Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1905-10-27

by any means possible to separate the
identity of the one from the other?"
He came in sight of the church,
which was not far from the station.
Arriving at the porch, the foremost of
the party discovered that the door
was locked. Here was a sudden check
and they began to consult together as
to where the key might be found.
AS they did so, window of one OF
the little cottages opposite the church
was thrown up, and an old man, in a
quaint, old fashioned nightcap, stuck
his head out.
81 be a-comin'." he cried; I'VE must
jest bide bit. and III be with 'ee."
This was evidently the clerk or sex
ton; at any rate, he was the individual
required, and there was nothing to
do but to ''bide," as he had desired
them.
At last the churchyard gate clicked,
and a shriveled, bent figure made its
appearance, dangling a bunch Of great
keys in one hand. He threw the great
door open with a clang, and the people
entered the church. 1t was very dark
inside. The windows were most of
them of colored glass and high up, and
the old fashioned pews and the thick
squat columns which supported the
roof seemed to swallow up what little
light there was.
They've put 'em all inside the chan
eel rails" said the old man, who had
constituted himself a sort Of ghoulish
master of the ceremonies.
No one seemed to care to be the
first to approach that part of the holy
edifice.
At last Ted Burritt, with grim
determination, approached the railing.
Inside, the bodies, or what had once
been bodies, were disposed in two
rows.
Those on the right hand lay in cot
fms which had been hastily gathered
from all parts of the neighborhood;
those Oh the left were mere groups
of ashes collected together on pieces
of tarpaulin.
Ted Burritt began at the right-hand
side. The other people followed his
example, and the old clerk acted as
cicerone.
This 'un," he said, indicating the
terrible contents of one coffin, lis sup
posed to a-bin a young female, as
they found thimble and bit Of a
dress among the ashes. Thimble 'ad
the name O. Lizzie scratched on it.
A man who was craning his neck
over Ted Burritt's shoulder gave a |
sharp cry: That's my s,rll That's |
my Lizziel And her mother waiting |
for her at home, and won't believe as
anything can have happened to her
Oh, Lord" and he broke out into wild
outcries.
Some of the others, forgetful OF
their own concerns for a moment, |
gathered round him and made an at
tempt at consolation.
cat least you know which she is
that ought to be little comfort to
you"
But l thought she might have been
saved. She was such good girl
and look at her thereI" and he gestic-
ulated towards the open coffin.
~ can't stand much more of this,
murmured Ted Burritt, as he wiped
the great drops of perspiration from
his forehead.
They left the bereaved parent moan
ing over his child's remains and again
passed on. The next three collins
we're examined, shuddered at and left
The mutilated corpses which they con.
tanned possessed neither head, feet
nor hands. They could never have
been taken for anything human had
not the fact been established beyond
all doubt. Was either of those his
There only remained one or two
more belonging to that row, and they,
too, were unacceptable. After that
nothing was left but the poor heaps OF
ashes on the other side.
This is all, ladies and gentlemen"
said the old man, with sort of char
lel-house cheerfulness, sides one
more in the vestry, as was put there
n consequents of bein' very little
damaged, cept about the legs; and
)asson did say as | was to show i'm
lust, though bein' easy recognized
But my pore old eds bin all of
umble since tn accident, and / clean
orgot i'm But anybody as likes can
est step into the vestry and see i'm
or themselves. They've laid i'm out
IN the table, through bein' of hextry
ize, and runnin short o. collins. 'E
vas found buried under a lot o. rub
idge, and they 'ad deal O. trouble to
it i'm out"
There was a general rush in that
Erection on the part of all those who