The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-04-13
Copyright. 1883. by Herbert 8. stone & Co.
CHAPTER V..-CoNr1N1TEp.

CHAPTER V..-CoNT1NUED.
'"This is the snakeskin of money be-
longing to Peggy that he told me
about Lincoln said to Antywine. "He
must have taken it out of it's hiding
place before he started to find Dick
Yates. What shall we do with it?"
"Put it on, Sieur Abe, to wear for
her, as Shickshack did"
"They say snakeskin in the hat is
good for the headache; but l don't
think l could bear it rubbing against
my naked hide. This belt is nearer
your size, Antywine."
"Me, am boy, Sieur Abe. Shicl-
shack put his trust in you. He tell
you am a squaw!"
Il reckon he changed his opinion.
He only struck out to find Dick be-
cause we were away. But you're a
little nearer than nearest of kin to
Peggy, SO if you say I'm to undertake
the thing, I'll try it. And if Mothe r
Eve is too strong in me to stand the
snake next to me I'll manage it some
other way"
Lincoln and Antywine also helped
the cooper make Shickshack's coffin,
for neighbor was then obliged to de-
pend upon neighbor for such service.
No fee was ever charged, though if
one was offered it had to be accepted.
RNigion did little to soften the grim
ness of death in those early days. The
unpaNhted 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 intrenehment, whence he
sould laun:h warnings on the I'M
certainty of life. His father, called old
Daddy Cameron, tremulous and
toothless creature, who encountered age
as a disease rather than 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 we'll as men
from Clary's Grove, crowded the
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
you would not think butter could melt
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 Shickshack's 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 muffled from the snow in
blanket, carrying a basket on her
arm. The crowded assembly opened
to let her pass. She set her basket
down, and with 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 YET"
Solemn-featured neighbors relaxed
In countenance and looked sidelong at
one another. They watched Sally lay
of the blanket and take from her
basket rusty mourning shawl, black
bonnet and Grape veil. In this regalia,
kept for her husbands funerals, she
dressed herself publicly. and. having
completed her preparations, sat down,
heaying deep sigh. The sight of her
beard under Widows weeds SO affect
ed one Of the Grove boys that he dis
graced himself by an audible snort.
He did not mind disturbing meeting,
but funeral was different; and he
whispered apologetically to the man
beside him: II 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
sould shovel Snow and help dig grave