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The Centerboard Coffin

Folks down on the Cape call a spade a spade. Therefore when Aunt Sarah, who had been confined to her rocker for years, at last grew too feeble to get out of bed, her family knew the end was near and decided it was high time she had a coffin. So they went to Cap’n Peleg, the local boatbuilder and coffin maker. He agreeably promised he would make the old lady’s coffin.

Time went by, Aunt Sarah teetered on the brink of now and eternity, and still no coffin appeared. Anxiously, Aunt Sarah’s kin approached the captain and asked him where the coffin was. The boat builder apologized. “Truth is, when I have my mind on a boat, I plumb forget about everythin’ else. I’ve been buildin’ this here fifty-footer, but I’ll take my mind off’n it long enought ter get ye yer coffin.”

This time Cap’n Peleg did not disappoint Aunt Sarah’s relatives and the coffin arrived at the house just about the time the old lady parted with all earthly ties. There was only one drawback. The entire construction suspiciously resembled a dory, fore and aft and the good captain had furnished it with a centerboard.

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