The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-01-04

| new -Hauc BTdNe' "" N"o E'""'i "iNSN
| by, was outstretched a little negro boy,
making desperate attempts to draw a
popular worldly tune from some kind Of
rough pipe. lie had about as much
conception of death, the grave and
Heaven, as little Topsykind Of me-
gro girl in one of the schools Of Rich.
mond who, when asked by the teacher
where she thought she would 60 when
she died, replied 10 the innocence Of
faith and the Ignorance Of bliss, 81 60
to Hollywood, do, when ] die" But
we must hasten, or night will find us
among the tombs.
THE DEAD ESCAMpMEST.
On the two hills to the right Of the
Cemetery, barren, weedy aud harsh to
the foot, By reason Of gravel is pitched
the Dead Bncampmcnt Of the private
soldiers who fought in the Army Of
Northern Virginia, and fallen, are biv.
ouacked here. No sentinel march from
post to post, no watchword is given no
password is necessary to enter this
grim, silent encampmcnt; nodrum beats
morning, noon. and night; no reveill,
sounds the morning muster no cries Of
fall in" Long aud well they fought
and marched they rest now. There
they lie in rows--nol shoulder to shoul-
der, as they marched and stood in battle,
hut head 10 feet, aud feet 10 head
| Away over the hills stretch the rows,
palpable as furrows in field Of grain,
until the vista pains the eyes even unto
tears. The dull wooden head boards OF
this Dead Encampmcnt indicates mus
ter roll Of between eight aud ten thou
sand, and wo found among them repre-.
scntstiyes from every State which com.
posed the late Coniederacy, and also
Maryland. But swcctly they sleep To
gethor here ia the twin brotherhood Of
death They have come TO an eternal
halt on the march they have stacked
arms for tho last time; aod each in his
little ax.by sholtor.teui, has lain
down until the marshaliug =. the las,
grea, day for which all other days were
made Ah Virginia, Virginia, en-.
riched By tltir blood and their bones
your Southern sisters bequcAih them
unto your precious keeping as a legacy
forever
sEEKfSG TnE LOST
! Coming down tho rows Of graves in a
last vain effort 10 discover the name and
grave ola young friend Of our joyous
boyhood days, we encountered in tho
same row a drcrepid old man, who
leaned upon stick, which supported
him when he knelt On one knee at every
headboard and scanned il closely In the
growing twilight His eyes were dim
with age If not with tears. Once he
looked up, aud observing that We we're
similarly employed, inquired, 'ycung
man, have you come across the name
Of ---, on any of these head-boards
That's my son I'm from North Caro-
lima, aud be belonged to tho 26th North
Carolina. They told me he was buried
out here somewhere, but ] cant find
him" The old man looked hard at a
grave in the ncAt row, rs though he
detected something familiar in the name
upon the hcadboard, and went over, but
came back. "No," shaking his head
"it's no, him, and continued, Tom was
a good boy and never did worry me
much but they seripted him, and now
and the poor old father drew out his
handkerchief turned his back, and
walked away to continue his mournful
search through the encampment Of the
dead. We trust good Providence re-
wardcd him and directed his weary steps
TO the grave of his lost son.
But who may count the sum of tears
the heart breaks, the aggregate of woes
and anguish represented herey And
all in vain--for nought. Alas ! alas !!
EVENING AT HOLLYWOOD.
We heard the toll of the evening bel
in the city, but it was met with no re-
sponse from the marbled and moundeC
settlement Of the dead. No lights flick
cred nosong gushed. The very winds
we're still aud silence seemed TO itself
The murmur of the falls, and the wrang
ling Of the James over its rocky bed
were natures only sounds. Slowly w
walked towards abodes Of living men,
The stars came out, and the moon rode
up the eastern sky as the sun sank dOwr
the west
The dead know not that it is night
Sadly, and with a heart full of new anC
} tender feelings--tender with fearful
ness, we entered again upon the pavec
ways Of Richmond, and our ears frs
caught the pulses of its life features, u