her feet, tottered toward
him and sobbed on his breast.

"There, there," said Mr. Blows. "Don't take on; I forgive you."

"Oh, John," said his wife, sobbing convulsively, "I thought you was dead.
I thought you was dead. It's only a fortnight ago since we buried you!"

"Buried me?" said the startled Mr. Blows. "Buried me?"

"I shall wake up and find I'm dreaming," wailed Mrs. Blows; "I know I
shall. I'm always dreaming that you're not dead. Night before last I
dreamt that you was alive, and I woke up sobbing as if my 'art would
break."

"Sobbing?" said Mr. Blows, with a scowl. "For joy, John," explained his
wife.

Mr. Blows was about to ask for a further explanation of the mystery when
he stopped, and regarded with much interest a fair-sized cask which stood
in one corner.

"A cask o' beer," he said, staring, as he took a glass from the dresser
and crossed over to it. "You don't seem to 'ave taken much 'arm during
my--my going after work."

"We 'ad it for the funeral, John," said his wife; "leastways, we 'ad two;
this is the second."

Mr. Blows, who had filled the glass, set it down on the table untasted;
things seemed a trifle uncanny.

"Go on," said Mrs. Blows; "you've got more right to it than anybody else.
Fancy 'aving you here drinking up the beer for your own funeral."

"I don't understand what you're a-driving at," retorted Mr. Blows,
drinking somewhat gingerly from the glass. "'Ow could there be a funeral
without me?"

"It's all a mistake," said the overjoyed Mrs. Blows; "we must have buried
somebody else. But such a funeral, John; you would ha' been proud if you
could ha' seen it. All Gravelton followed, nearly. There was the boys'
drum and fife band, and the Ancient Order of Camels, what you used to
belong to, turned out with their brass band and banners--all the people
marching four abreast and sometimes five."

Mr. Blows's face softened; he had no idea that he had established himself
so firmly in the affections of his fellow-townsmen.

"Four mourning carriages," continued his wife, "and the--the hearse, all
covered in flowers so that you couldn't see it 'ardly. One wreath cost
two pounds."

Mr. Blows endeavoured to conceal his gratification beneath a mask of
surliness. "Waste o' money," he growled, and stooping to the cask drew
himself an-other glass of beer.

"Some o' the gentry sent their carriages to follow," said Mrs. Blows,
sitting down and clasping her hands in her la