A Useful Coffin

A Useful Coffin.

It may not be generally known that the Dutch Boers at the Cape, especially those living in remote districts where material is expensive and labor difficult to obtain, frequently purchase at least one coffin beforehand which is placed in a conspicuous position in the "voorkamer" or principal sitting room and utilized as an article of furniture, for ornament or as a receptacle for clothing and other oddments.

One farmer well known to the writer possesses a beautifully finished article of this sort which he purchased about 30 years ago. During that period he has buried three wives each of whom had to be content with coffins of the commonest material and roughest workmanship while his own awaiting its possessor stands in all its luster of polished teak and silver mountings.

For the present the old gentleman uses it as a couch for his midday nap in order, as he sometimes remarks with grave humor, that he may get accustomed to it.--Cape Times.