The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1880-01-22
Home Correspondence.
Correspondence Of the News.
OUR HONoRED DEAD,
PLEASANT HILL CEMETERY. NEAR
LEESBURG.

In a late issue Of your paper, an article
BY aFlOra," on the neglected condition Of
the old Cemetery, east Of Hillsboro, attract
ed considerable attention. The editorial
mind" Of the Hillsboro Gazette has also
been deeply agitatsd over the question,
what kind of a "mere" would be an ap-
propEiate name for Hillsboro's new and
beautiful Cemetery.
Since It's the question, let me, from
Highlands northern boundary, rise and
explain.
Pleasant Hill Cemetery" is situated
about one half mile north Of LessBure. on
the Washington pike. The scenery around
Is beautiful and picturesque. At the foot
Of the hill, Lees Creek winds its rocky
way, and on It's opposite bank lies "our
own" little village, Leesburg. Above the
village is Jackson's Hill, dotted with the
homes Of Leesburg's workers. And
pheasant" Hill it might be, were 1t not
for the air Of neglect and ruin which per-
vades the place. The old log church is in
a pitiable condition. The windows for
years have been the targets for the stones
Of the passing boys, till not a pane Is left
unbrOken. Through them the wind whis-
ties dolefully and holds nightly reveI with
the leaves, collected in the interior. The
doors keep time to the music with creaks
and grOans, for lock or latch has long been
forgotten.
The interior corresponds we'll with the
exterior. An old box-stove occupies the
center, surrounded by the benches piled
up in almost "snsarthly" confusion. The
old gallery seems ready to fall, but that
Das PrOPped up, these many, many years
ago.
Now let us glance at the Cemetery
There is grave, rudely marked by a pile /
of rough stone. There is another, the mar
bic slab fallen and almost lost to sight.
There is another, marked only by a low
mound. In a few years it will be leveled |
and lost, And here and there, and al |
most everywhere, are briers and bushes
and thistles, which are allowed to grow
The fences, too, are in a dilapidated /
condition. Broken down by cattle, they
have been rudely mended with rails, /
boards, brush and dead cedars. The en-
trance to the Cemetery consists Of a gap.
made by two panels Of the fence, torn down.
The gate q is tworails and a board. But
since four or five panels of the front fence
have been blown down, it has not been
necessary to close the gate (?).
Those noble old cedars and pines, how /
ever, are an ornament, which helps to dis
pei the general gloom, and now and then
we see a grave which shows by its good
appearance that the departed 'Ioved ones''
still live in the memory Of those they left
behind them.
Yet, IBIS is the battle-ground Of Lees
burg's dead-the last resting place Of our |
and our friends Their loss IL
indeed sad, but would it not lessen
our sorrOW and comfort US, to make the
spot where tbeirremaias repose, a cheerful,
a sunny, a beautiful place, rather than
leave it as it is?
know the viii Of our people in regard
to this matter is good, if only some one Of
US will step out and be the leader. Who
viii it be2
First, We need a new fence. Then some
work, cleaning up and digging
up the briers and bushes, would in a short
time make great change for the better in
the appearance Of our 'sPIsusqi1t HUI
Come, then, and let US all join hands
and make pheasant Hip as pleasant a
place as the name indicates. P. Y.
Leesburg, o., Jan. IA, 1850.