210 CALVIN: 



It is not too much to say that a little shock 

 went through the neighborhood when it was 

 known that Calvin was dead, so marked was his 

 individuality ; and his friends, one after another, 

 came in to see him. There was no sentimental 

 nonsense about his obsequies ; it was felt that 

 any parade would have been distasteful to him. 

 John, who acted as undertaker, prepared a candle- 

 box for him, and I believe assumed a profes- 

 sional decorum ; but there may have been the 

 usual levity underneath, for I heard that he re- 

 marked in the kitchen that it was the " dryest 

 wake he ever attended." Everybody, however, 

 felt a fondness for Calvin, and regarded him with 

 a certain respect. Between him and Bertha there 

 existed a great friendship, and she apprehended 

 his nature ; she used to say that sometimes she 

 was afraid of him, he looked at her so intelli- 

 gently ; she was never certain that he was what 

 he appeared to be. 



