This beautiful sentence is extracted from T. S. Arthur's notable short story, "An Angel in Disguise". The line simply means that death is the only moment when everyone laments for the dead one. They don't think that where he was good or bad when he was alive. Here, in this story, the woman was hated and disliked by all the neighborhood when she was alive. But after her death, everybody is rushing towards her 'tumble - down hut' with 'grave clothes' for her and foods for her children. The neighbours are not showing any kind anger or condemnation now, rather pouring pity and sorrow for her and her children. The author here very beautifully portrays the human psychology through this heart-touching sentence.