Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-11-12
DdEcoRaTIxa THE GRAVE.

There is kind of pathos touching ten
Aernsss of expression in these sweet and
fragrant emblems of affection, which is cal
srulated to pcrpetuate kiRd of soothing SYM
patky between the living and the dead
They speak of cords of life too strong for
even the grave to break assunder. The prac :
tice, no doubt, gave rise TO the ancient Gus
tom which prevailed in the east of burying
In gardens, and is one which coDduces to the
sRratifcalioh of the best feelings of our ma
Eture aItprevailed generally in and about
4he Holy City, and also among the Medes,
Persians, Greeks and Romans. The Per-
.sians adopted it from the Medes, the Gre
clans from the Persians. In Rome, persons
nf distinction were buried in gardens or fields
near the public roads. Their monuments
were decorated with chaplets and baIms,
and gatlands of flowers. The tomb Of A.
Whilies was decorated with amaranth; the
urn of PhiIopomen was covered with chap
let's; the grave of Sophoeles with roses and
Ivy; that of Anacreon with ivy and flower
cts. Baskets of lilies, violets and roses.
ewefe placed in the graves Of husbands and
swives-vhite roses on unmarried females.
: In Java. the inhabitants scatter flowers over
-thes bedies of their friends; in China, the
custom of planting flowers on the graves of
their friends is Of very ancient Gate, and
vs3ill PREVAILS ao1t 1854 .al
.'.gI In Tripoii. the tombs are decorated with
sgarlands of arosess of Arabia iasmin, and or
AsBgs and myrtle flowers. In Schwytz,
village in Switzerland, there is a beautiful
little church in which almost every grave is
covered with pinks. In the elegant churcH
yard in WiTin, in the valley of Salza in
sGermany, 1.-The graves are covered with OBJ
long boxes, which are planted with perren-
anial shrubs, or renewed with annua. flowers:
end others are SO dressed on tete days. Sns-
peflded from the ornaments of recent graves
are Little vases filled with water, in which
sseshe flowers are preserved fresh.a Children
are often seen thus dressing the graves of
afheir methers, and mothers wreathing gar
lands for their children Aalate traveller, on
going early in the m orning into one Of The
ssigrase.vards In the svillege of Wirfn, saw
ssixzor seven persens decorating the graves
@.ssaf their friends, and Of some who had been
sahuried 90 years. This custom also prevails
scotland and in North and South Wales.
ss;Ap Apitaph shere says: ...-....ssa ~
ssIy AsThe village madden 1eE grave sh u bring
hhs Il na6len daeg 81 the .aaii
Who nnderneaih this haoavcd turf islaid.s
- In Wales. children have snow~drops, prim.
aafoaea, riolets, hazel bloom. and swallow bios
: aosn son their graves. Persons of mature
sssgFeafs have tanzy, box, ivy and rue. In
4 / aoatila Wales, no aewers OF. eyergreens are
sspermitted to be planted on graves but those
ssswAich are sweet scented. Pinks. polyan-
- shus swssi williams, eilly flowers, earna,ions,
= : niignonette, thyme, hyssoh camomifs, and
= rpsemary, are used.
asSxih Capul, ,burying-grounds are held in ven-
GRAFTON, and were called cities Of the silent.
= Tie ews called them houses Of the dead
sm,Tbc Egyptians visited the graves Of their
friends twice week, and strewed sweet basil
on them. and do TO this day.
While the custom of decorating graves
and graveyards with flowers and ornamental
-sstfees and shrubs has prevailed SO long and
extensively among ancient and civilized ma
tons, some of the American aboriginals will
e not permit weed or blade of grass, nor
: any other vegetable. 10 grow upon the graves
81 of theirfriends.