It's a pity that Murray Burnett, the writer, didn't do some proper historical research before writing this piece. In the 1851, funeral parlors and the profession of undertaker were non-existent. Funeral were conducted in private homes or a church. In addition, the coffin would have been made by a cabinet maker, not an undertaker. It wasn't until after the U.S. Civil War and the embalming of Lincoln that the profession gained popularity. Beyond that a nice little story that kept my interest despite the historical inaccuracies. 