The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-25
A Lugubriious
Race
BY ALAN HINSDALE

~ C05Ao~0 hAAA " uLlIlS dsSihlaLS,
ana from the hearse an oblong box /
was removed and carried on to the
boat During the transit one OF the
men careiessly let 20 his hold, aud the |
box came very near falling to thu |
ground.
he mourner groaned DO be care |
fui. he SAID. THAT box contains the |
remains OF ny dear wife She died a
few days ago in Brussels. and am
taxing her body to my home In Har.
wich. across the channel. to give it
sepuiture'
Sorry, sir. that lort my hold"
replied the porter. evidently affected
~ he mourner's deep grief II won't
do it again.
The mourner raised Ills handkerchief
to his eyes % dry lie tears that had
started 1T tie Jogging 81 the dear re-
MAINS ana .oiiowed the bearers on TO
the lQaG, where he begged them to
put down the boX gently They all
seemed impressed by the exhibition of
/ grief. ana when the lex touched the
4 deck not a sound was to lie heard.
/ WipinG lis eyes with one hand. with
the other he mourner gave each one
| OF them hail Il crown. ana they dis
/ lersed walking away With soft tread
as il fearing 70 wound him by unseen
\ Nv noise.
When the boat reached TIarwich
] customs officer came aboard. The
mourner stepped up to him and, with
. trembling voice ana difficulty in re-
pressing mis- tears. said to him:
My friend, ! must ask Your indui-
gence for one in trouble. That box
contains The body of my beloved wife,
VINO died abroad. | beg of you to see
that l am spared any delay or diff
Guilty in receiving n permit to remove
It The circumstances Of my wife's
death were extremely distressing. She
died Of a fever after a long and pain
ful Illness Everything was done for
her
An right. sir" replied the official.
III see that you're put TO no trouble
sir
| He put the customs mark on the box
! The mourner. sitting his tears. slipped
! 4 sovereign into his hand and. turn
ing 10 some deckhands. asked them Il
! carry the box on to the dock. AS TIT
melancholy procession was passing
over the gangpiank a man stood OF
the dock scrutinizing those who CAM
ashore. The mourner while passinl
him put his handkerchief to his fac
and sobbed.
HI A hearse stood near-it had evident
iy been spoken for-snd the box wa
duly committed to it. The mourne
entered carriage. and the two We
hicles were driven away
They had scarcely started when tn
man who had stood by the gangpan
| entered another carriage and told tn
driver to follow them. Slowly til
! funeral cortege passed through ID
n town and took a road leading to
| cemetery. The mourner SO far forge
| his grief to turn and look through tn
= glass In the back Of the carriage an
: saw another carriage not far behint
Presently the funeral vehicles turne
out of the main road. The mournt
\ looked again and saw that the carriag
N behind also turned Lowering a vii
dow. he said quickly:
Jim. we're gone up!'
II What makes you think soY aske
The driver.
1T saw Scotland Yard man by tn
gangway watching for us. He Is
that carriage back there
\ Suppose we race him?'
In another moment the melanchoI
trot OF funeral procession wa
changed TO gallop. AS soon as II
4 new gait was begun the carriage in II
rear also made a change. On wei
the hearse: on went the carriage col
tanning the mourner. and on went Il
ane containing the detective. Seeing
funeral nartv galloping over II
Ground persons along the road stoppt
and gapcd Then when the rear ca
riape nassed, scattering dust and OH
r. ,vns evident that here was race
progress
Presently me hearse reached a cem
forv The gate was open and Il
driver turned in shouting 10 sever
7ersons standing about to GET OUT
ne way. The avenues of the inciosu
we're tortuous and well adapted
III leaving pursuer In the lurch MI
q making number OF turns on "
f wheels, the driver Of the hearse $40
nod before vault the door Of whl'
stood open the nourner's carrial
III came up. the two drivers withdrew u
III nox and hurried il into the vault. The
III rhe rnourner remained with 1t. wnl
the two drivers drove on. The monr
or listened. In few minutes he hea
carriage 90 by lickety split witho
stopping.
iii "All right. monsieur" he called
,be corpse u his wife. We've won
iii For heavens sake, get me out
,htsr' said the other IN a mascuit
III voice and broken French. This 10
III ing has nearly ldlled me.
III The mourner produced Q screwor
i - ha bnX