Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-08
Epitaph i'm RHYME,

'o"Ac oeo"Sc "OiS eHC fuHucious tCoScS.-
The proportion Of fatal casualties to tn
mortality from ordinary causes in thos,
days was almost infni,esimal. Steam ha,
not progressed beyond the tea-kettle stage
and that steed from the stable of Moloch
the iron horse, had not been added to tn
racing calendar. In that day. dreadful
accidents were SO rare. that they usual,
registered in verse upon the grave Of tn
deceased. Among the couplets and stan
zas preserved in the writings Of those Oh
Mortalilies who have taken the pains Z,
scrape the moss and mildew from the lit
erature Of the church-yard. we recollec
the following: 5l.9ss i-.
Here lays.
Killed by chase"
"Here lie,
Killed by sky,
Rocket in the eye"
Weep. stranger, for father spilled.
From stage coach, and thereby killed.
His name John Sykes, maker Of sasscngers,
Slain with thee other outside passengers"
Here lies the body of James Monk, ..-
Suddenly drowned when he was drunk,
He paid his score and cheated no man--
Demortai nsi nisi Jonum."
'.H;c jacet, Tom and Titus Trcssel,
Lost by the swamping of their vessel. iT
A leak she sprung and settled fast;
Payment of Natures debt was asked;
And it was paid-thc debtors failing
To give security by bailns.
Full many storm they nubly braved
And tho they are lost, We hope they are saved"
Thus were "fatal catastrophes" chron
icled upon the graves of the victims.
hundred years ago. An explanatory in
scription was considered in such cases a,
necessary as table Of contents at tn.
commencement of book. And why moi
apply the same plan to modern catastro
Phess liza hundred people are killed by
steamboat explosion in these days, they
are buried at once out of,he way;and when
train is smashed and car full of passen.
gers sacrificed, the directors Of course do
not wish to see the record of the massacre
engrav ed on hundred head stones. In
Spain it is customary to plant cross
wherever murder has been perpetra,ed
If this custom were observed along the
lines Of our railways, in memory Of the
multitude annually butchered through the
criminal carlessness of railroad corpora.
tons and their employees. some good
might come Of it. At least the public
would be enabled to see what the com.
panies were doing. and compare the lists
OF killed Or the vario1s highways of Jug.
gernaut. Each cross should have inscrib
ed on it an epitaph, or some memento ol
the manner of death. and, to avoid any de-
lay which might occur in the preparation
ofepitaphs suitableto the occasion, IT woult
be well to have vast number embracing
every variety Of steam murder. manufac
.ured to hand. printed in sheets like
"mattoes," and peddled in the cars by tn,
boys who sell newspapers and cheap liter
ature, SO that casualty might never fnt
the survivors unprovided with document
that would fit the Case. A small assort
ment of the article. embracing few Of ,h'
styles Of the accident most common OF
railways, is submitted below:
"A sudden pitch
From misplaced switch
Laid me Dead in the ditch"
''l1ere repose two victims sta-ked
At one blow BY the same snake-head."
"What is life 7 'Tis but n vision,
Here died by collision,
Twenty more died by the same.
Verdict-'Nobody to blame"
''Sister, mother aunt, and me
were run over. Here we be,
We should hive had time to mizrle.
Had they blown the engines wlflstle~
Sweep roand sthe curve
Whose outer hexure bordered an abyss,
The cars were canted down the precipice.
And seven of US killed. But what Of that 7
Twas the curve did it; and tho engineer,
Being upon bender. was excused"
'Train-borne traveller, rushing by,
As thou passest wipe thine eye.
Here well filed with freight.
Killed sixteen and wounded eight.
For moment friends be wnepeu,
As you pass the railroad sleepers.
You may share our fa,e--twhy not I
Ere you reach the next depot"
AIN line, baak from this stone,
Lie crushed corpses ffty-one.
The conductor asleep: ..-. -l
And the engineer likewise,
Fur u shouze closed his eyes,
But Heavens watchful cnre sustained,
Neither Of the two was brnined.
Plying reader, drop tear .r
For the car and engineer"
"Hcre are deposited the hones
(The flesh being torn of)
OF an unknown man,
Who being deaf blind, and lame.
Neglected to obey the customary signals
And was run over as punishment
For his eontumscy.
The engineer promptly stood the engine
After it had cut the body in two.
And, with most exemplary humanity,
Conveyed the remains to an adjacent woodshee
Where all means of restoration were tried
But. alas
The rstal spark had fedt
For the humanity they displayed, Ha
The engineer and signal men
Were presented by the company
With n service Of plate.
Go THOU AND DO LIKEWISE"
This epitaPa system might be applied
with advantage on the shores Of our west
ern rivers--especialy the Mississippi. The
dull monotony Of voyage up stream
would be agreeably relieved by perusal
of the various obituary gems with which
the margin of the father Of waters" might
be appropriately s;udded-S4nday Times.
Manuelita ROsas.
In the impending crisis in the fate Of
Dictator Resas' Of Buenos Ayres, the fol-
lowing account ofhis distinguished daugh
ter from private letter from en- Ameri.
can gentleman, will be read with inter.
es;
"Thereisone redeeming purifying spirit
about him. his daughter. Manuelita Rosas
a noble, graceful. accomplished, splendid
woman. She alone can exercise any
soothing influence over the savage feroc-
ity Of the father. 1fa good act be done
by the Government, her hand and her