Year: 1861

NSls


A circumstance has recently occurred
in this city which is not only strongly IL
Illustrative of the zeal of the Rebel ennis
saries in carrying out their objects, but
also of the necessity of greater caution
in the disposal of articles which, in their
nature and uses, are more directly con-
traband of war than any others. The
facts are all vouched for.


The senior of the firm of John Peak
& Son, undertakers, 146 Friend street,
was called upon few days ago by a la
dy who had all the externals Of deep
mourning, even including that touching
tearfulness which speaks the riven heart
and calls up sympathy so largely for the
bercaved. As she looked around with
dewy eyes upon the necessary but very
suggestive paraphernaia Of the grave.
her grief almost overeame her, eighs and
sobs volumed themselves forth from her
torn heart; and it was only through a
Nicobean food Of the briny' as Dick
Swivellcr's classics has it-that she man
aged to inform Mr.. Peak that her son
the one lamb of her fold (which, by the
way was on the soil of sinful Secessia)
who was student at Harvard, had died
and that she desired to carry home his
precious dust to mingle it with that of
his progenisors. Choking with sobs she
asked: DO you think, sir, that l would
be allowed to pass the blockade with the
body of my dcar'CharlieY


Mr.. Peak assured the lady that sach
mission as hers could not but be respect
ed: that dead bodies were not in any
sense contraband Of war (among civili-
zed people at least;) and that, to the end
that no trouble could ensue to the lady,
and that no needless detention should be
made of the body, he added that he could
so arrange matters that the body could
be made visible in a minute.


Alas this necessary visibility was the
very thing which grated on the already
narrowed feelings of the Southern ma
tron. Her beloved Charlie should not
be spectacle for the prying gaze of Yam
kee eyes; oh, no. The very thought of
such a thing was uncomfortable and a
fresh flood of tears from the well of her
affection was poured out.


But the casket must be had wherein
the body of the defunct Charlie should
be sent home; and the solicitude on that
score-like the act of making choice of
mourning--dried up her tears at once,
Nay, the business-like style in which
she went to work in this respect was
quite as remarkable as the sudden ces-
sation of her grief She examined all
kinds of cases end caskets. Her object
was to have something which could be
as it were, hermetieally sealed against
inquisitiveness of oil descriptions Off
GERS of blockading ships in particular;
for you know she said, the idea of
every body being at liberty to invade tho
precious dust of my dear boy with their
impertinent inquisitiveness is quite in
tolerable, Mr.. Peak. Oh, it would kill
me to have 1t so; l could not possibly
survive it; it would be SO cruel-so rude
so unnatural.


Another idea seemed to be impressed
upon her mind, and that was one inclu-
ding the imposibility of exposing the
corpse without absolutely breaking open
the caskct Of course nobody would be
so rude and unmanly-'so brutal'-thc
fair mourner said, supcrlatively speak
ing, as to proceed to any such step. were
she to assure all interested that the cas-
ket contained the body of her dear de-
funct Charlie, and nothing else. AS
this idea was mooted, Mr.. Peak, who
had begun to suspect something wrong,
became very suspicious, He replied to
inquiries relative to the weight Of an
iron casket. which replies did not seem
to please his interrogation, who, unqueS-
,ionably havig discovered that she was
suspected, suddenly left the shop, say
ing that she would call again, almost im-
mediately.


Very shortly after her departure q
police officer came into Mr.. Peaks shop
and made anxious inquiries after the Ia
dy. She had been doing an extensive
business in the way of buying percuss-
ion caps, all around town, for a day or
two before, and no doubt their convey
ance South was the pbject o: much ear
nest solicitude with her. The coffin
scheme was designed to carry out this
object.


1t is needless to say that finding in
quiries had been made for her at her ho-
tel BY the police, and that her scheme
had been blown in part, she did not
revisit Mr.. Peak, as she had promised.
A person very like the afflicted Southern
matron--bnt by no means dressed in
anything like mourning--was seen tl
take the train for New York OH the e.
vening of the day the above described
circumstance occurred.