Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-09-28
DUST TO DUST.


OF religious liberty 10 America almost nothiog
was found. The pick aud spade removed the hard
earth TILL dark lloc was reached, having the
shape OF cOthn. Below there were a few locks
OF slVery hair and some teeth, the things Byron
tells Us that decay soonest 10 life and remain
longest after death. The dead form had disap-
peared aod living form had taken its place
The body of the old hero had become, not
food for worms, but sustenance for au apple tree
A root had forced its way through the bard
earth till 1t reached the crthn, whose lid it lifted,
and whose contents il devoured. 1t had stretch
ed itself over the skeleton aud thrown out d.
vl>lons over the cxtremities. These in turn had
divided and showed the form and position
OF the fingers \ lviug form showed decay
lug one had rested. An apple tree had eaten
up man. From the food it had devoured it
had produced blossoms he children of the grave
digger had plucked. and fruit that he himself
had eaten.
hr. Rodney Welch is authority for the story,
which he gives H. detail. No, always, however.
he adds, does dccaylny body thus immediately
minister 10 The wants OF living body \
traveller IN Central America tells US that the
priests OF L@ou, Nicaragua, reut out burial lots
Tor ten or twenty years, at the end of which
time they sell the boues aud the surrounding
earth to the manufacturers of saltpetre This
mode OF dlsposlng Of the dead is quite as eco
Domlcal as was the disposition OF the body of
Roger Williams.
In either case the body became of service to
man lu medical form soon after if had ceased
to De OF any Use to him in the form it first had.
There Is almost as much poetry in the last case
as in the first. 1t certainly may be cousoling
thought III approaching death 10 that suupy
laud OF perpetual flowers to kaow thai there at
q va IL no nSt nj
must be rare pleasure 10 contemplating how
useful one will be after he is dcad-in consider
erlDg how portions OF ones body may be used
10 maklug jerked bee! and side bacon, On which
his Survivors aud successors may feed and
fatcu.
|; should kindle patriotism in the heart of
dying man to know that he would some time
be worked up into guupoWdcr and used in the
defense OF the honor Of his country We cannot
II We would, long retain the particles uf a body
that once gave JOY to all around it. Even if
the root OF an apple tree does not force its way
into grave, the shovel Of inter maker
does not open it, or a plunderug Arab claim
Its coutents to sell 10 farmers for manure.
some other agencies will operate to rob the
cothn OF It's contents. ln many country church
yards sheep fatten on the grasses that grow up-
on graves.
ln city cemeteries fragrant flowers, planted
by loving hands, attest the fact that they uxu-
rate on the grass sent up from the bodies
beneath them. Secure 1t as we may, and some
hauds will roll away the stone from the door of
'the sepulchre auG thc living will come forth
from the shrouds oi the dead. 1t would seem
TO be vain then TO seek TO locate or long retain
1he little quantity OF matter that once belonged
toi!viug man. Why grapplc for the drowned
beneath the waters of la ke or ocean? Why
seek the miner suffocated amid the debris Of
the fallen gallery? Why search the Arctic
SHOWS for the remains of Franklin? Is it, in
deed, more desirable to feed a willow than
polar bear? Dust to dast'' is the cry nature
Is ever sounding to call home her own. Hud-
son answers it from the pillows of the mighty
bay that bears his uaue; De Soto from the
great river he discovered; Irving from his
quiet home beyond the river he loved Dust
thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return,' is
the solemn sentence pronounced on all who
live, nor can any circumstances long delay or
essentially modify its literal exactons
a common fate at length awaits each human
form, whether like Cromwell's, it is desecrated
years after It's iutcrment, or like Napoleou's,
which, after years of dlshonor on an enemy's
Island. was brought to his beloved capital at
the head OF trlumpha procession such as
never accompanied living conqueror. 1--WE
are as near heaven on the sea as on the land. :"
SAID Sir Humphrey Gilbert to his companions
on threatened ship. so, too, we are as near
The dust whether resting beneath the dome of
ST. Pauls or amid the clods of the valley.
AN EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF LEE. 90 the
18th OF the comlug month the statue of Stone
wall Jackson the gift of ustrious English
men to Virginia, will be unveiled.
1t is good thing 10 perpctuate the memory
OF the dead 10 works OF s,oue and brass, and as
We all cousregate> iu Richmond on the day
aforesaid to join 10 honors to the great Lieu
tenant, let US DOT forget his illustrlous Chief,
oui SELF then the opportunity to initiate the
erection VI an equestrian statue to the mmor-
t-l Confederate leader who, for so many years,
was wall OF defence to the capital of his ma
i've State. NO man who shall attend the Stare
Far or visit Redmond to witness the unveil-
ing Of the jackson statue can plead Inability to
CIV" something. No woman shall hallow that
occasion with her presence who cannot spare
something. No youth or maiden will be there
r, .oo poor to give his or her mite The strangers
y, ncNWoud during the Fair week alone could
a"'sc c"e hundred thousand dollars without
"pri Ie.aoe sacrifice. 1t is ouly needed to
u.aHo INC Ine start The Governor the Auditor
uoc Accounts, and the Treasurer will
,,aeiuIy receive all contributions, aud [ take
,'o t noel'y 10 name them as Cou missioDers of
ins MT. Lee Equestrian S'a'ue Fund, to be dis.
sI ourSsa under Ter the direction Of the General As
Sta, ,ms'n'ans' a Engishmen have given us
rI rrnr;G uc "' jackson Let Vireinians themselves
'''''No ooe ior Lee ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
soaua u a city mar ket the other day, pale faced
i"vmu ba; man took off his hatsmoothed bact Ii,
a,S ba,S .' aou SAID: My friends, we know no5
sta"J IVou " We may fall by the waysile. We
wnh Io ,, ,crc to,day-next week we NAV saen
DAYS t"e mora dead feel that | have only a few
Would d",e l,n, 10 stay, and 1 wish some Of vo,
dish Of ba bat NE hfteen cents so that can get
moved pwan vanva beans" The crowd At ~, onoa .