Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-13

| Thomas, and the Presbyterian. Three
| roads on the same Journey, beacons to the
narrow path. Three different propounders
[ of the Gospel of salvation, thro wing q halo
of learning and religion about that Goodly
Hill and all proclaim in pious homilies
that the great end of man is to know the
great truth
"Virtue alone is happiness below"
and that when good man dies
" His soul is gone, before his dust, to Heaven.
We all love good society, and know it,
and feel its presence, and its absence. We
do not mean that which is thrown up when
I" the nation boils ;" not that which men
form working for common cause, and
thus make them, for the time being, COM
panions not that which makes one prefer
"shoddy," simply because he is rich,
and he has endeared himself to us for his
unbounded liberality, his unlimited bursts
of patriotism, and has gained the title of
Captain, Colonel, Or perhaps General. No,
none of these. We mean Society Hill. A
pretty place it must be. Il is somewhere
up Market Street. 1t IS presumed that
like in the Coffee houses OF London, during
the golden age Of England, the iiterati met
there and discussed the latest publicati ton,
the last written drama ; lawyers met there
to argue some State matter of Importance.
and coolly drink their tod ly. Sewing So
cieties, Soiree Societies, Sound parties.
and similar oDui2m gutherum. DO not
think us facetious. What blessed boon
it is to have happy home circle Around
the family hearth none can tell the JOY
there concentrated until he has tasted and
lost it forever. The society Of ,he freside
ought to be always elevating ought al
10
should be Society Hill. Quality Hill re-
minds one Of a tale called the "New
Comes" wherein good nature is "stuck
up" and b0nhonan2ie is under the protector
ship of bdS 6leu. Genius is born there,
and the lamp is ever lit, not wasted in fit
full glares The locality is an agreeable
one, and splendid buildings are towering
high there, surrounded with magnificent
trees and shrubbery. If you are incredn-
lous, Just take a ramble along Front from
Chestnut and make & circuit of q few
squares You will not proceed very far
before you will be probably confronted
with the odor Of spices and smell
ling gums. You are approaching the
little hill called Sugar Plumb. We
all love plumbs and sugar, especially,
when cherry lips lisp the words "hugar
pums. You would perhaps feel as much
like kissing the one as You would like eat
ing the other. This would be considered
charming. The Irish or Scotch would pro
nounce you very gal!OwS" fellow. This
is an awful hill TO climb-tLe gallOWs hill.
Every body knows were it IS, OF used to be.
It is too gloomy q spectacle to dwell upon,
So to II we say farewell, sic transit g}0TiG
mma0i. Farewell, then, ye Constitution i
ye sunset and Ye vinegar ye piety and
society; ye quality and sugar plumb and
ye ''gallOtCs hills.
Paradise Grove once stood on q round
declivity overlooking the river. 1t has now
lost all the fine shades and is q bleak spot
it is paradise lost-not Millions. Hither in
the halcyon days of their youth the Will
along the river from the sea. They danced
away bright happy hours, eat the philopena
and ''eyes looh'd love to eyes that spoke
again"
Passing from this picture, We cross
over to the city Of the dead, and while
we do SO let us lay al dissipation be
hind, and begin III atonement for our
past Ievity the 03e-prQfuadiS. We have
seen Greenwood of Brooklyn, and the eel !
ebrated Cemetery OF Baltimore, and the ex-
quisite one near st. Louis, Mo-, but We
have seen none that surpasses in monument
tai grandeur, and simplicity and beauty of
arrangement the "Oakdale of Winning |
ton. 1t is a - nao0uneeDtuna gre perslu1ius" |
to the good taste and love Tor the sacred
dead Of the inhabitants.
The ancients selected recesses il the |
wooded heights 70 hide from sight the be-
loved departed. IN Il garden near the
base OF Calvary, Joseph Of Ayimathea pre-
cared 30 rest the Messiah. The Catacombs |
Of Thebes were IL the gorges Of wooded
hills, planted with Trees and i0Ners. Wei
need but take IL evening walk along the
blanks to Oakdalo to behold q sight which
pages from antiquity could be brought to
glorify. CIumps OF native trees and shrubs
seclude those passed away, and the waver
ing, pure white cape jasmines stoop and
rise, and rustic arcQuiem over their graves.