Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-07-28
FROM OUR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT.

f6OA OU6 6u6OEEAd Coho6s1V0OGNA.
LEIPZIG, June e4th, 1853.
The twenty fourth Of June in Germany is Sain
Johns day, and rsckoned as the beginning of sum
mer. It is one Of the many festivals or hOydays o
the Lutheran Church, and of sl, the most beautiful
in its observances Imust try to tell yor something
Of it. The day is peculiarly devoted to tho remem
brance of the dead. And yet OIo sees little else thai
life and gaiety-a remarkable but not ineongruou
union of mourning and rejoicing
But first, word about German graveyards. Ii
the poetical language of the country, graveyard
called either Goods Aero" or "The Court Of Peace
IND Gods aere is as regiously kept and cared for
Gods house. The rarest, freshest and most tastefu
of all flower gardens in Germany the graveyards
In thom is no unadorned spot to be seen, no mount
upon which the turf not thick fresh and green;
enclosure, however humble, without its rosos, lille
and vines. In oil countries the costly tombs ant
monuments of tho rich moro or less alike; but in Mt
other land are the lo1rly graves so beautiful as il
Germany.
This morning then, as carly rs FIVE o'clock, God'
acre in Leipzig was thronged with busy crowd o
mon, women and children all bearing flowers, flow
ers flowers Flowers in baskets flowers in childrens
wicker wagons with infant faces peeping out from
among them, flowers in handbarrows, flowers made
into huge bouquets, and all manner Of rich eIotic
and dainty bloomlings in pots and vases. And the1
there were all imaginable emblems and devices il
flowers, crosses crowns hearts, anchors, lyrcs harp
md stars. In the above svory grand hereditary
vault, around every polished marble shaft, arount
every time-worn and moss.grown tomb, by the side
every emerald mound, was seated q busy circle o.
fathers, Mothers brothers, sisters, friends. Long
long wreaths were plated and wound about ant
about these lass resting places. The hillocks were
thoroughly mostened and thousands of glisteninl
flowers stuck in among their green coverings. Tht
pots were buried 90 deep in the turf that the graceful
stems rising from them seemed to spring out Of tho
graves bosom. And the emblems were arranged in Q
hundred ideal and touching FORMS The picture wai
as pure, bright as lovely the flood Of morning
light which poured down to illuminate it. This va:
the mornings task.
Lato in the afternoon, when tho sun was nearly
gone the laborcrs, in holyday attire, returned
to look upon these works of love. At this moment
it is near midnight and many arc still there; they
sitting with clasped hands and arc not conscious
Ct the lapse of time; their thoughts are in heaven
Most faces gay and happy, but there were also
many thut told sad talca of DISSOLUTION. In lone
corner by plain grny stone, knott pae, attenuatcd
boy of apparently sixteen; his face was noble and
intellectual, by his sido rested pair Of crutches
Around low cross ut tho head Of the stonc he wound
wreath Of forget -nots and lilies Of the valley
two tiny flowers not found in own bcaming south
but here by every brook-and considered almost sa-
cred. Could any others bo so fitting for such pur-
pose Forget-mo-nots, which havo the color of hoav-
en-, and symbolic hope, and los of the valley, clear
sunlight IND emblemutical Of spotcssness from the
world And were not "the lilies" too honorcd be-
fore all the flowers of earth, when called upon to bear
witness of the all-providng love Of Him in whom we
live and move? An hour after, whom the daylight
barely glimmercd and the dew was beginning to fall,
the pale hoy was stretched upon the gray sone and
his crutches which be had drawn up aso again rested
by bis side. He wept! Such tears are more eloquent
than the proudest mausoleuu,, and such wreath is
fur nobler than monarch's crown!
St Johns day is oyerH and by tomorrow all these
garlauds will be "fadsd and gone" A year from
now, and these places whore buried love ies sleeping
will again be xrsalhea, bn.many p4RK 4 hearts % end
rcst and peace in the everlasting mansions, where
the roses are eternal and the garlsnds never fnde.
J.T.B.