North of Boston
THF.Y aint much happened sence the last riting. I am setting to my desk enjoying a few private evil thoughts when a big State Trooper treads in and allows that the High Sheriff has just spoiled a new Ford. We all feel very low about the matter for the Sheriff he dont drink, smoke nor gamble and only swears at wife beaters and Democrats.
Come funeral morning it is three clapboards below zero with a lead sky and spitting snow. A bunch of us gather to the church. We massage the carpits, stoke the furnace, lug in extra chairs, sand the walks and shovel out more parking area. The undertakers show with the late lamented and the florists with truckloads of flowers. We lug in same and arrange very artistic. Then it is noon and we go home to eat and get into them go-to-meeting clothes.
I set with a bunch of Justices and run my eyes over the gathering. There is Seleckmen and Sheriffs from all over. County officials by the truckload. Big bunch of State executives. Pewfulls of Troopers and Game Wardens in their green and gold. The place is SRO with neighbors and friends. The village drunk stands out in the vestibule wiping his eyes, for the Sheriff always lugged him home and put him to bed real nice and gentle and give him fair warning, instead of tossing him into jail first crack out of the box.
We buried him in a cemetery overlooking a little lake. The mountains come down close all around. If a man was to look a whole year for a place to spend his time he couldn't do no better. When we gathered to the local lunch joint for cigarettes and coffee I told the troopers they done real good handling the traffic.
The Sergeant he spoons his coffee and says "That was the biggest funeral we had in these parts for years. Too bad a man has to die for folks to show what they think of him."
"Flowers on the casket cast no fragrance back along the weary way, or some such sentiment," I offers.
I hope none of you fellers aint been bored by this riting. It sounds like a sermon, I know. But it aint a sermon. I'm telling it just the way she happened.
