Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-11-04
A GRAVEYARD IDYL.

IN the summer Of lS7-, when young Doc
tor Putnam was recovering from an attack OF
typhoid fever, he used to take short walks in
the suburbs Of the little provincial town
where he lived. He was still weak enough
to need a cane, and had to sit down nowand
then to rest. His fayorite haunt was an old
fashioned cemetery lying at the western edge
of the alluVial terrace ON which the town is
built.
1t was a quiet, shady old cemetery, not
much disturbed by funerals. Only at rare
intervals a fresh heap of earth and slab OF
clean marble intruded with their tale OF q
new and clamOrous grief among the sunken
mounds and weather-s stained tombStones Of
the ancient sleepers for whom the tears had
long been dried.
One afternoon Putnam was in his accus-
toned seat, whistling softly to himself and
cutting his initials into the edge Of the bench.
The air was breathless, and the sunshine lay
so hot OH the marshes that it seemed to draw
up in visible steam bTiny incense which
mingled with the spicy smell of the red
cedars. Absorbed in reVerie, he failed to
notice how the scattered clouds that had
been passing across the sky all the afternoon
were being gradually reinforced by big fluffy
cumui rolling up from the north, until q
rumble overhead and the rustic of q shower
in the trees aroused him.
In the center Of the grounds was an ancient
summer-house standing amidst maze OF
flower-beds intersected by gravel walks.
This was the nearest shelter, and, as the rain
began to patter smartly, Putnam pocketed
his knife, turned up his COat-cOllar and ran
for it, Arrived at the garden-house, he
found there q group of three persons, driven
to harbOr from different parts of the ceme-
terry. The shower increased to storm, the
lattices were lashed by the rain and steady
stream poured from the caves. The alth@a
and snowberry bushes in the floWer-pots,
and even the stunted bOx-edges along the
paths, sWayed in the wind. 1t grew quite
dark in the summer house, shaded by two
or three old hemLOcks, and it was only by
the lightning flashes that Putnam could
make out the features of the little company
of refugees. They stood in the middle Of the
building, to avoid the sheets of rain blown
in at the doors in gusts, huddling around
pump that was raised on a narrow stone
patfOrm-nOt unlike the daughters of Priam
clustered about the great altar in the pene-
tralia; Pr8cipites atra ecu tempestate
columbia.
They consisted of young girl. an elderly
woman with a towel and watering pot, and
workman in oVeralls, who carried a spade
and had perhaps been interrupted in digging
a grave. The platform around the pump
hardly gave standing room for fourth,
Putnam accordingly took his seat on tool
chest near one OF the entrances, and, while
the soft spray blew through the lattices over
his face and clothes, he watched the effect
of the lightning flashes on the tossing, drip
ping trees Of the cemetery grounds.
II have spent the night here often, " said
the young lady, in an absent voice and as if
murmuring to herself.
"You have?" exclaimed Putnam. "Oh,
you slept in the tool-chest, l suppose, on
the old lady's shake down."
She was silent, and he began to have
weird suspicion that she had spoken in earn
est. "rbis is getting interesting" he said
to himself; and then aloud, You must
have seen queer sights. OF course, when
the clock struck twelve all the ghosts popped
out and sat on their respective tOmbstOnes.
The ghosts in this cemetery must be aWfully
old fellows. 1t doesn't look as If they had
buried any one here for hundred and thir-
ty-fve years. I've often thought it would
be good idea to inscribe COmplet over the
gate, as they do on o Paris omnibus
-" You speak very lightly of the dead,"
said the young girl in tone Of displeasure
and looking directly at him.
Putnam felt badly snubbed. He was about
to attempt AN explanation, but her manner
indicated THAT she considered the conYersa-
tiOn at an end. She gathered up her skirts
and prepared TO leave the summer house.
The water had soaked away somewhat into
the gravel.
Excuse me-" said Putnam, advancing
desperately and touching bis hat, but Ino-
tice that yotlr shoes arc thin and the ground
is still Veryi wet. / am going right over to
High Street, and if can send you carriage
or anything"
Thank You, no; I sha'n't need it;'' and
she stepped off hastily down the walk.
Putnam Hooked after her till a winding of
the path tiook her out Of sight, and then
started slowly homeward. "What the deuce
could she m can, f" he pondered as he walked
along, "abbut spending the night in the
lean she-nO she can't-be the
daughter and live in the gate
house? Anyway, she's mighty pretty"
On the neXrt day he started on his custO-
mary walk ,aTA Id his feet led him involuntarily
TO the cemetesry. As he traYersed the path
along the edgSe of the hill he saw in one of
the grave lots 1.-THE heroine Of his Yesterdays
AMID a sudden light broke in on
him: she was a mourner. And yet how hap
pened it that he wore no black? There was
. wooden raili NO round the. inclOsure, and
within it a sing mound and tombstone Of
fresh marble. A few cut flowers lay on the
grave. She Wias sitting in a low wicker
chair, her handsh folded in her lap and her
eyes fixed YacaI.h htly on the western hills.
Putnam now tookf closer note Of her face. It
vas Of brown ptaleness The air Of hau-
eur given it by thie purity Of the profile and
he almost insolent stare Of the large black
yes was contradict ed by the sweet, irTesO-
ute curves Of the Amouth. At present her
OOk expressed only q profound apathy As
le approached her elves turned toward him,
'ut seemingly withoNut recognition. DIM