The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1872-05-03
THE DRUNKARD'S GRAVE.

flourishcd luXuriantly beside an'
around it. No memorial stone, will
name craven thereon, and little che
rub, with outstretched wings, as j
bearing the departed soul alott t'
glory, carved upon it, marked the
spot where the earthlyrcmains were
deposited. A Scotch thistle, bris
ting with pricklcs and angry.likc
stood sentry OVERT, lrowning upon
IA Bathurst bur that presumed to oc
cupy the second place Of dishonor
near its foot, Modest little wild
flowers grew at some distance, as il
unwilling TO come nearit.
No iron railing, or in the absence
Of iron. no wooden pailings enclosed
it. Nobody living seemed to take
an interest in it, or have any care
for it. II stood, or rather lay ne
elected and iorsakcn; a marked and
striking contrast to some Of its
neighbors. For it was a drunkard' 5
grave.
No weeping willow dropped its
pendent green boughs morniully
over it like a guardian angel with
folded wings watching the sleep
ing dust till the glorious resur-
rcction morn when "thc trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptiblc.' No dark cy-
press gracefully reared lis slender
form close by it, speaking its own
silent language: "Friends, keep his
memory green" 1t was a drunk
ards grave.
No roses with their sweet smiling
faces, looking so happy Of being per
mittcd to occupy such hallowcd
ground, grew about it, or dropped
one of natures pcarly tears upon it.
No violets peeped out with their lit
lie eyes from quiet resting places
around it, making the air redolent
OF their sweet perfume, cmbalming,
in their own quiet way the dead, as
the gentle loving women Of whom
we read in the Scripture, with the
alabastcr box Of ointment, very
precious, did the living. 1t was
drunkard's grave.
The wild, winter winds careercd
unmOlestcd over it, and rushed on
heedlessly past it. The coming
summers hot winds scathed in and
scorchcd it and burntit. 1t was on
ly a drunkard's grave.
Since the hard and hardened
grave digger carelessly and roughly
smoothcd the cold yellow clay Of
which it was made, no other hand
tended it, Since that last dull thud
Of the spade sounded heavily upon
it. pressing earth upon earth. and
clay upon clay, and dust to the dust,
as if the body were not to raise
again, but to 20 down deeper and
deeper, no human foot had stood
beside it, save the passing foot of
the needless stranger, as he slowly
moved regardless along, bearing the
remains of friend or ncighbor to
the narrow house and the long home
''wherc the wicked cease from trOu- t
bling and the weary are at rest" No
busy bee ever paid a flying visit oft,
rested at it, or returned from it Ia ,
den with luciou, honey, gathered !
from opening flowers blooming
around it. This they did not, for no i
flowers invited them. Roses had ,
never been planted, 50 they never t
bloomed. 1t was a drunkard's +
grave.
Cold, bitterly cold, blew the wind :
on that cold day. Mcrclessly beat '
the rain upon that rainy day. The +,
wind blew upon wrctchcd horse, and
still moro wrctchcd driver, upon =
shackly dray and uncovered coffin, it '
blew upon miserable widows, and e
still more miserable looking or
prans, as they moved on slowly and j,
drcariIy, scantiIy clad, along the al
rough bush road towards the drunk, !,
ards grave. c
As he would have nothing to do M NJ
with religion when living, religion Fl
would have nothing to do with him IL
when dead. No solemn words de-
claring II am the resurrection and " "
the life" "llc that believeth on me, Of
though he were dead. yet shall he p.
live" were spoken hopefully over p,
the drunkard's grave.
No words or psalm nor voice of
praise was heard. No earnest pray {
"r went up from holy lips pleading
for the widow and the tathcrlcss.- =
The man had lived a drunkard's
life, and died a drunkard's death. was Il u
buried in, and had thus a drunkard's Il
grave. j.
No hallowed associations cluster {,
around it. No holy memories cling ~
icnaciously TO it. The mans life in
was blank. his death was blot. % .,
The only legacy he left behind was .,
a bad name and a drnnkard's grave
This is it, with tangled weeds IN n,
growing over it. With the rank IN
grass ilourlshing luxuriantly around Of Of
it. That is it with no memorial dc
stone over it. Yonder, where the u
StOtch thistle. angrY-like. frnwns ai n