Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-07-05
GREENWOOD.

/ L
the Brooklyn ferry, took seat in the omni-
bus, and after pleasant ride of few miles
along the shores of the delightful bay OF
New York, | arrived at the large, cumberous
gateway that opens from the busy world into
the silent resting place of the dead.
The surface of the enclosure is remarkably
diversified by hills, valleys, small lakes, open
glades, thickets of shrubbery, and groves of
forest trees. Nearly the entire ground is laid
out in lots, of various shapes and sizes, and
ornamented with iron ratings, and monu-
ments, and statuary, according to the cultiva.
ted or capricious tastes of the various owners.
1t would be impracticable to describe, without
resorting to a-technical catalogue of names
the various shapes and styles of monument
erected in that ground. There are unassum-
ing headstones there are plain slabs, there
are monuments extravagantly costly some
with beautiful and others with grotesque and
fantastic designs-and there are Grecian and
Gothic structures like moderate sized dwell
ings. The most expensive decorations are about
the grave of Charlotte Canda, who died "by
fall from a carriage on her seventeenth birth
day" Though the extravagant costliness of
this monument seems inappropriate and USE
less, yet we may say of its form, and Of its
various appendages, that we can in truth saw
OF very few of the monuments in Greenwood,
that the design seems conceived and execu-
ted in good taste.
can hardly see the appropriateness of going
back in search of suitable designs for tomb
stone, to the ruins of Egypt and deformine
the monuments of the dead with monstrous
forms OF winged globes AMI unsightly ina
ges OF serpents. | can see little to choose
between some OF these images so common in
Greenwood, and the dismal skeleton faces
on the gravestones of the Puritan church.
yards.
There are some points in Greenwood from
which the view Is splendid. There is one on
the southern border of the cemetarv. from
which the ocean prospect is most glorious
For miles to the right and to the left and "a
lar as the eye can reach IN front, you NAV
look off on the blue deep, rejecting from its
mirrory surface the tints of the overhanoino
sky, and whitened frequently with the SWELL
ing sails of numerous ships.
The sun was setting, and I was about leav.
ing Greenwood with disappointment. The
effect, on the whole was not pleasant. There
was much effort at pomp and show, and cir
cumstance. There was too much ambition
in the propretors of lots to out-do each other
in expense Of decoration. There seemed
evidence OF attempts to carry the artificial
and conventional distinctions of society be-
yond life, even to the grave. The most of
names that figure largely on the costly deco
rated lots are not the names known as phi
lanthropists, or benefactors of the race, or
even as contributors to science and literature.
But they are names of such as have acquired
wealth by manufacturing sarsaparilIa," or
pills" or other equally interesting articles
One very tall monument bears, in great capt.
tails, the name of some one, "packing-box
maker, at - Gold street." All these attempts
to glorify, by extravagant expense and bonn
oastlc euloglum. after death, the names of
those who, in life, we're distinguished only
for acquiring wealth by some fortunate acct
dent or artful speculation, seem to me in bad
taste. Nor do l like the publicity of such
cemeteries as Greenwood. The place Is
thronged with the thoughtless and the curl
Gus. The thoroughfares are scarcely less
crowded than Broadway or the Bowery. II
would not, when 90 TO kneel and weep over
the grave of my hearts loved one, have a
hundred idle psssers-by gazing at me, and.
by their profans presence, disturb the sanctity