The Columbian fountain., 1846-07-04

!" HOW glorious IS TINS inventoh oi WIiuhg, WheIe
by we easily Communicate TO our absent friends
whatever may afford them pleasure or Improvement!
PHrLApELpHIA, June 30, 1876
This has been, thus far, one Of the most de
lightful DAYS we have spent since we left
Washington. Our company took a carriage al
an early hour, (Mr Eli w. Light kindly con-
senting to act as our guide and rode TO the
Cemeteries, Water Works, Girard's College,
Mint, &c.. Descriptions OF these places are so
familiar TO your readers, that am not strongly
tempted to add much to their knowledge Of
them. 1t mays not be out Of place, however,
for me to say few things concerning the
places of the dead which we visited--Monu-
ment Cemetery and Laurel Hill, where are re-
posing the mortal remains of all classes ofmen,
from various parts of the world, but especially
from this city.
Monument Cemetery is not so old as Laurel
Hill, yet it is an interesting spot, being hand,
somely laid out, and tastefully and appropri-
ately adorned 1t was commenced in 1887,
and incorporated by the State in 1888.
There is a plain and beautiful monument erec.
ted over the body OF the deceased Protector and
original Proprietor, DR.. Jno. A Elkinson.
In one part Of this solemn place observed
tombstone having on it the following inscrip-
ton, which copy for the entertainment and
profit of your readers:
SACRED
To the memory of
LYDIA ANN DICKINSON,
Who was drowned in the
River Delaware,
July 4th, 1912.
Aged II years month and Il days
The maiden who in this grave is sleeping,
Has left her young companions weeping
And thoughts Of her, have plunged in sadness
Hearts to whom they once gave gladness
Lovely, and in form excelling,
A spirit pure in heaven dwelling;
She's dead, and we again shall never
See one like her, now lost forever. t.1
From another stone learned that sea
captain and his wife were reposing beneath in
the same grave-the former aged 26, the latter
23 The following beautiful and pious lines
were also on the tomb: !:
0 Jesus, at thy feet we wait,
Till thou shalt bid us rise;
Restored to our unsinning state,
To Loves sweet Paradise.
But at Laurel Hill there were hundreds o.
inscriptions and tombs worthy of special note
and if | could spend sufficient time, like Her.
vey "meditaung" among them, the result o.
my reflections might enable me to write you
many profitable letters. Suffer me, however
to say all wish on the subject in this one
Immediately upon entering, we were struck
with that most appropriate illustration (Which
is placed just in front of the gate inside) OF
Walter Scott and Old Mortality, whose cele-
braed conversations you will, perhaps, re-
member. | shall bring with me plate repre-
senting the scene, which you shall see.
: Among the tombs my attention was particu-
arly directed to one over two children, Grace
and Julia; another to General Mercer, who was
killed at the battle Of Princeton; and another 10
a mother and her children, by the husband
and father. A branch of rose tree with a
full blown rose, and as many in the various
stages Of budding, as he had lost children; then
beneath all these words, "Faen in their sweet
ness"
The most costly monument at Laurel Hill
is that erected to the memory of Rose, Grace.
and Mary Brown; and il is one of the most
beautiful also; next. we rank that to Joseph S
Lewis, who presided for some years over
Farmount Water Works, which place we
next visited, but have not time TO describe it.
as we have determined 10 leave for New York
this afternoon. IT,NERANr
ALEXANDRIA, July 2, 1916.
MEssRs. EDIToRs: Quite breach occurred
in our canal near Georuetowp evo,;nr hocoxo