The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-10-03
SKETCH IN A GRAVEYARD.
BY o. l.. CRANMER.

4 lkh!'ohELOH LIN AIRfhP GGARD. 8
BY o. L. cRANMER.'
Having a desire, at certain times of
4 being alone, in sad and solitary places,
at the most solemn hours L, one evening
in particular, indulged my peculiar.
taste, and wandering off into a neigh
boring graveyard. twas the twilight
hour, and in the autumn Of tho year,
when there was ne sound that broke.
upon the hallowed precincts Of the spot
| except the falling now and then of the
scrc and yellow leaf--fiJ emblem of the
dissolution of human nature and its
frailty-that, MS | stood musing by tho
tomb of one who in early life had con-
signed himself to premature death. I
was interrupted in my musings, which
unconsciously had stolen upon me, by
the sound of footsteps, which caused me
to direct my gaze from whence it had
proceeded.
| At short distance from the spot
where stood was female form, stoop-
ing above green and grassy mound,
which was surrounded by white paling
fence. She seemed to have hcr atten-
tion riveted on the ground at her feet,
and it was very evident she had not no.
ticed me.
| know her. It was Eliza --, the
pride of our place. Mild as the sum-
mer zephyr which waved her raven
tresses, gentle as the dove, meek
as the lamb, and pure and stain
less as the driven snow, she was
beloved by all who knew her. She
was just budding into womanhood, with
all the freshness of the child added to
the dignity and micn of the woman.
Her beauty was so angelic, you feared
almost to take ill its enchantmcnt at
once, lest it should be but the baseless
fabric Of q vision,' or as meteor, which
ere we've said show beautifully is past
and gone.
Having seated myself at the foot of
an old forest tree, in remote part of
the yard, which seemed to have with
stood the blasts and tempests of centur-
les, gave way to the multitude of
thoughts which thronged my mind. I
thought of the instability Of human aE-
fairs, of the uncertainty of life and the
certainty of death. / saw that change
was written upon every thing in the
most legible and speaking characters;
that from youth to manhood, from man
hood to old age, we were shifting posi-
tions and changing about. The contem-
plation Of the material objects of nature
taught me the same great truth, that
it was written on the falling leaf, the
withercd flower, the bubbling stream,
aud in the voice Of the singing bird. In
the busy haunts Of society, or the ST.
lencc of solitude, could see naught but
change, change, change!
Suddenly the moon burst forth in al!
her spcndor, dispelling the clouds which
had obscured her brightness, and like
royal queen she walked along the jew
clled pathway of the blue concave, shed.
ding her softened rays Of beauty on the
silent 'city of the deads
The latencss of the hour admonished
me to retrace my steps. | arose and
turned my course homewards. My
curiosity prompted me to pass by the
tomb where I had seen Eliza. AS I
reached it, opeEed the little wicket.
gate which gave entrance to the enclo-
sure, and passing it, bent down to read
the inscription on the plain stone slab.
l saw the name the mystery Of her
visit was explained. AS leant down
I beheld abeautiful wealth of the rarcst
and choicest flowers, which were so in
geniously interviewer MS to make the
words, MY Fathers Craze" 0, what
a power has pure, disintcrested affec.
ton! 1t had promoted her to this act
of duty to the memory of the departed.
In those three words, what o volume of
faith, purity and love! AS | stood ga.
zing there, tear started from my eye,
and mingling the dew which rested on
the wreath, added tho tribute of an
overAowing heart to the tribute of
daughters undying love.
I could not tear myself away from
the spot, so pure an atmosphere sur
rounded me. | thought of the long
years that had passed since that fathers
head had sought its last resting place,
and then the inquiry arose, how many
daughters such as this keep fragrant, by
the tokens of their love, the memories of
departed parents.
If it be the spirits Of the departed
are at certain seasons permitted to re-
visit the scenes of earth, and hover over
and guard from harm those they loved
in life, the spirit of that sainted father
hovcrs around the person of his child,
and by his influence leads her in the
paths of Purity, Piety and Faith.
i Let US keep green the memories of
| tho denarted