Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-09-02

earth On these was piled dirt 10 the depth Of a
foot or more, but 50 loosely, that the myriads Of
flies found entry between the loose clods, down 10
the cracked seams of the cofins, and buzzed
and blew there their oUaria, creating each hour
their rev hatched swarms.
But sound there Of sorrow within that
wide Gehanna. Men used TO the scent Of dissolu-
ton had forgotten all touch Of sympathy Uncouth
laborers, with their bare shock heads stood under
the broilng heat Of the sun, digging in the earth
and as anon they would encounter az obstructng
root or stump, would swear hideous oath remove
to another spot, and 90 on digging as before. Now
and then the matt0ck or the spade would disturb
the bones of some former tenant Of the mould for
gotten there amid the armies Of the accumulated
victims, and the sturdy laborer with a grin, would
hurl the broken fragments the sward, grOwl
forth energetic d-n, and chuckle in his excess
Of glee. Scnll bones were dug up from their long
sePulchre, With ghastliness staring out
. From each lack-lustre eyeless hole
without eliciting Alas poor Ycrick, aud with
only an exclamation from the digger, OF " room for
your bctters
Economy Of space was the source of cunning cal
culaliOn in bestOwiu" away the dead men. SIDE
by side were laid two, Of gigantic proportions.
central projections Of their collins, left spaces be
tween them ut their heads and heels. This was
TOO much room 10 be filled with earth. How shO uld
the space be savel2 Opportunely the material Is
al hand, for "a cart comes numbering in, with the
corpses Of Il mother and her two little children
Chuck the children IN the spaces at the heads and
heels Of the Iltans and lay the mother by herself,
out there alone \ eomrade for her viii be found
anon and herself and babes viii sleep not the less
soundly from the uuwuntcd contact
The fumes rise up in deathiy exhalatons from
the accumuatng hccatOmbs Of fast-coning corp
ses. Men wear at their noses bags of camphor
and odoI0us spiccs-for there crowds there
who have no business but 10 ]. Ok on and c0utem-
plate the vast congregation OF the dead. They
don't care if they Cie tbemselyes-they have be-
come So used so the reek Of corruption. They even
laugh mt the ri0tiags of the skeleton Death, and
crack jokes in the hOrrd atmosphere where scarce
~ they can draw breath for utieraEcc.
The stoical negroes, too, who ara hired at five
dollars per year 20 assist IN the work Of interment,
stagger under the sitting fumes, and can only be
kept at their work by deep and continued pOta-
tioHs Of the " fire water. They gulp deep droughts
Of the stimulating huid and reeiing to their tasks
hold their noses with one hand, while With the 9th
CT they grasp the spade, heave on tAr'uou,d, and
rush back the bottle t. gulp again. ft is jolly
time with these cbon IaLUrcrs, and with their white
co-workeTs-us thoughtless and jolly, NJ full
much Intoxicated as themselves.
And thus, what with the songs and OILS e1e icsLs
Of the grave dg-eFs the buzZng of the hes the
sing-song cries Of the Auxter women vending their
coufecti0ns the hCarse oaths of the men who drive
the dead carts the merry whistle Of the boys and
the sitting reck from scores Of blaekeued corpses
the day apace, the work ofsepulture is done,
and ugiit draws the curtain.