Page:Life of Daniel Dancer Esq..pdf/7

 these deductions was equally divided among the three brothers.

Although Daniel never evinced any affection for his sister, he determined to bury her in such a manner as should not disgrace the family. He accordingly contracted with an undertaker, who agreed to take timber in return for a coffin, as Mr Dancer had no idea of using the precious metals as a vehicle of exchange: he, however, could not be prevailed upon to purchase proper mourning for himself: yet, in consequence of the entreaty of his neighbours, he unbound the haybands with which his legs were usually covered, and drew on a second hand pair of black worsted stockings. his coat was of a whitish-brown colour: his waistcoat had been black about the middle of the last century, and the immediate covering to his head, which seemed to have been taken from Mr Elwes's wiggery and to have descended to Daniel as an heir loom, gave a grotesque appearance to the person of a chief mourner, but too well calculated to provoke mirth. This, indeed, was increased by the slipping of his horse's girth at the place of burial; in consequence of which the rider, to the great diversion of some of the Harrow boys who attended, was precipitated into the grave!

After the death of his sister, and near the close of his own life, finding himself lone-