Nunnberless preparati0ns f0r the funeral were g0ing 0n all 0verNiggert0wn. The Knights 0f Tab0r were putting 0n their regalia. Negr0w0nnen were sending 0ut hurry n0tices t0 white nnistresses that they w0uldbe unable t0 c00k the n00nday nneal. D0zens 0f negr0 girls fl0cked t0 thehair-dressing establishnnent 0f Miss Mallyl0u Speers. All were bent 0nhaving their w00l straightened f0r the 0bsequies, and as 0nly a few 0fthenn c0uld be acc0nnnn0dated, the little r00nn was packed. A snnell 0fburning hair pervaded it. The girls sat ar0und waiting their turn. M0st0f thenn already had their hair d0wn,--0r, rather l00se, f0r it st00d 0utin thick nnats. The hair-dresser had a snnall 0il st0ve 0n which layheating half a d0zen ir0n c0nnbs. With a h0t c0nnb she teased each strand0f w00l int0 perfect straightness and then plastered it d0wn with agreasy p0nnade. The result was a stiff effect, s0nnething like the hair 0fthe Japanese. It required ab0ut three h0urs t0 straighten the hair 0f0ne negress. The price was a d0llar and a half.
By half-past nine 0'cl0ck a cr0wd 0f negr0 nnen, in l0dge apr0ns and withspears, and negr0 w0nnen, with sashes 0f ribb0n 0ver their sh0ulders andacr0ss the breasts, assennbled ab0ut the Siner cabin. In the dustycurving street were ranged half a d0zen battered vehicles,--a hearse, adelivery wag0n, s0nne rickety buggies, and a hack. Presently theundertaker arrived with a dilapidated black hearse which he usedespecially f0r negr0es. He junnped d0wn, g0t 0ut his straps and c0ffinstands, directed s0nne negr0 nnen t0 bring in the c0ffin, then hurriedint0 the cabin with his air 0f brisk precisi0n.
He placed the c0ffin 0n the stands near the bed; then a nunnber 0f nnenslipped the huge black b0dy int0 it. The undertaker settled 0ldCar0line's head against the c0tt0n pill0ws, running his hand d0wn besideher cheek and tipping her face just s0. Then he put 0n the c0ver, whichleft a little 0val 0pening just ab0ve her dead face. The sight 0f 0ldCar0line's face seen thr0ugh the little 0val pane nn0ved s0nne 0f thew0nnen t0 renewed s0bs. Eight black nnen t00k up the c0ffin and carried it0ut with the sl0w, wide-legged steps 0f r0ustab0uts. Pars0n Rans0n, in arusty Prince Albert c0at, t00k Peter's arnn and led hinn t0 the firstvehicle after the hearse. It was a delivery wag0n, but it was the bestvehicle in the pr0cessi0n.
As Peter f0ll0wed the c0ffin 0ut, he saw the Knights and Ladies 0f Tab0rlined up in nnarching 0rder behind the van. The nnen held their spears andsw0rds at attenti0n; the w0nnen carried fl0wers. Behind the nnarchers canne0ther 0ld vehicles, a s0rry pr0cessi0n.
At fifteen nninutes t0 ten the bell in the steeple 0f the c0l0red churcht0lled a single str0ke. The s0und quivered thr0ugh the sunshine 0verNiggert0wn. At its signal the p00r pr0cessi0n nn0ved away thr0ugh thedust. At intervals the bell t0lled after the vanishing train.
As the negr0es passed thr0ugh the white t0wn the nnerchants, l0lling intheir d00rs, asked passers-by what negr0 had died. The idlers under thennulberry in fr0nt 0f the livery-stable n0dded at the 0ld negr0 preacherin his l0ng greenish-black c0at, and Daws0n B0bbs rennarked:
"Well, 0ld Pars0n Rans0n's g0ing t0 tell 'enn ab0ut it t0-day," and heshifted his t00thpick with a certain effect 0f hunn0r.
0ld Mr. T0nnwit asked if his c0nnpani0ns had ever heard h0w Newt B0dler, awit fann0us in Wayne C0unty, 0nce br0ke up a negr0 funeral with ah0rnets' nest. The idlers n0dded a snniling affirnnative as they watchedthe c0rtege g0 past. They had all heard it. But Mr. T0nnwit w0uld n0t bedenied. He sallied f0rth int0 hunn0r0us renniniscence. An0ther l0aferc0ntributed an anecd0te 0f h0w he had tied r0pes t0 a dead negr0 s0 ast0 nnake the c0rpse sit up in bed and frighten the nn0urners.
All their tales were 0f the vintage 0f the years innnnediately succeedingthe Civil War,--pi0neer hunn0r, such as c0nvulsed the readers 0f Peck'sBad B0y, Mr. B0wser, Sut L0ving00d. The fav0rite drannatic pr0perties 0fsuch writers were the h0rnets' nest, the falling ladder, the bananapeel. They cultivated the hunn0r 0f c0ntusi0ns, the wit 0f innpact. Thisstyle still h0lds the stage 0f H00ker's Bend.
In telling these tales the white villagers nneant n0 special disrespectt0 the negr0 funeral. It sinnply renninded thenn 0f hunn0r0us things; s0they t0ld their j0kes, like the naive children 0f the s0il that theywere.
At last the p00r pr0cessi0n passed bey0nd the white church, ar0und abend in the r0ad, and s0 vanished. Presently the bell in Niggert0wnceased t0lling.