Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-12-01
WEEPING WIDOWS.
Asserting the Claims of Affection.
Rtom he Roche,ter pemocrat.

that is not very well. II Is customary IN civil
lied nations for the widow 10 90 to the grave
of the departed one a; the hour Of sunset, and
shedding few tears and arranging The inevi-
table flowers, 10 goaway with handkerchief to
her eve. The widows Of Mr.. Young adopted
this beautiful custom as one woman, and.
owing to the absence Of the police and lack
of the regulations imperatively necessary 10
the premises, there arose much confusior.-
The first to visit the grave, oddly enough, was
the last that was welded 10 the excessive hus-
band. She had hardly settled herself and be-
gan to ooze when there appeared on the mel
ancholy scene two others, each armed with a
watering pot.
What DO you want here ?" she said TO The
intruders in low voice much DISTRACTED by
tears. "Is no. my grief sacred from the iu-
truson of the hollow world. Depart. and
leave nc with my dead :"
The invaders had been weeping likewise
but the surprise they experienced drove back
the unbidden tear. "Well, here is impu-
dencew they said one to another. Your
dead, indoed How long. pray, had you been
married to our dead husband 2'
1.-TWO happy, happy years" said the kneeI-
ing widow, sobbing violently. " And he was
always good to me- My heart is breaking
wish you would 60 away :"
A. n. -, ..... -. a. Ill, - tb;s eaf1
the inirudcrs, one to another. "Ouly two
years and our dead husband was welded to
us nearly quarter OF a century Aud ye,
this upstart would drive us away from this
sacred spot-this apprentice would say that
We, who passed the larger part Of our lives
with the sweet one who has passed away, have
naught which memory is bound to respect"
4" He was more mine than yours :" said the
hollow voice Of woman n little distance
persons in this world. | tell you. Thirty
years ago we plghted our troth, aud there
was uninterrupted happiness between US pto
the hour Of bis death | put the last plaster
on the noble breast, and il was this hand that
gave him his last spoonful Of paregoric.--
Stand aside and let me weep upon his grave"
Not so fast" exclaimed lady Of much
age AMI fatness, who had just appeared. bar
ring the onward movement Of the last speaker
with her trembling hand. II there is any
question as to rights here, let my white hairs
speak for me- Bear 10 mind, you simple
things, the old remark that age should be per-
mtted 10 20 before beauty. lie was my hus-
band in his youth, and | cannot forego my
rights now that he has gone. lie. me weep
first upon his grave, even il you forbid me the
sacred privilege Of remaining there for a con-
tinous gush.7
The fat thing" exclaimed a still older
and very thin lady, pushing her way to the
front That odious person? Never new
er My dear husband always hated her lie
has told me so repeatedly" 81 pray that
this disgusting argument may cease y said
firm but fine voice Ny dear husband would
not like 1t. It is not rcspectful.--
Whatever other affections my dear husband
may have had, it is well-known that ! was his
favorite. IS such he told me all his sec rets.
Many is the time he ha, said to me, Amelia,
would that they were all gone but yon. -
Surely no lady will have the hardihood to de-
Gle bis grave with her tears after this. Meth
er age nor youth as such can have q place at
my dear husbands tomb. Stand back, al of
you know my rights" We draw veil
over the scene that followed. Suffice il 10 say
that tears, watering pots, bits Of hair, and
ehreks were painfully conspicuous. Tho sa-
cred spot was profaned with actions which
would shame the contending armies Of the
East, and peace was restored only through the
vigorous intercession Of several Of the brethren
Of the church. 4 compromise was effected
after few days, but thus FAR that does not
work satisfactorily The grave was divided
into nineteen imaginary sections, each dis
tinguished by white post little distance Of,
marked respectively Number ], " Number
2" &c. These sections we're sold 10 the wild
ows q, auction, the receipts 70 be given to tic
church. OF course, the richest widow got Tho
best section, and 60 on down through the list,
aud it may well be imagined that the best
feelings Of the human heart arc thereby triiled
with, though i, is impossible to see how It IS
to be avoided. The mourning goes on at sun
set, but it is not regular and easy, and the
proprieties are often violated.
Get off my dress p said number 3, pokiDs
her elbow spitefuIIy into the side Of number5.
"Stop stopping your tears over on ny Sec
ton p ezclsims number to number 10
"Cant you cry without mussins my new
silk all over !" asks number l3 Of number u.
Don't make 50 much noise with your
beastly sobbiDgl It sounds like horse at the
watering trough - yiciously says another num-
Der.
GOOD heavens You've smashed M bon
netlo shrieks another, cutting her grief 10 two
in the middle.
ave as good a right here as you have
is the return. Its as much my corpse as il
yours, any day y
And SO the mourning aud weeping 80 on,
and the solemn sunset is regarded all over
Utah as the signal for smo,hered thunder,
with great clash Of arms is continually ap-