The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-09
By MYRA PAGE.

(CoRtnued.)
a NNIE read ''True Stories" and liked to go
IAto Square dances and Socas. "But Frank
jes' likes to sit home n talk" she complained.
N I hev to hide my magazines from him, else
he burns 'em up. He thinks they're evil. But
they're no harm. It's all true"
was curious to learn more of the funeral
directors party.
There were two undertakers in Greenville
who were competing for the mill villagers
trade. The trade was worth competing for, as
the death-rate almost kept pace with the soar
ing birth-rate; and funerals were important oc-
casions among mill folk. One of the hearse-
boomers had conceived of the novel--to me at
least-idea of giving a party to each village,
at his funeral parlors. Big trucks had come to
collect the workers and carry them to the
rooms. First, they had been received in the
parlors with their green palms and display of
coffins Each worker, so Maggie told US,
picked out the coffin he would like to be buried
in and dreamed of service over him in this
swell room when for once he'd be some
body" Then they went into the undertaker's
house itself, and his wife twas real nice and
frendly-like." (The trade evidently worth
concessionsD They played the radio and served
ice cream and cake.
"My, how l would like to be laid away in that
coffin with pink satin lining. And with that
swell pink robe. Jes once, to wear satin!',
Annie sighed. Then, with a change of tone,
Frank remember what I'm saying"
"Uh-huh," Frank answered. "Say, I chose
that same pink-lned coffin myself. Gee, it'd
be SWELL"
Conversation became eager and SOFT all
speaking up but Tom and Maggie as to what
they had chosen to be laid away in. Evidently
the undertakers party had been a real success
AS soul-uplifting the revivals. Everything
made way in the villages for the revivals, which
came regularly three time year. Everything
but the mill At nights when one was going
on, you could hear the walls and halelujahs
mingling with its rhythmic growls.
Finally Maggie turned to me and said: "Well,
somehow | doan take stock in sech doins.
Looks like US mill workers thinks too much of
death and what comes after"
"Everybody's takin insurance. I guess you
noticed it ?" | nodded. | had. Five or ten cents
a week on ever man, woman and child. Go
without, but don't fail to have that insurance
money when the collector knocks at your door,
They took out policies on babies still in arms,
and it proved good business. So many of them
died. Nobody seemed to know how to cut down
on the yearly crop of babies, though some tried
nursing their kids until they were two three
years old, the idea being that nursing woman
can't be made pregnant. Others tried cruder
but no more successful methods. Some quoted
the Bible to show that such yearly increase
was Goods WILL but | noticed that many of
the women shut their mouths tight when the
subject came up and shook their heads.
well" Maggie continued" partly they takes
it out for sickness rainy day, but mostly
it's to have fine funeral. To be laid away in
fine coffin n fine dress n be somebody
fer once WE'LL" she looked around defiantly,"
I'd ruther her mine while I'm alive"
Mrs. Crenshaw nodded. money should go
to tn living n not be put away under ground.
"You sed it, Nom. But it'd be mighty nice"
and Doris smoothed her crumpled pink dress.
1t was now past bed time, but everybody
was too excited for sleep. Parties rare.
And such party! Anyway this was Friday,
and only five hours work tomorrow
"Lets sing some hymns" Annie looked about
appealingly. you'll play em, Bill?"
Bill agreed, so Mrs. Crenshaw rose and I'M
locked the door to the sacred room, the parlor