New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-02
ALL SAINTS DAY,

Orleans principally rs day for visiting
and decorating the tombs of the dead. Each
recurring anniversary brings throngs of
people to the places where friends have
been laid to rest. There is much of the
beautiful in the idea it has softening in
fuence, and men and women are made bet
ter by bringing to their minds full sense
of their mortality. Preachers are apt to
make too much of such power, and talk
continually of death. Bishop Hall said
death borders upon our birth, and our
cradle stands in the grave" There is in all
minds an undefnable dread of death; we
fear it as we fear darkness, as we fear to
venture alone into an unknown wilderness,
for
ITO die is landing on some silent shore,
Where pillows never break, nor tempests roar
The philosophy of Socrates can not make
death attractive to sane men, and yet it
must come to all.
Within the city limits of New Orleans
there are about thirty regular cemeteries,
where have been placed the remains of more
persons than are living in our midst. These
were visited yesterday by an unusually
large number of people. The sunshine and
mild weather favored the observance Of the
day, flowers were abundant, and the local
sentiment regarding ALI Saints Day ruled
the hours from morning until night.
The curious little cities of the dead below
Canal street were continually thronged
To the careless sight-seer, the St. Louis
cemeteries-wlth their sidewalk merchants
ard beggars on the outer &alls-wore a
holiday appearance. Much of the display
seemed inappropriate. Bead work crosses
and rings, paper wreaths and china orna-
ments hardly filled measure of grief, and
yet as well meant offerings to the dead they
were not without significance. These ceme-
teries rob the grave of poetry. There are
there no cold and silent graves, no mounds
of green earth covering loved remains. The
sepulchres are above ground, the mourners
wind in and about crooked Streets paved
with glaring white shells made all the more
ghastly by the bright sunlight slanting from
marble tombs.
The Metairie Ridge cemeteries give bet
ter impression. There are shade trees there,
and green sod. The st. Patrick's had not
been neglected, and many tombs there were
tastefully trimmed with evergreens and
adorned with natural flowers. At Odd
Fellows Rest, friendship, love and truth
were seen in the intelligent decorations Of
the burial grounds of different lodges.
Tho Habraxyo 1,xy nj mot
mindful of their dead.
The Firemen's Cemetery was the scene of
many floral offerings, and crowds of people
were there during the day. Relreshmept
stands were at the entrances, and also the
Italian image vendors, offering curiously-
wrought infants at prayer, and representa-
tions of healthy, shiney and most impossi-
BILE angels Within were conspicuous the
family tombs Of Slark and Letchford and
Smith, rich in wealth of marble. Loving
hands had strewn flowers about the grave
of the spotless Sir Knight E. s. Dickeg, to
Templars ."dear son of memory"
Greenwood Cemetery, yet rew, appears
more attractive as home for the dead,
with its regularly laid and long and shady
walks. The tomb owned by the Typograph.
ical Union had been cared for by hands
which left shadows of Grape and substance
Of flowers over many of the marble tablets.
At Greenwood also stands the Confederate
monument, noble work of the sculptor's
art, WITHOUT the marble heads of the four
Confederate Generals at the base, facing
four points of the compass, the heroic figure
at the top of the column might be taken for
a typical American soldier. for death knows
no party or creed, and in the sleep that has
no waking, and in the still marble; there is
no difference between him who wore the
gray and he who defended the blue.
A little further on across the bridge is
the Metsirie Cemetery, occupying the old
race course. At the entrance, some one, to
prevent fast driving, has put up sign:
"This is cemetery, and driving above six
miles an hour is prohibited" Much taste
has been displayed in laying out the
grounds.
The uptown cemeteries were also largely
visited. At the Washington were more real
flowers, emblems which are beautiful offer
ings upon all occasions, and particularly
appropriate for expressing the language of
All Saints Day. Like human beings they
are fair, and like them they droop and die;
the fairest and sweetest sooner falling,
living only in our memories, wet with our
tears, until we take the tomb, and other
hands bring other flowers for us as we have
done,