The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-08

Smith, Terrence and Wiltshire, and
ye local of the Courier We were
carried out in an omnibus, and had
the promise of pleasant and inter
esting time, but an unexpected rain
somewhat marred the pleasure of the
excursion, and cut short our rambling
through this beautiful city of the
dead. a..
f. There is always, to us, melancholy
interest in wandering through a
graveyard, and many touching lessons
are impaired by those silent marble
monuments that mark the last resting
place of the departed Mans NOR
tally, and the brief space there is
between the cradle and the tomb are
impressed upon the mind, and if the
solemn admonitiOns are properly pom
| dered, one leaves the hallowed spot a
wiser and better man. But we do
not meanato moralize, but to make a
brief note of Oak Hill Cemetery and
its surroundings. a,e,Ise d,
To citizens, of Evansville who have
frequently visited it, we need not say
that Oak Hill is one of the most beau.
tiful Cemeteries in the West. The
grounds comprise about seventy acres,
embracing two knobs of gentle ac-
clivity, the highest point being near a
/ hundred feet above the adjacent low
Landslide knobs separated by gen.
tie undulating valley, and gradually
declining to the level Of the surround
ing plains -
1.-THE grounds are regularly laid out
and trayersed by carriage ways and
walks. Where the lots are sold they are,
generally, very handsomely ornament
ed with eyergreens, shrubbery and flow
ers. q Many of the graves bear marks
of the most delicate affection and con
slant attention. ~ A-f
There are great many very hand
some and costly monuments and fine
" finished tombs, and many are the
touching inscriptions that meet the
eye, as you wander among the silent
graves. r,s. -,..f-.s
Among many other touching in
scriptions and significant symbols, We
noted on one grave-stone two doves
sitting lovingly together. On the
marble we read this inscription:
Mary Lue and Jenniesswere lovely in
their lives, and in death they were not
divided 1t was double slab, and
on the reverse side the dates indicated
the deep bereavement of the parents.
February 27-March 4th were the
dates of the deaths. Next to this, a
sleeping lamb reposed on the marble
slab, and below it was the tender in
scription: "Our darling johnny
early saved" One little grave had
been thickly planted with conical
shells, artistically arranged with their
points all upward-a work Of patience
and care that nothing but mother
affection could inspire
On the beautiful italian marble
that marked the sleeping dust of a
young wife, was classically chiseled
e hand, the index finger pointing up
ward. Above it we read" Gone
;. Home"
, These are few only of the many
tender and touching inscriptions but
the rain drove US to shelter far too
soon-or we could have fingered for
hours in this lovely spot, reading
"sermons in stoes." 3aea9g,g .
A grave was being dug in the Lei
belonging to the Brotherhood of Odd
Fellows, for Brother deceased, and
many mounds of earth taught us that
deaths unrelenting scythe was still
pursuing its unceasing work. Con.
! spicuous amid this ever widening city
: Of the dead, are the plain white boards
that mark the spot where sleep heroic
! dust-the brave soldiers who fell de-
| Tending their country's flag. Nearly
five hundred of these witnesses of
peoples devotion to their country, are
& clustered together in Oak Hill Gene
terry, representing almost every North
. ern, and few of the Southern States
!. Vermont, Missouri, Kentucky and
d Michigan braves lie here like broth
: ers, side by side.
r Now and then we find soldier
. grave marked with handsome mar
:. BILE slab, erected by afectionatt
q - - :. u q