The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-22

observation Of the French Grave Yards 81 New
n.,..n. and the sceocs fn them on All Shnte
Day. He says;
y. -..n. beforehand the preparations are In
.asr..s and dnringa few days previous those
ysi.s An the se.sbborheod, or having occasion 10
visit IL, may SEQ setsaa,s psssaas sna ispas.lhs
~hIch bouquets and garlanes Of paper, masltn or
~sY aower.pots containing living flowers, and
taoers in silver caodlestcks, richly trimmed with
eut paper, peep forth.
70 enter any Que of the several Grave Yards
ahnut this time, 10 to meet all the confusion OF
preparation inctdeut to a drawing.room jest be
isrs the celebration Of = fee Nor IL their said TO
he wanting the addition Of some home prepare
tioes likewise-at any rate among the gentler
sex for Il 10 understood that for fair Creole TO
appear At the Grave Yards upon All Saints Day
in any other gaIb than that of . new dress and
bonnet, would be-, II not to incur the penalty, at
i.ast 10 repeat the sic Of the guest without the
wedding garment
On the arrival Of the day, the vicinity for
squares 10 every direction IL lined with human be'
ings, and police force IL in waiting for the pnr-
pcse OF maintaining the requisite order and deco
rum Ere m an early matin hour, when the Bishop
and Priests are in attendance. and high msss IL
performed until the time Of vesPers-a service
which also constitutes part Of the ceiebration--
all the Grave Yards are thronged with visitors
These pour through each successfully, 10 such
rnultiiudes that the sastness Of the crowd resen
bles that often seen elsewhere at public fair or
popular exhibitions: and this coDcourse 10 conpos
ed OF all ages in every rank color, and condi ion
the gates being open alike TO rich and poor,
white and negro. citizen aud stranger. A touch
ing appeal for q moment detains each one who
enters within the gateways. On either side 10
table at which are seated some three or fonr
children, eoarsely but comfortably ciad-these are
the represeI tatyts OF the reepectiyeS Orphans
Asyjums--on the one hand OF the males, and on the
other Of the females.
Their solicitation Is the mute appeal of their own
dependent guise, end the money box which Stands
upon the table before them. But there are iew
hearts that eau Withstand an application thus
made at such time aud place, and many arc the
coins which rattle into the one box or the other,
as every conner or party forces o passage
through the crowd.
Tbe to,nbs, aiso to the stranger, sf Jrd, at this
time more Gu rfons and erestiog spectacle taan
~ any other. They present themselves trimmed
With fowers of every various kind aud color, both
natural and artificial; and generally win ouco
regard % tas,e-some Of them spresdiog over
whole sides of the tombs. sf.er the fashion oil sine
covered walls, aud others entwined IN garlaDds
around their pillars add projections. some %
them differ, in % modest display Of only 10" whIie
blossoms or delicate flowers Of the same spofless
hue. Ooe or two are aniqae, ia being dressed III
disiain oil floral ornaments according to nature
doubtless from consideration ~ their coior neihR
the bad ze OF mourHiug-and they exhibit speci.
mems If black cut paper, formed still with some
regard to unity, into wres;hs. made up into the
shapes Of different Covers. Yetanother Class are
hing with drapsry of Grape. silk. or velvet,
white black in color. aud festooned with bows OF
r,bbous 10 correspond or contrast.
In addition to their trimming OF flowers. The
tomos, on All Saints Day, are studded with burn
Tag candles tastetuliy arranged on their fronts
Tue light Of these ~, Of course greatly diminished
b. the glare OF day; ba, 1t has, nevertheless, "a
sin gular and imposing eu1ct.
Toe impression left upon the mind by the whole
exhibition, resembles that excited by some pleas.
Ing pageant, and IL Ia only on recalling it to MUD
after this IMPRESSION has had time to wear away
that IL awakens any ideas connected with the
grave. On calm revisw OF the scene, however,
You are led 10 reflect that it was q benefit AS it
were given TO the dead; and the idea 10 gratifying
10 Que " no is moulded in the same likeness, aud
acknowledges kindred clay. 1t Is pleasing to
learn that so much honor eau be paid to the de.
parted and the wish is inspired to lie, When
you III lst BID adieu 70 earth, where. sur: ouTded
by decorations produced once year by the hands
Of those you loved 10 life, vast crowd shall a..
sembe to hold anniversary beside youI roInsius.
There, too, 10 the absence OF those
-"bugbears OF IA winters eve,
The Deep, damp vsHs. the mat'ock and the
No cold earth rests upon the &C ffs, but single
aiah separates it from the light OF dsy
Persons wishing to obtain, either for themselves
at their death, or for their friends, an Unlimited
right Of intermeut as to time 10 one Of tho ovens
OF any Of the Grave Yards, may do SO by paying
the requisite COST namely. double the sum that
is exscted for the three years privilege Of burial.
Bus, where individuals are found willing to meet
th- charge they. generally speaking, prefer to
eiss still more for the sake Of procuring lot in
the premises, on which they may construct
tomb.
One tomb sometimes encioses a whole family,
from the venerable grand parents down to their
latest descendants Thus, at each successive
death, no additional cost is incurred, beyond the
expense OF the funeral, and that OF afterwards in
scri5ng another name upon the marble.
Their inscri, lions present TO the eye every va.
reIy in French nomenclature az applied to our
race and To such are able to read these names
with their correct accent rhey appear to contrast
very fsvorably with those of an American Gene
try Ia their more euphOneous sound THIS 10
true not only a. regards their christian, but also
their snrnames; though OF the former, 1t may be
said especially The names OF their females Ia
particular, are exceedingly musical to English
ears. So much Is this the case. that in reading
any one OF chem on tomb, IL 10 difficult TO ina
CINE that 1t belonged to iife to an other than y
young and lovely being. But @ glance at the
dates frequently serves to correct an erroneous
impression Of this sort-discovering, perhaps, u
person who died ut an advanced age, and by shs
re,t of the account, full Of infrmites
AS in ali otber grave yards, there is 10 be found
her. great diversity Of carved devices UPON the
different totnbs, together with the Ordinary abun.
dance and quality OF elitaph ia rbyme. X h
somewhat remarkable. however. that puerile sen.
tiaiepts appear less trinbg 10 French than IN ling
lisn verse; probably because tbs oue language IA
net capable OF subiim'ty az the other, aud con-
sssuentiy, less is expected from it.
luscTIDtlOn6
of these Grave Yards from settings of dust, and
numberiess other defscing marks of time is yor.
tiny OF observation. This is to be attributed to
the constant washing to which the tombs are
subjected. by undergoing this process eontiuu-
ally, they appear new. This Indication Il
fresa ia considered by the natives az iupor.
tant IS the show Of flowers, indicating their epdef
recoi. riion Of tho dead. Indsed, q single fpeck
Of impuii,y left upon the white suffice Of the
marble ID looked ppon IS mark OF disrespect per-
mittsd 10 the deceased; while, in like manner, on
the other hand, every attention bestowed upon
tbs io.nb Il regarded az tii5ate to their
Mpry.
Another circumstance that gives peculiar air
ef Deafness to Ihsse places, Is not muc. the
excellent keeping Of the walks, as the material
with which they are covered Instead of being
s;rewu with gravel or SAM. they s:e everiaif with
noe shells. These,beiDg Ofa milky white, co ntras.
agreeab'y TO the eye with the scs,,ored snrrouuts
ing shrubbery, aud the adornmeat If everareo ns
aud flowers, aud suggest, at the sane time the
ldes OF great cleanliness and purity.
Ia connection with the subject Of the Grave
Yards IL may not be amiss to tiUdd 10 the Creole
manner Of attirins the dead. With those Of tn.
North, To whom the corpse 10 usually presented
In tbs snowy vestnre OF the shrogd, 1t would APP
pear strangely amiss 70 behold IL clad in the ar
nents worn In the . ash OF existence Yet such
is the mode OF arrayiug the dead in New Orleans
A man laid out ia his cofha, 10 dressed in a full
suit OF dark broadcloth, with vest, crayat and
boots II he be married, the vest Is black; If sin.
gle, IL Il white. matfou, III like nner. ia ar
rayed in black silk dress, tightly fitting to her
form while the corpse of young female is at
tired in q fashiouably cut bodic. and skirt of
white sa.ia. 10 30 unimportsnt a matter as the
last sad vestuents OF mortality, csstoui may very
well be the arbiter Of practice Bat where fash.
ion has associated it with The dead there appears
n ocular htnsss In the sbruud. Its spotiess hue
ifs stiff fills aud pointing, Its carefully pressed
folds, ali ssem appropriate and solemn aud it is
difficult after having been familiar with these to
become rscobciied to the custom OF burial in the
Ordinary clothing.
II 10 likewise common with the old French pop
uls,iou, on the occasion Of death, to throw opea
the whole house and expose the body In state to
visitors Through this practice. formerly more
universal than II is at present, II 10 said 10 have
been then an easy matter TO discover the amount
OF mortality existing at any particular period 10
the city. Bat the custom nov u much less in use
Iud ,ed, like many more OF The time honored forms
derived from the freDch and Spanish settlers of