The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-08-22
A Lugubriious
Race.
BY ALAN HIINsDAE

the channel boat nj Calais. followed
by carriage. out of which stepped I
man of somber countenance, dressed
In funeral black. Summoning a porter
he engaged him TO bring assistants
and from the hearse an oblong hos
was removed and carried on TO the
boat During the transit one Of the
men carelessly let go his hold. and the
box came very near falling TO the
ground.
The mourner groaned. do be care
full" he said That box contains the
remains OF my dear wife. She died a
few days ago In Brussels, and ] am
taking her body TO my home In Har-
witch, across the channel, to give It
sepulture."
Sorry. SIR. that lost my hold
replied the porter. evidently affected
by the mourner's deep grief. II won't
do 1t again"
The mourner raised his handkerchief
to his eyes to dry the tears that had
started at the jogging Of the dear re
mains and followed the bearers ON to
the boat, where he begged them to
put down the box gently. They all
seemed impressed by the exhibition of
grief, and when the box touched the
deck not sound was to be heard
Wiping his eyes with one hand, with
the other the mourner gave each one
OF them half a crown, and they dis
persed, walking away with soft tread
as IL fearing TO wound him by unseen
ly noise.
When the boat reached Harwich a
customs officer came aboard. The
mourner stepped up to him and, with
trembling voice and difficulty in re-
pressing bis tears, said to him:
MY friend, / must ask your indul-
gence for one In trouble. That box
contains the body of my beloved wife,
who died abroad. 1 beg of you to see
that l am spared any delay or diff
Guilty IN receiving a permit TO remove
1t. The circumstances OF my wifes
death were extremely distressing. She
died Of a fever after a long and pain |
full illness. Everything was done for
her,
IAN right. sir replied the official. |
TN see that you're put to no trouble,
sir"
He put the customs mark on the box.
The mourner, sitting his tears, slipped
a sovereign into his hand and, turn
ing to some deckhands, asked them to
carry the box on to the dock. As the
procession was passing
over the gangplank a man stood on
the dock scrutinizing those who came
ashore. The mourner while passing
him put his handkerchief to his face
and sobbed.
A hearse stood near--it had evident
" been spoken for--aud the box was
July committed TO 1t. The mourner
entered carriage, and the two We
1icles were driven away
They had scarcely started when the
nan who had stood by the gangplank
entered another carriage and told the
iriver to follow them. Slowly the
uneral cortege passed through the
own and took a road leading to a
cemetery. The mourner so far forgot
IFS grief TO turn and look through the
,lass in the back OF the carriage and
aw another carriage not far behind.
the funeral vehicles turned
nut Of the main road. The mourner
ooked again and saw that the carriage
ehind also turned. Lowering win {
ow, he said quickly:
Jim, we're gone up" 4
What makes you think soT asked I
he driver
II saw a Scotland Yard man by the
anyway watching for us. He is In
hat carriage back there" !,
Suppose we race him." ;.
In another moment the melancholy !,
-ot Of a funeral procession was !,
hanged to a gallop. As soon as the !.
ew gait was begun the carriage In the 6
ear also made change. On went
le hearse: on went the carriage con-
lining the mourner, and on went the
ne containing the detective. Seeing a :,
neral party galloping over the r
round, persons along the road stopped =,
i'd gaped. Then when the rear car :,
age passed. scattering dust and dirt
was evident that there was race In
'ogress.
Presently the hearse reached GENE
Try. The gate was open and the u
liver turned in, shouting to several
srsons standing about to get out Of ii
e way. The avenues Of the Enclosure
ere tortuous and well adapted to
aving a pursuer in the lurch. After OK
a king n number of turns on two ST