what yo'
pocketbook t'ink about it?
How sorry is yo' Sister PoilyP"
Sister Polly tucked away her
handkerchief, and sailing mp the
aisle. plaintively said, Use sorry
i fo, hits - and Laid da,-,, IN S-.