The prairie news., 1858-12-09

Poor Lyt, fear these sacrifices to pro-
priety and ancient custom, cost him a
hard rubbing with each of his fists on
his small, discolored eyes.
This was on Sunday morning. In the
evening we all went to the burial. We
arrived at the plantation graveyard be-
fore the procession came, The sky had
become dull and cloudy then, though
there had been no rain asyet. The gray
limbs of the old oaks stretched implOr-
ingly towards heaven, as if praying over
the humble dead Green moss and hoary
lichens covered their ancient bark, while
tufts of brown foliage still clung to their
topmost branches. The ground is COW
cred with drying leaves and broken twigs,
the forest carpet. Dim cathedral aisles
extend into the blue distance, and the
wind sounds through them like an organ.
In the hollows, behind the mouldering
logs, the venerable unburied trunks OF
fallen trees, and on the sunken graves,
the leaves are drifted almost a foot thick.
Nature has gently spread her cloak over
the lowly sleepers. How still they lie;
each withhis feet towards the east, await
ing the dawn of the far off day. No
monumental stone perpetuates the fame
of their simple virtues. Yet, though
"Mcmory DER their tomb 70 trophies
raise the name of faithful servant is
not soon forgotten.
AS / stood thus in solemn thought,
Pa and Mamma rose from their seat on
an old log. Tom and Rosy stopped their
frolic with Fancy. Posey Withdrew her
gentle eyes from the far off forest gale
ries, and called my attention to the coming
procession. The plain black coffin, borne
by four men, was followed by sorrow
full, but picturesque crowd. They are
all ebony faces and rough figures, with
strange looking garments of rich mate
rial but antiquated cut. AS the train
advances, ribbons and turbans Of every
gaudv color recall, spite of the solemn
occasion, the evolutions Of some tantas-
| tic masquerade. As wild and strange,
to a foreigner, would be the peculiar mix
tnre of feeling and carelessness displayed
by the negro mourners. A group OF loud
weeping women passed us as we all as
sembled round the new made grave
One old woman crowned with scarlet
handkerchief, said " Hallelujah! Unca
Mas is up in heben aplayin on de gold
en- harp! Sally Frances, if you don''
mind dat chile, III clean war you out I!
"Aunt Mimy, don't take on so. You
ole mans a waitin' for you up yander-
jest look at dem house niggers, bow dey
holds dey heads up !"
Soon, however. all became quiet, ane
sorrow prevailed. A hymn was sung
with deep devotion its wild notes mel
lowed by the open air into solemn music
Echoed from some distant forest hillside
the anthem peals high and strong, up t
the very skies. Perhaps it rings through
the courts of Heaven itself
Uncle Josh, preacher like the depar
ted, followed with prayer, which branch
es out occasionally into an exhortatlor
The petition was concluded, the cotll
was lowered in solemn silence. My fatll
er took lump of earth, and threw it O
the hollow sounding lid. Mamma dl
the same.
ada" said my father to Pose.
/" come and render the last tribute OF n
membrance to faithful servant"
4 The beautiful girl stood on the brln
q of the grave, her pale face wet with tear
q She half raised her dropping eyes
heaven, as she obeyed the command an
looked for an instant radiant as the al
y gel of Faith. Her old nurse, aunt NJ
II nv, with convulsive sobs, bent down
her feet. The dear child led her ava
4 irving to comfort the old woman. Ea'
- Of MS, down to Tom, contributed pa
,s Of " earth to EARTH" and as the gra
Is was being filled we turned to go, 4
= sunset was crimson in the the Weste
- clouds, and dark shadows were gath'
!, inc in the recesses of the wood, while
walked home; silently muslng on
sleep of the weary, the rest of the hea'
ed laden. At last Tommy raised MS ne'