The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-27


mise OF tie season, or change of the ION.
ants; bat stiIl Will s5ifirfv nj n,anna.
,''d voice mat Was lasensibly produced By
'he influence Of the simple cefemon, now
e,osed, by The quiet graves around. aud Inc
shadow of the spire aud grey walls of the
house of God.
Two men yet stood together at the head
OF the gr.c with contingencies of sincere.
but annt'saioned grief They were bro
uaers, the only sons oi him Who had been
buried; and there vas something in tbcir
situation that naturally kept the eyes of
many dIrcctcdupon theta, lof Il longer time.
aud more lntently, than would have been
the 81 ~, had there been nothing more OBJ
sersable about them thsm he common
symptoms OF common sorrow. But
iilese Two brothers who were nov standing
al the head OF thoir fathers grave, had for
some years hee1 totally estrangad from
each other, and the ONLY words thai had
passed between them d.rin. I'll that time.
had bern uttered within few DAYS past,
during the Necessary preparations for the
old mans funeral,
No deep and deadly quarrel Wa between
those brothers, and neither Of them could
distinctly tell tile cause ofthis unnaturalr
arrangement. Perhaps dim jealousirs of
their fathers fayor-selfsh thoughts that
will sometimes force themselves into poor
mems hearts, respecting temporal expecta-
tlons-unaccommodatins names on both
sldes-talnting words that mean when little
uttered but which rank and lestcrin remcln-
hrance Imagined opposition Of interests,
that, duly considered, would have been
found one and the same-tbosc, aud many
other causes, slight when single, but slroag
when rising up together in one banciul
band, bad gradually but fatally infected
their hearts, till at last they who in youth
had been seldom separate, and truly attach
ed, now met at market, and miserable to
say, al church with dark faces, like different
clansmen dluinS fead.
Surely if any thing could have soft, " Il
their hearts towards each other, it must
have been to stand silently side by side,
while the earth, stones and clods, were ial-
ling down upon their fathers coffin. And
doubtless their hearts We're 40 softened.-
But pride, though ii cannot prevent the ho-
~ all, ctlOns of nature from being felt, may
prevent them from being shown; and those
two brothers stood there togethcr, deter
termincd not to let each other know the
mutual tenderness that, in spite Of them,
was gushing Up in their hearts, and teach
ing them the uncOnrssed folly and wick
edness Of their causeless quarrel.
A Head-s;tone had been prepared, ard a
person came forward 10 plant it. The ell
der brother directed him how to place it
plain stone, win sand glass, skull and
cross bones, cLissslled not rudeiy, and few
words Inscribed. heyoungrr brothcrre
gaiGed the operation with a troubled eye,
aad said, loudly enough to BIZ heard by Sc
neral OF the bystmders, William, this
"5snOt kim in uH; yoa should haN told me
of this. l loved my father as we'll as you
could love him. You were The elder, and
It may be, the fayouriie SOL; but had a
right in nature 10 have joined you in order
Ing this Head Stone. had | not Z"
During thosr words, the stone was sink
ing in the earth, aud many persons who
we're on thrr way from The gave returned.
fos Il While the elder brother said nothing,
tor he had Il consciousness IN his heart thai
he ought 10 have consulted his fathers son
a deslg ing this last becoming mark Of al
fiction and respect To his memory; 50 the
stone was planted in silence, and nov stood
erect, dcccntiy and simply among the 9th
II unostentatlous memorials Of the handle
dead.
TIE inscription merely gave the name
aud age OF the deceased, aud told that the
Stone had been erected "by his atlectionate
sons III" sight Of these words seemed
u soften the disploasme Of The angry man,
and he sud somewhat more mildly
cs, We were hsaAeetionates sons, & since
my name il on the stone, am satisfied bro
ther. We have not drawn together kind
~ oiiatc years, aud perhaps never may {;
but acknowledge and respect your worth ;
and hers, before cur own friends, and be-
lerr the friends Of our father, with my foot
a1oYe his head, express my Willingness to
hr ~ better and other terms with You, and
I'VE cannot commend love in our hearts,
let us, at least, Brother, bar out all mhind-
-.
The minister who attended the funeral,
and had something entrusted To him 10 say
publicly before he left the LhurCh-yard,
how came forward, and asked tie cider
brother, why he sfake not regarding this
matter. He saw that there was something
Of cold aud suIIen pride rising up in his
h art, for n0t easily may any man hope 70
dismiss rom the cfar1bnr OF his heart even
tie silest guest, ifonee cherished there
With solemn aud almost severe air, he
lookcdupou the rc!entlag man, and Thea
changing his countenancc unto serenity, SAID
gently,
Behold hos good thing ii IL,
And how becoming ne.,
Together such rs brethren are
In unity to dwell