After the Stage Manager ends his introductory speech, we see Emily's cousin, Sam Craig, enter and address the undertaker, Joe Stoddard, who is supervising Emily's grave. Sam introduces himself because he moved to Buffalo twelve years earlier. He notices Mrs. Gibbs' grave and recalls the fact that his Aunt Julia is dead.
While Joe and Sam talk, Mrs. Gibbs' spirit identifies Sam for the rest of the dead. Mr. Stimson says he always feels uncomfortable when the living visit the cemetery. Meanwhile, Joe wonders if the dead chose the verses which appear on the tombstones. He reads Simon Stimson's epitaph and recalls that Simon committed suicide. The epitaph is only a few notes of music which Simon chose before taking his life.
Sam asks about Emily's death and learns that she died during childbirth. Joe adds: "'Twas her second, though. There's a little boy 'bout four years old " The Gibbs lot is almost full; Emily's grave is in a new section that has just opened by Avenue B. While Sam and Joe talk, four men enter from the left carrying a casket. Others follow in procession under an umbrella. Mrs. Soames wonders who the new person is. Mrs. Gibbs replies that it is her daughter-in-law, Emily, who died giving birth. Mrs. Soames says that she remembers childbirth and how awful life was, but after a pause she notes softly how wonderful it was, too. Simon Stimson disagrees. Mrs. Soames then recalls the loveliness of Emily and George's wedding, how smart Emily was as a high school student, and the beauty of George and Emily's new farm. Emily, wearing a white dress and girlishly long hair tied with a ribbon, emerges from the crowd of mourners. Hesitant and a little dazed, she approaches the other spirits. With quiet dignity and serenity, she greets them. They return her greeting.
