Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-05-14
From Dickens Household Words.
WANDERTNGS IN INDIA.

land, or elsewhere. Ihe tombS, Tor the
most part, are much larger. When first
erected, or newly done up, they are as
white as snow, formed, as they are gen
orally, of chunam (plaster,) which some
what resembles Roman cement; but
after exposure to only one rainy season,
and one hot weather, they become be-
grimed and almost black. The birds,
Aving from structure to structure, carry
with them the seeds Of various plants,
and herbs, and these if not speedily re-
moved, take root and grow pace. A
stranger wandering in the churchyard Of
Meerut might fancy that he is amidst
ruins of stupendous antiquity, if he were
not aware of the fact that fifty years
have scarcely elapsed since the first
Christian corps was deposited within
those walls which now encircle some five
acres Of ground literally covered with
tombs, in every stage of preservation
md decay. was conducted in my ram
5le through the Meerut churchyard by
an old and very intelligent pensioner,
who had originally been private in
regiment Of Light Dragons. This old
man lived by the churchyard, that is to
say, he derived very comfortable in
come from looking after and keeping in
repair the tombs Of those whose friends
are now far away, but thoughts, never
theless, still turn occasionally to that
Christian enclosure in the land of heath
ems and idolators.
q get, sir, for this business" said the
old man, pointing with his stick to very
magnificent edifce, " two pounds year.
1t is not much, but 1t is what I asked,
and it pays me very well, sir. And if
you should go back to England, and ever
come across any Of her family, hope,
sir, you will tell them that l do my duty
by the grave; not that think they have
any doubt of it, for they must know-or.
leastways, they have been told by them
they can believe-that if l never receiv-
ed a farthing from them would always
keep it in repair, as tits now. God bless
her. and rest her soul! She was as good
and beautiful woman as ever trod this
earth"
WHO was she ?"
The wife of an officer in my old re-
niment. sir. I was in her husbands
troop. He's been out twice since the
regiment went home, only to visit this
grave; for he has long since sold out o
the service, and is rich gentleman
The last time he came was about five
years ago. He comes what you call In
cog; nobody knows who he is, and h'
never calls on any body. All that hi
now does in this country is to come here
stop three days and nights-puttin!
10 at the dawk bungalow, and spending
his time here, crying. 1t is there HI
stands-where you stand now-fXin:
his eyes on. the tablet, and sometime
LAYING his head down on the stone, ant
calling out her name: Ellen ! Ellen
Nv own dear ElIenr He did love hes
surely, sir"
Judging from the age of the lady
23-and the date of her death, he mus
be rather an old man now."
"Yes, sir. He must be more tina
sixty but his love for her memory
lust as strong as ever. She died of
fever, poor thing. And for that bus
siness," he again pointed with his site
to tomb admirably preserved, /" I use
to get two pounds ten shillings a-year.-
That is the tomb of little girl of fiv
years old, the daughter of civilian
The parents are now dead. They mu'
be. for I have not heard of 'em or rC
ceived any thing from 'em for more tina
six years past"
"Then who keeps the tomb in II
pair ?"
a do, sir. When l am here wit
my troweI and mortar, and whitewas
why shouldn't I make the outside Of IL
little lady's last home on earth, as brig
and as fair as those Of her friends al
neighbors? / have nursery of 'em,
call it, over in yonder corner-ti
children's corner. Some Of 'em are pa
for-others not; but when I'm ther
doing what's needful, l touch 'em up {
alike-bless their little souls. Al
somehow or other every good ac:iC
meets its own reward, and often whit
we least expect it. Now, for instanC
sir, about three years and a-half ago,
was over there putting the nursery
good order, when up comes a grey-hea
ed gentleman, and looks about the grave
Suddenly he stopped opposite to one al
begun to read, and presently he tot
ont his noel of handkprchiaf and mt