Mary knit and held her tongue , but used her ears . `` I never saw a nicer looking corpse , '' said Miss Cornelia judicially . `` Myra Murray was always a pretty woman -- she was a Corey from Lowbridge and the Coreys were noted for their good looks . '' `` I said to the corpse as I passed it , ` poor woman . I hope you are as happy as you look . ' '' sighed Susan . `` She had not changed much . That dress she wore was the black satin she got for her daughter 's wedding fourteen years ago . Her Aunt told her then to keep it for her funeral , but Myra laughed and said , ' I may wear it to my funeral , Aunty , but I will have a good time out of it first . ' And I may say she did . Myra Murray was not a woman to attend her own funeral before she died . Many a time afterwards when I saw her enjoying herself out in company I thought to myself , ` You are a handsome woman , Myra Murray , and that dress becomes you , but it will likely be your shroud at last . ' And you see my words have come true , Mrs. Marshall Elliott . '' Susan sighed again heavily . She was enjoying herself hugely . A funeral was really a delightful subject of conversation . `` I always liked to meet Myra , '' said Miss Cornelia . `` She was always so gay and cheerful -- she made you feel better just by her handshake . Myra always made the best of things . '' `` That is true , '' asserted Susan .
`` Her sister-in-law told me that when the doctor told her at last that he could do nothing for her and she would never rise from that bed again , Myra said quite cheerfully , ` Well , if that is so , I 'm thankful the preserving is all done , and I will not have XXXXX face the fall house-cleaning .
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