Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-02-10
Trinity Churchyard.
By FREDERIC 8. cozzENs.

A friend of mine, who had been for
many years upon the northwest bounda.
ry survey, returned at last to his native
city. While upon the Pacific coast he
had made the acquaintance of young
frontiersman--a youth who had been
born on the northwestern border of Mis-
sour, and whose family, following the
western tide of emigration, had. at last
pitched tents in Oregon; while he. still
impelIed BY the exploration thirst had
wandered up into the remoter wilderness
of Puget Sound, on the extreme limits of
Washing ton Territory. aa7
Ny friend said that be was singular
" well informed man for one who had
led such wandering life in bookless
land. Every scrap of printed matter
that fell in his way he perused with avid
ity, and being blessed with a memory
I" like wax TO receive. like marble to re-
taiD,"' whatever he read was firmly retain
ed. Besides, he was of such an inquir-
ing mind that whenever he met a stran
ger from the states, it would be curious
llu66u III u0 ulu NV OAtfdOb SOtuO
nation from him. Thus, by d int Of these
three faculties, be had acquired an aston
ishing knowledge of our Revolutionary
history and the histories Of the subse.
quent wars, and 10 many instances could
cite with wonderful accuracy and minute.
ness detail Of events, connected with
facts, dates, aud persons, that might have
put to the blush many college bred
youth of bis own age. sTad ia.''. - &c
Nv friend tho engineer, az sr his re-
turn to New York, kept up correspon-
dence with the Washington Territory
frontiersman, and one day received let
ter from the latter stating bis intention to
visit the great city. He had never seen
a city 10 his life. The Aspinwall steam
or in which he was expected arrived at
last, aud In the list of passengers was
the name of the frontiersman. But he
did not make disappearance at the house
of his q1ondam friend until nighlfall.
Bv some chance he had wandered into
Trinity churcbyard, and there passed the
day. l.
{ After the customary salutations were
over. +" George" said he, addressing the
engineer. his eyes dilatii G as he spoke,
" l have had my very soul moved this
day with what l have seen.
!" Sir, / have seen the tomb of Alex
auder Ha milton, the soldier, the patriot,
the statesman And beside il the mod
est stone that is set over the grave of his
wife Eliza, who was the daughter of
Philip Schuyler. one of Washington's
greatest generals. | have seen the mon.
ument of Albert Gallatin, one of the
leaders in the western whisky iusurrec
ton, and afterwards SO worthy and tried
saw there the tombstone of Michael
Cresap, first Captain of the Rifle Battal
ion, who died in l775-'a son. so the
inscription runs, 'of Colonel Thomas
Cresa2,' Surely can this be a sou of
the cruel Colonel Cresap who murdered
in cold blood all the family of Logan,
the friend of the white man, and drew
forth the famous message to Lord Dun
more from that warrior: There runs not
a drop of my blood in the veins Of any
living creature! This called on me for
revenge. have fought for it. have
kille many. I have fully glutte6 my
vengeance. For my country, rejoice at
the beams of peace-but do not harbor
a thought that mine is the joy of fear.
Logan never felt fear. Hewill not turn
on his heel to save his life. Who is
there to mourn for Logan9 Not one!"
at seemed to me-" said Tie frontiers
man, Z" asfl read the inscription upon the
stone of Captain Cresap, as if the blood
of Logan was crying to me. from the
ground. Near that stood an altar shaped
tomb, on which was an inscription which
filled me with awe aud reverence. Oh!
what simplicity was there, what filial ten
derness, what resignation, and what
faith! As if the overcharged heart could
but repent the beloved name, and tho
certain hereafter: '7s~ -
/ "My Motheri
Ia The trunp pet shall sound,
I. And the dead shall arise r 3s i@.s
\ No other words were there. As /
read the inscription. l could almost fancy
the sound of the trumpet echoing through
space, and the heavens opening. Sc 49,
"Near to this tomb" continued the
frontiersman, T" saw another that recall
ed to my miad Gray's Elegy:
sCen storied urn or animated bust. a5
Back to its mansion call the feeting breath ?" ..
This marble monument had once been
very elegant, but it bad fallen into decay /;
the railing around it was choked with
weeds and dropping to pieces with rust !;
the inscription itself had scaled off so as
to be no longer readable; the sepulchral
urn that had formerly crowned the sum-
init of the structure was now broken
from its pedestal, and thrust into the
arch that ornamented the upper part of
the tomb, looked like a head that had
been decapitated. Near 10 that was the
beautiful tribute to the memory of the
hero, Captain James Lawrence, d of the
frigate Chesapeake, on one end of it his
dying words: Don't give up the
shipP 81 g..li.. Ia ~e
"But the saddest of aIl was tue tomb
stone of the eight little children of John
and Effie Lewis, recording that they
died within few years of each other
the eldest being only four years old, and
the youngest only four months. And