- Title
- State
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-
- Date
- January 1984
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-
- Place
- ["North Carolina, United States"]
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State
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The Untimely Burial
of Squire Lewis
tty CARL GOERCII
Although it happened quite some
time ago. folks down in the South
Creek area of Beaufort County still
talk about Squire L. J. Lewis’ rather
unusual funeral.
The Squire became seriously ill. and
Dr. Josh Tayloc — now deceased —
was summoned from Washington.
N.C. After examining the sick man.
Josh immediately ordered that he be
taken to the hospital in Washington for
an operation. He also told Lewis' wife
and children that it was doubtful
whether the Squire would recover.
At the hospital, however, the opera¬
tion proved a success. The Squire was
so rejoiced over his recovery that he
determined to do something by way of
celebrating. He asked one of the
nurses to summon an organ dealer to
the hospital, and when this was done,
he told the dealer to send an organ to
South Creek immediately. His wife
had always wanted one. and he knew
she would be surprised and delighted
to receive such a gift.
The organ was securely boxed and
was sent to South Creek in charge of a
Negro drayman, who didn't know
what was inside the box. and didn't
care.
In the meantime, the Squire's family
had been greatly worried about his
condition. He had told one of the
nurses to write Mrs. Lewis and tell her
he was getting along all right, but the
letter evidently had miscarried, or else
the nurse had forgotten to write. Any¬
way. members of the family were in
total ignorance as to the outcome of the
operation. They hoped for the best, but
they feared for the worst.
And then, one bright, cool morning,
one of the children, playing out in the
yard, observed the Negro drayman
stop at the farm-gate, get down, open
it. and drive up to the house. The child
ran inside and told mother that some¬
body was coming. Mrs. Lewis went
out on the front porch. She took one
look at the box on the dray and then
threw up her hands in anguish and de¬
spair.
"It's your pappy! she cried. "He’s
daid and he's inside that box. He must
have passed out when they were
operating on him. and they’ve sent his
body home to be buried."
It might be mentioned in passing that
Squire Lewis, although only 5 feet 7
inches tall, weighed over 200 pounds.
The shape of the box. therefore, did
not surprise the family.
The neighbors were notified of the
death, and on Tuesday morning the
funeral services were held, and a large
number of folks attended.
And then, on another bright and cool
morning — Thursday, to be exact —
one of the children, who was sitting on
the front steps, observed a man ap¬
proaching the house. The child gave
one look and dashed inside.
"Pappy's cornin’ home!" she cried.
"He's cornin’ right now!" Mrs. Lewis
ran to the door. Her husband greeted
her with a cheery wave of his hand and
a bright smile. She fainted and fell full
length on the front porch. The children
scattered in all directions. It took some
time to bring Mrs. Lewis to. but when
she finally regained consciousness and
was able to look at her "dead" hus¬
band. she told him of the funeral ser¬
vices that had been held Tuesday
morning.
"And just think!" she wailed. "We
must have buried the wrong corpse. It
must have been intended for some-
other home, and the drayman made a
mistake."
Suddenly a great light dawned upon
Squire Lewis.
(Continued on page 92)
THE STATE, JANUARY 1984
He never got tired of telling how his family held funcrol services ond buried him, ond is
now ploying on him in the porlor. (Illustrated by Kenneth Whitsett. of Chorlotte, when the
story wos republished in 1970)
