Delaware advertiser and farmer's journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1831, 1831-10-20

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mile'we turned an angle Of the road and
were at once in view Of the church.
1t was situated in thick valley, open
to the east and partly to the west, and sur
rounded by cluster of large and flourish
ing chestnut trees, whose SUBMITS threat
tened in a few years to overshadow even
the steeple and the spire. The scenery
was wild and romantic; and the echoes Of
the bell, as they struck upon the ear re-
minded the wandering hearer of his mel
ancholy errand. 1t seemed as if nature
had exhausted all her powers on the scene
to render it perfect; here and there an ar
bour formed by the wild grape in its GU
rious intertwinings, and with just enough
! Of green, of shadow and of sunshine to
make the place pleasing solitude. Such
solitude as the spirit would seek when
broken by misfortune; such seclusion as
the lover would desire to whisper the first
accents of his love.
AS we entered the gate of the yard the
bell ceased to toll; the last note seemed
to linger among the caverns of the rocks,
and its distant echoes struck mournfully
upon the ear, till they gradually died a.
way and then sunk into silence and eter-
parting of the spirit to its earthly tene-
ment, to seek upon tho shores of eternity
The echoes of its own celestial thoughts.
We followed narrow pathway through
the graveyard to the crave. The bearers
here rested the bier upon the grass, and
after having placed the coffin on two mar
row boards across the grave, they retired
into the surrounding crowd. A long and
solemn pause ensued.-Wh0, thought /,
could this person be. 1t must be one who.
having been loved and admired, must.be
long regretted. 1t might perhaps be a
stranger; butwhy so much commiserationl
1t might perhaps be some honest peasant,
who ripe with many years was gathered
home; or it might be some young and ar
dent son just opening into the bloom of
manhood; but why such deep and hearts
| felt sorrow? 1t must then be some lovely
angel, snatched from the tempest of this
world to be sheltered in a, haven Of eter.i
fTruf test. ms tifvu,l -l-.-..-i-srl
murmur in the company. Hooked around
me and every eye had dropped tear;
wiped one away and another followed, till
/ found myself weeping at the grave Of in
nocence and beauty: Perhaps, thought /,
she for whom the grave has just been open
ed was the only hope and stay of destitute
and aged parents. Perhaps it was to her
they looked for consolation in their hour
of trouble and misfortune. Where now
is their hope.
Where is there an object more affecting
than solitary mourner, broken by the
tempests of adversely, lettering alone and
unsupported down tie hill of later life;
yet such perhaps might be the present
case.
thought it might be one of those UNI
timely exits which often occur among the
young and blooming. 1t might be one
whose heart and hand had been given the
pledges of unalterable affection; which
brighter prospects, when realized, would
complete. One whose brilliant hopes and
expectations were built upon the basis of
reason, but which succeeding misfortunes
have destroyed. Here as looked around
perceived every eye to be dimmed with
tear, and every tongue to be mute with
sorrow. The silence of mourning was I'M
interrupted by the voice of lamentation or
of merriment. Every one seemed too
much absorbed in his own reflections to
observe his neighbour; and as the coffin
| was lowered into the grave and the cords
were drawn out with that hollow sound SO
grating to the feelings of the survivors, an
Involuntary sigh from the crowd around
me, told me how feelingly alive was every
one to the general misfortune. Reader,
should thy Struggling eye but once per-
ceive village funeral, follow it. If thou
art enthusiastic it will teach thee modera-
ton; if thou art gifted with sensibility and
genius it will deeply affect thee, and if
thou hast left behind thee thy beacon to
salvation, it will place it once more before
thee.
The carriers now began to fill the grave.
The sod as it fell heavily upon the coffin,
went home to the heart. 1t is sound
which wrings feeling of affection and re-
gret even from a stranger. 1t is like clos
| ing the doors of this world upon all we
love and venerate, until they are opened
in eternity. l have often seen the hand
of friendship or affection drop handful
ofearth upon the ashes of departed friends,
as if, when all other obligations here had
been performed, they were adding mite
to the fulfilment of the last and most af-
fecting. Where is there scene more
calculated to impress us with a correct
idea of our own insigniiicance.- Where
shall we look for our warning but in the
grave. When we see friend, brother,
ora parent shut out from the busy scenes
of life, Or when we see him called as if UNI
warned, it should teach us to value the
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