Daily Republican., 1879-04-01
LETTER FROM SMYRNA.
A Busy Little Town-Its General
AppearHnce-COm Lake aud iis
Neglected Grsv ey ard Green wooi
Cemetery and the Funeral of Pre-
siding Elder HOugh.


siding Elder nOugh.
Special Corr spondonce Of the Republican.
SMYRsA, DEL, March 81.
Smyrna, az everyone knows, or ough
to know, is a town situated about
mile from the Delaware railroad. A,
the traveller nears Clayton he perceivei
the spires and cupclas Of this pretty
inland place, shooting upwards frou
among the many trees that skirt Its busy
throughfares and he becomes at once
impressed with the idea that its portion
upon the face Of the States geographic
al reflex il as much due to its innate
energetic as to its Typographical pretsn'
sions.
Smyrna is compactly built. tn,
houses are mostly frame, and apparent
ly erected within short time. Many
Of them are constructed on strictly
modern plan, and in appearance are
very pleasing and homelike.
For certain quiet and engaging dig
nifty Smyrna is particular noticeable.
With its three thousand inhabitants, il
sits, as it has sat for three quarters Of
a century back, hidden away from out
side influences, and only connected with
sister marts hy mile or 30 of street
railway. Its streets are full of activity
and along its central points, Commerce
and Main streets, there run continuous
lines of stores ana Offices, all Of which
are busting evidences of the towns
activity. Covering an area ofabout ons
square mile, its southern limits ran to
the edge of Como Lake, q beautiful
stream Of water, running about two
miles parallel with the feeder Of the
Delaware railroad.
For natural beauty Como lake cannot
be SURPASSED by any similar body o'
water in the State. It's the pride oI
smyrna. From its appearance it has
evidently been in the long time ago, a
modest little rivulct, with banks girted
with luxurious underground and beau
tful shade trees. But now, by reason
of the construction of e causeway across
the running streams path, the head
waters in flowing on have formed them
selves into the present extensive dl'
mensions; while upon the other side o.
the causeway the valley that was once
wat-red by the friendly rivulet, hat
grown unsightly and dreary, the trees
once green and bright have long since
drooped and died, and the banks art
ov-rrun with briars and tangled and
matted masses of wildwoo
Upon the sloping bank, at the foot o
which constantly laps the clear cold
waters of Cemo, is situated an old grave
yard. Its summit is crowned will
weeping willows and fully developed
cedars, and from among the clinsini
tendrils of the luxuriant ivy glister
in the gathering twilight the uncertain
shapes of moss covered and weather
worn tombstenps. On advancing w
find that cold neglect has been at work
The shafts, modestly inscribed anc
bearing dates Of over century back
are black with age. The mounds have
been levelled with the surface, anr
were it not for these broken, unsettled
and half buried slabs, bearing witness
in language, though mute, far more
eloquent than words, there would exist
| no evidence of the connection between
the poor neglected hand full Of dust be,
low, and the evprr,s.less surging tides
of humanity, which like the clear wa
ters below move restlessly on.
The best preserved of these mute re
minders is pyramid SHAPED shaft
which occupied tn. most commanding
position. Over and around it hanging
like great folds OF tapestry to tht
boughs above, gent!y swing great fes
toons of evergreen. "tie had been
revolutionary patriot was tn" story
that the inscription impaired. lii
name was Davit Kennedy. an Irish
man, who left his native home at An
trim, and landed in the town OF New
Castle, Delaware, in 1862 He hat
died in 1902. BY his side sleeps hi
wife, who after space of nine year
had LAID herself 10 rest beside her de
parted husband. In former years ther'
had evidently been some care paid t
the resting place of these aged people
but now, how changed! The expensive
monuments are beginning to lean, tn
metallic railings disjointed from th
the marble pillars, ere down and bro
ken, and on every hand there exist
that same evidrnc. of neglect that 81
70 gloonily upon the rugged and half
buried slabs pronliscuously scattered
near.
On the opposite side OF the town
from Como Lake lies GlenW ood cemete
ry. Everything in ard around tn
grounds, unlike those overlooking th
stiffness of Lake Como, is arranged will
the most exact n.atness. The stone
are all new, and shine as though jus
from the hands of the cutter. None ar
Leaning and none are beginning to TX
h;bit the least sign Of neglect. TIL
mounds are artistically rounded, AM
upon some are strewn freshly culle'
flowers, living evidences Of the exstenc
of ssme ones affections In one cor
ner of this beautiful cemetery is new
ly filed grave. 1t is that of Presldin
Elder lIough Of the Dover District, VIII
has recently deceased.
The funeral had taken place yest"r
day, and was largely attended, on
thousand persons it being estlmated a
being in attendance. The services wer
deep and impressive and were condue
ted by Rev. Charles Hill, Presi iing FL
der of Easton District, A. W. Milby q
Harrington, assisted by others. Th
cemetery was hardly able to conia th
vast concourse. The whole town wa
in mourning, and the occasion wa
taken advantage of by the community
to pay the respects due one t'ey s.
fondly loved. Among the clergymel
present were Rev. Il. II. Rawl'ns, 7. II
HAYNES, r. j. Omsttad and William B