The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-01

blue pond. upon: itss borders, 4 and sbrocls
gurgling down its flollows. The old grave
yard with NOISY stones and dim inscriptions
is Q little way Off the road In q corner Of q
rough pasture, partly surrounded by an ever
green hedge. In this the monument
to Roger Williams Is to be placed,
and the new-made and yet unturfed
grave of the lone woman who has
left the legacy to the State be founded, will
rest beneath its shadow. But this was not
our first visit there. We knew 1t at once for
place we had discovered years ago In our
wanderings one autumn day, when we drew
away the golden rods and asters to read with
trembling wonder on those rough stones a
record of the sons of Roger. No one had told
us Of them, for they were then and have re-
NAMED unheedcd and uncared for except by
those interested or especially curious in such
matters. But this Is over now. Idle eyes
and careless feet will break the sweet spell of
scclusion and silence that rests like chrism
of sanctity upon that little enclosure. And
the monument--f Rhode Island cannot build
better to her father than she has TO her sons,
one might almost pray for the trees to lift up
instead their strong and graceful archiaves,
the wild flowers bloom and the birds sing
there undist,rbed forever.
Much curiosity is now naturally aroused
regarding the donor, Miss Williams, who,
with her sister, inherited and resided near
this delightful spot. We were fortunate in
having as the companion Of our drive one
who could testify concerning this, as the
lives of these ladies were so retired, and
perhaps peculiar, that few ever knew or be-
came interested in them; but he from his
boyhood had been especially favored, even
partaking of their hospitality, rarely extend
ed, at least to the amount Of most relishing
gingerbread, and therefore delighted us with
his "reminiscences. Whether they were
strong-minded, according to the present
sense of the term, with an ambition for
the ballot, he could not assert, but that
they were strong-minded enough to live
in an entirely energetic, industrious, and
self-reliant manner, seemed evident. Strong
minded enough to dress with an abso-
lutte disregard of all but their own comfort
and convenience, to wear coarse, short skirts
and stout shoes, work steadily, eat frugally,
give sparingly, that theyimight at last leave a
legacy to remind the people of what they
had forgotten, or, at least, neglected too long
for Providence, though distinguished for the
private expenditures and personal display of
her citizens, has as yet only projected the
public libraries, galleries. statues, and parks,
that her wealth should command.
There may be special significance to some
minds in the reversion of these old lands,
for they are portion of the tract set aside
10 Roger Williams in the division of the
plantations to the State that bestowed them,
through the bands Of woman, foreshadow-
ing q time when she will demand some of
those moral and intellectual traits in her
rulers that he so nobly eXemplifed, who,
looking beyond all personal ends and sordid
aims, will he able to honestly assert with him
"And as to myself. in endeavoring after your
temporal and spiritual peace, / bumbly dc
sire to say, if perish, I perish, it is but
shadow vanished, bubble broke, dream
finished. Eternity will pay ALL" What
words to ring through the political atmo-
sphere Of our time. &c.