The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-07
Long Cane C%hurchyard and the Gem.
etery.

We call the attention of the people OF
Abbeville and the surrounding country
TO the present condition of the church.
ward at Long Cane and the cemetery ut
Trinity Church. These two places OF
burial, especially the former, arc not in
that state which would reflect credit on
our people and show that we reneratc
and hold dear tho graves Of II dead.
The stranger riding on the highway
which skirts long Cane churchyard cam
not fail to be struck with wonder At the
appearance presented by that lonely for
est graveyard. nc sees fences topping
over or lying flat, he Sees scores OF dilap-
idated tombstones, some lying prone and
shattered on the ground, while the tomb
stones that stand erect are many of them
hidden by rank weeds, wcatherstained
and lichen-covercd until the hamc and
years and clegy are undcciphcrable.
Should the traveller dismount and enter
at the crcaking gate, moved by natural de-
sire to know what city Of the dead This is
and who lie buried here, he finds no trim
walk inviting his feet to wander among
the tombs and guarding the graves from
the dissertation of being trampled on. II
he is a man of proper feeling and senti-
ment, who thinks with Coleridgc, that
To sec a mar tread over graves,
hold it no good mark;
IT'S wicked in the sun and moon
And bad luck in the dark.
he will carefully pick his steps among
briers, rank weeds and unsightlv heaps
of rubbish and red clay: but with all his
care he will find it impossible for him to
keep from trampling owe the dead. He
will find the churchrard to be the repos-
itory of the annals o; more than q centu-
ry-a large portion OF American chronol-
ogy-the annals of the heroic people who
reclaimed this country from the Red In
dian, raised an altar in the primeval for
est to the God of their fathers. and stamp
ed with marks of intelligence, integrity
and energy the character of the Long
Cane colony which afterwards became
the county of Abbevillc. If verscd in
the history Of this State he will recog-
nize on not a few tombstones names Of
men whose lives were larger part Of that
history. Looking around he will see in
the wide expanse of tho graveyard hun
dreds on hundreds Of gravestones, in
costly marble columns, polished slabs,
massive sarcopphagi, plain hcadstones.
uncouth pieces of sandstone rudely mark
cd with quaint lettering; and he sees
that this is no frontier no bat
tle-field burial place, but tho customary
place of sepulture for the people of a re-
gion long-settled and thickly populated,
fresh, red earth telling him Of graves
that were dug but Yesterday.
Standing there in the lonely church
yard of Long Cane, and judging of the
living by their care of the dead, of what
complexion would be his meditations
among the tombs? Would they lead him
to think highly Of the living inhabitants
of AbbeviIle whose dead lie buried
around him? Judging us by the venera-
ton we entertain for the graves Of our
Gathers as shown by the tender care we
.akc of them-a venera'ion cultivated by
some savage tribes, but still the especial
mark Of civilization and piety-how
could we stand the tcst?-a test, too, in
every sense just and right. If he is a
mar of travel, he will remember how in
tar-away China village graveyards are
cared for with q care that is constant and
tender, the tombs kept scrupulously
clean, and the grounds lovely as a flower
garden. Or he may call to mind the bur-
ial mound of the untutorod Indian which
though unadorned by "storied urn or n
imated bust is still kept free from weeds
and is piously visited and tended. Ifthe.
stranger comes on his way into the town
and sees the elegant homes Of the living,
the neat fences, the well-kept gardens,
the trim s~and-covcred walks, the smooth
clean streets and side-walks,-i he asks
the m of the dwellers in house after
house, what can he think Of people
when he recognizes in tho names borne
by the living the very m which he
could with difficulty decipher on the
monumental slabs in the deserted church.
yard7 What could he think of our civili-
~zation, our refinement, our piety to our
ancestors?
What do we think Of it ourselves? Is
it true of us that with regard to our dead
it is '.out Of sight, out of mind?' Let us
all, in town and country, who have kin
bred dust in Long Cane Churchyard, Of
who may expect to bury or be buried
therein, do u utmost endeavour to inn
prove the appearance Of the sacred place.
Trinity Cemetery is a newer burial-place
and not so much in need of care, yet
not as we'll kept as might be. Combined
effort is all that is needed on the part of
NJ people. Many of our families do
show beautiful devotion and veneration
for the graves Of their kindred which
should put others Of us to shame, and the
fruits are seen in neat hedges, plots Of
flowers and clean -tombstones but what
are these among so many graves that are
neglected, trampled on, whose headstones
are moss-grown and dirty, not to speak
of the many nameless graves where the
rank grass waves DER the cherries
mound? We need united effort, organ
lied work, systematic attention. Fitful
interest, the fruit Of fresh grief and re-
cent bereavement, can result only in in
termittent work which not seldom ceases
before the garlands laid on the grave
have withered. Such work cannot be de-
pended n The graveyard is far from
the town, too far, but it annot be remov-
ed, no one wishes it removed only the
announcement distance induces neglect.
We appeal to our people to move in
this matter. The graveyard needs fenc-
ing, it needs extension, for it is too crowd
ed and now inadequate as q burying
ground for the population that uses it.
1t needs walks laid out and covered with
sand or gravel, boX-borders and shrubs
planted, and some regular system estab-
lished as to the position and a: rangement
of graves. 1t needs q regular sexton en-
ployed who should live in tho neighbour
hood and keep the graveyard in good or
der as a years work for a years wages
1t is not for us to say how all that is nee
D.i