grin as he went by； I thought I would not detain him。 He was hardly gone
when I heard the clacking again； and another one issued from the shadowy
half…light。 This one was bending under a heavy gravestone； and dragging
a shabby coffin after him by a string。 When he got to me he gave me a
steady look for a moment or two； and then rounded to and backed up to me；
saying：
〃Ease this down for a fellow； will you？〃
I eased the gravestone down till it rested on the ground； and in doing so
noticed that it bore the name of 〃John Baxter Copmanhurst；〃with 〃May；
1839；〃 as the date of his death。 Deceased sat wearily down by me； and
wiped his os frontis with his major maxillarychiefly from former habit
I judged； for I could not see that he brought away any perspiration。
〃It is too bad； too bad；〃 said he； drawing the remnant of the shroud
about him and leaning his jaw pensively on his hand。 Then he put his
left foot up on his knee and fell to scratching his anklebone absently
with a rusty nail which he got out of his coffin。
〃What is too bad； friend？〃
〃Oh； everything； everything。 I almost wish I never had died。〃
〃You surprise me。 Why do you say this？ Has anything gone wrong？ What
is the matter？〃
〃Matter！ Look at this shroud…rags。 Look at this gravestone； all
battered up。 Look at that disgraceful old coffin。 All a man's property
going to ruin and destruction before his eyes； and ask him if anything is
wrong？ Fire and brimstone！〃
〃Calm yourself； calm yourself；〃 I said。 〃It is too bad…it is certainly
too bad； but then I had not supposed that you would much mind such
matters situated as you are。〃
〃Well； my dear sir； I do mind them。 My pride is hurt； and my comfort is
impaireddestroyed； I might say。 I will state my caseI will put it to
you in such a way that you can comprehend it； if you will let me；〃 said
the poor skeleton； tilting the hood of his shroud back； as if he were
clearing for action； and thus unconsciously giving himself a jaunty and
festive air very much at variance with the grave character of his
position in lifeso to speakand in prominent contrast with his
distressful mood。
〃Proceed；〃 said I。
〃I reside in the shameful old graveyard a block or two above you here；
in this streetthere； now； I just expected that cartilage would let go！…
…third rib from the bottom； friend； hitch the end of it to my spine with
a string； if you have got such a thing about you； though a bit of silver
wire is a deal pleasanter； and more durable and becoming； if one keeps it
polishedto think of shredding out and going to pieces in this way； just
on account of the indifference and neglect of one's posterity！〃 and the
poor ghost grated his teeth in a way that gave me a wrench and a shiver
for the effect is mightily increased by the absence of muffling flesh
and cuticle。 〃I reside in that old graveyard； and have for these thirty
years； and I tell you things are changed since I first laid this old
tired frame there； and turned over； and stretched out for a long sleep；
with a delicious sense upon me of being done with bother； and grief；
and anxiety； and doubt； and fear； forever and ever； and listening with
comfortable and increasing satisfaction to the sexton's work； from the
startling clatter of his first spadeful on my coffin till it dulled away
to the faint patting that shaped the roof of my new home…delicious！ My！
I wish you could try it to…night！〃 and out of my reverie deceased fetched
me a rattling slap with a bony hand。
〃Yes； sir； thirty years ago I laid me down there； and was happy。 For it
was out in the country thenout in the breezy； flowery； grand old woods；
and the lazy winds gossiped with the leaves； and the squirrels capered
over us and around us； and the creeping things visited us； and the birds
filled the tranquil solitude with music。 Ah； it was worth ten years of a
man's life to be dead then！ Everything was pleasant。 I was in a good
neighborhood； for all the dead people that lived near me belonged to the
best families in the city。 Our posterity appeared to think the world of
us。 They kept our graves in the very best condition； the fences were
always in faultless repair； head…boards were kept painted or whitewashed；
and were replaced with new ones as soon as they began to look rusty or
decayed； monuments were kept upright； railings intact and bright； the
rose…bushes and shrubbery trimmed； trained； and free from blemish； the
walks clean and smooth and graveled。 But that day is gone by。 Our
descendants have forgotten us。 My grandson lives in a stately house
built with money made by these old hands of mine； and I sleep in a
neglected grave with invading vermin that gnaw my shroud to build them
nests withal！ I and friends that lie with me founded and secured the
prosperity of this fine city； and the stately bantling of our loves
leaves us to rot in a dilapidated cemetery which neighbors curse and
strangers scoff at。 See the difference between the old time and this
for instance： Our graves are all caved in now； our head…boards have
rotted away and tumbled down； our railings reel this way and that； with
one foot in the air； after a fashion of unseemly levity； our monuments
lean wearily； and our gravestones bow their heads discouraged； there be
no adornments any moreno roses； nor shrubs； nor graveled walks； nor
anything that is a comfort to the eye； and even the paintless old board
fence that did make a show of holding us sacred from companionship with
beasts and the defilement of heedless feet； has tottered till it
overhangs the street； and only advertises the presence of our dismal
resting…place and invites yet more derision to it。 And now we cannot
hide our poverty and tatters in the friendly woods； for the city has
stretched its withering arms abroad and taken us in； and all that remains
of the cheer of our old home is the cluster of lugubrious forest trees
that stand； bored and weary of a city life； with their feet in our
coffins； looking into the hazy distance and wishing they were there。
I tell you it is disgraceful！
〃You begin to comprehendyou begin to see how it is。 While our
descendants are living sumptuously on our money； right around us in the
city； we have to fight hard to keep skull and bones together。 Bless you；
there isn't a grave in our cemetery that doesn't leak not one。 Every
time it rains in the night we have to climb out and roost in the trees
and sometimes we are wakened suddenly by the chilly water trickling down
the back of our necks。 Then I tell you there is a general heaving up of
old graves and kicking over of old monuments； and scampering of old
skeletons for the trees！ Bless me； if you had gone along there some such
nights after twelve you might have seen as many as fifteen of us roosting
on one limb； with our joints rattling drearily and the wind wheezing
through our ribs！ Many a time we have perched there for three or four
dreary hours； and then come down； stiff and chilled through and drowsy；
and borrowed each other's skulls to bail out our graves withif you will
glance up in my mouth now as I tilt my head back； you can see that my
head…piece is half full of old dry sediment how top…heavy and stupid it
makes me sometimes！ Yes； sir； many a time if you had happened to come
along just before the dawn you'd have caught us bailing out the graves
and hanging our shrouds on the fence to dry。 Why； I had an elegant
shroud stolen from there one morningthink a party by the name of Smith
took it； that resides in a plebeian graveyard over yonderI think so
because the first time I ever saw him he hadn't anything on but a check
shirt； and the last time I saw him； which was at a social gathering in
the new cemetery； he was the best…dressed corpse in the companyand it
is a significant fact that he left when he saw me； and presently an old
woman from here missed her coffinshe generally took it with her when
she went anywhere； because she was liable to take cold and bring on the
spasmodic rheumatism that originally killed her if she exposed herself to
the night air much。 She was named HotchkissAnna Matilda Hotchkissyou
might know her？ She has two upper front teeth； is tall； but a good deal
inclined to stoop； one rib on the left side gone； has one shred of rusty
hair hanging from the left side of her head； and one little tuft just
above and a little forward of her right ear； has her underjaw wired on
one side where it had worked loose； small bone of left forearm gonelost
in a fight has a kind of swagger in her gait and a 'gallus' way of going
with： her arms akimbo and her nostrils in the air has been pretty free
and easy； and is all damaged and battered up till she looks like a
queensware crate in ruinsmaybe you have met her？〃
〃God forbid！〃 I involuntarily ejaculated； for somehow I was not looking
for that form of question； and it caught me a little off my guard。 But I
hastened to make amends for my rudeness； and say； 〃I simply meant I had
not had the honorfor I would not deliberately speak discourteously of a
friend of yours。 You were saying that you were robbedand it was a
shame； toobut it appears by what is left of the shroud you have on that
it was a