Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-11-05
THE HEAD sToNE-BY PROFESSOR WILSON

their knell the quick Shovelling was over and
the long broad skillfully cut pieces of turf were
aptly Joined together, and trinity laid by the
beating spade, SD that the newest mound IN the
church yard was scarcely dlStingulShable ron
those that were grown over by the undSturoed
grass and daisies of d luXuriant Spng Inc ou-
rial was soon over, and the party. with one CON
sentinp motion, having uncovered their headS IN
decent reverence OF the place ana cCCaSon
were beginning to separate ana ABOUT 20 'eaEe
the church yard. Here Some acquaintance
from distant parts of the parish, who had not
had an Opportunity of addressing each other in
tb. houSe IN Al had belonged 10 the deceased, nor
in the course of the few hundred yards that the
little procession had to move over from his
bed To his grave, were shaking hands quietly but
cheerfuly and inquirlng after the welfare OF
each others families. There, a small knot OF
neighbours were speaking without eXaggera-
ton of the respectable character which the de-
c,l,ed had borne, and mentioned TO one another
1.-THE incidents of his life, some OF them so re-
mote rs to be known only to the gray headed
persons OF the groupe. While few yards re-
moved from the spot were standing togc-
Their parties who discussed ordinary concerns
altogether unconnected with the funeral, such
as The state of the markets. the promise of the
season or change Of tenants; but still with a
sobriety of manner and voice, that was inSen-
sibIy produced by the influence of the simple
ceremony nov closed, by the quiet graves
around, and the shadow OF the spre ana gray
walls of the house Of God
Two men vet stood together at the head OF
the grave with couutenauceS OF sincere but un-
impasSioned grief They were brothers the on
ly sons of him who had been buried. And there
was something in their situation that naturally
kept the eyes of many directed upon them Tor
q long time aud more intenty than would have
been the case had there been nothing more OBJ
seryable about them than the common symp-
toms of common sorrow. But these two bro
theirs who were now standing at the head OF
their fathers grave, had Tor some years been to-
tally eStran9ed Tor each other, and the only
words that had passed between them, during all
that time had been uttered within few days
paSt during the necessary Preparations for the
ola mans funeral.
No deep and deadly quarrel was between
.hr-e brothers, and neither of them could dis
-59ctIy tell the cause OF this unnatural estrange-
rianr. PERHAPS dim iealouSieS OF their fathers
rryour selfish thoughts that Will sometimes force
themselves into poor mems hearts. respecting
neutrality-suspicious. unaccOmmodatngm
...-t on both substituting words that mean
lr,. when uttered. but which rankle and tester
lo rymsmbl ance-imag ned upp1SIt Oh OF inter-
esrs that duly CONSIDERED, would have been
fnund one and the same these, and many other
causes. slight when single, but strong when riS-
inc up together in one banetnl band, gradually
bnt fatally infected their hearts, Til at last they
who in youth had been seldom separate, and
firmly attached now met at market, and mise
rahle IN say. at church, with dark and averted
faces. like different clanSmen during teud.
Surely if anything could have Soitened their
hearts towards each other, II must have been to
stand silently, side by side. while the earth,
stones and cods, were falling down upon then
fathers cofin And doubtless their hearts were
en- snCteued But pride though it cannot pre-
vent the holy affections of nature from being
fsIt may prcyent them lrOm being shown; and
thase two brothers stood here together, deter
mined not to- let each other know the mutual
tenderness that, in spite ct them, was gushing
min their hearts, and teaching them the uncon-
fassed folly and wickedness OF their cauScicSs
quarrel.
con came forward to plant il. The elder bro
Their directed him Ia place it-a PLAIN stone, with
a sand glass skull, and cross bones, chlSelled
not rudrv, and IL few words inscribed. me
younuer brother regarded the operation with
;rnnhIed eve. and said loudly enough to be
baard nv several of the byStanderS William
,h;. ,r,s 40, kind in vou-Yuu should have told
me- NJ this loved my father as well as you
could love him. You were the elder, and 1t may
he the favorite son; but had right in nature
10 have Joined you IN ordering TINS head stone
had not!" ..,.:
IN the earth, and many persons who were on
their way from the grave, returned. For
while the elder brother said nothing, for he had
n consciousness in his heart that he ought 10
have consulted his fathers son IN designing tins
H. hecominu mark of affection and respect 70
his memory; so the stone was planted in silence,
and nov stood erect dccently and simply among
the other unoStentatiOuS memorials OF the mum
bic dead.
The inscription merely gave the name and
age of the deceased, and told that the stone had
been erected ''by his affectionate sons" The
sight of these words seemed to soften the DIS
NJ a,
what more mildly, Eyes, we were his affection
ate sons. and since my name is on the stone,
am satisfied, brother W have not drawn to-
pether kindly of late years, and perhaps never
NAV; but acknowledge and respect your worth;
and here before our own friends, and before the
friends of our father, with my foot above his
head | express my willingness to be on better
and other terms with you, and if we cannot
Command love in our hearts, let us at least,
brother, bar out all unkindnesS,"
The minister, who nad alshaeu me tne funeral,
and had something intrusted TO him to say
h,;cl,, hefore he left the church yard, now came