The grave-digger, too, was very
proud of its depth, and the neatness of his handiwork. The clergyman,
who had marched in advance of us from the chapel, now took his stand at
the head of the grave, and, lifting his hat, proceeded with what remained
of the service, while we stood bareheaded around. When he came to a
particular part, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust," the undertaker lifted a
handful of earth, and threw it rattling on the coffin,--so did the
landlady's son, and so did I. After the funeral the undertaker's friend,
an elderly, coarse-looking man, looked round him, and remarked that "the
grass had never grown on the parties who died in the cholera year"; but
at this the undertaker laughed in scorn.
As we returned to the gate of the cemetery, the sexton met us, and
pointed to a small office, on entering which we found the clergyman, who
was waiting for his burial-fees. There was now a dispute between the
clergyman and the undertaker; the former wishing to receive the whole
amount for the gravestone, which the undertaker, of course, refused to
pay. I explained how the matter stood; on which the clergyman
acquiesced, civilly enough; but it was very strange to see the worldly,
business-like way in which he entered into this squabble, so soon after
burying poor Captain Auld.
During our drive back in the mourning-coach, the undertaker, his friend,
and the landlady's son still kept descanting on the excellence of the
grave,--"Such a fine grave,"--"Such a nice grave,"--"Such a splendid
grave,"--and, really, they seemed almost to think it worth while to die,
for the sake of being buried there.
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