Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-13
A SExTON's STORY.
An Old GraVe-Digger Tells How
They Love and Woo at
Saratoga.
sar.tOEa Leller . ~. C,nmercial.

Saratoga Letter to n. Y. Commercial.
Il don't think there is as much gen.
qine love-making in Saratoga nova.
days as there used to be years ago,
said old Sexton Palueuston. as he
leaned on his spade. "They all seem
to be going for money. Why, | have
not had four genuine love cases in the
graveyard this year. Now, when a
msn is going for money you don't see
him bring his girl over here"
How does be act when he is going
for money!" | asked.
Why, he spends his time aroun d
the florists he heaps presents on her
keeps her room full Of flowers, hands
chairs on the balcony, always stands
ready with music programme, looks
after her mail, always compliments her
clothes and
And what else2 l asked impa-
tiently.
why the eourting-i for money lover
even looks after his sweethearts table
He even goes and bribes the head cook
TO send her chicken livers on bro.
chette, woodcock and Spanish mack.
erel. The cooks always have these
delicacies for guests, provided they are
we'll raid for them. Oh, he gives his
girl u elegant time, but there's no
love in it."
but low does the all for loveyoung
man go to work." | interrupted.
| why, he don't fool around at a
distance said the old sexton, with
bouquets and programmes and nice
breakfasts. He just quietly walks his
sweetheart over to this graveyard. and
sitting on one Of those benches out
under the trees yonder, be takes her
hand. He sits right down and attacks
her heart. He don't fool around
buying flowers for her eyes, nor can.
dies for her tongue, nor perfume for
her Lose; he just gets his arm right
around her heart, aud when il begins
to throb, and when her cheek gets red
and warm, he knows that girl is his'n.
(Don't stand so near the grave or it'll
cave in)."
why, that girl would rather have
one ! our OF our warm graveyard
courting than 400 years OF such iceberg
counting as see going on over in the
States parlors I've seen this counting
goin' on for lorty years. (By jimminy,
there's bonel I'm getting too near
that other gravel. l see old gray
headed men every day riding up here
in carriages, who courted their wives
in this graveyard forty years ago.
There's r. l.. Stuart, the wealthy
sugar re6ner-"
"But he's an old bachelor"
interrupted
Never mind that ! tell you my
benches could tell you why he never
got married. He loved the girl well
enough, and"
But who else do you remember
seeing here2' | asked.
why, there was Mr.. Winston, Of
the Mutual Life. He used to walk
around thirty years ago with a beauli.
ful blonde girl. / can see him now
kissing that girl-but I'm not coins
to tell all | know. Andrew II. Green
he married a girl he courted in MI
graveyard. Fernando Wood used "a
have seat here, and Charles A
Dana, he used TO know, forty YEAR,
ago, all about flirting in a graveyard
Old General James Watson Webt
used to walk the young ladies up here
fifty years ago, and his son, the doctor,
he could never get along at all court.
ing Miss Vanderbilt until he got her
away from the stuck up States hotel
aud found himself on one Of my seats
| knew Vanderbilt would lose q
daughter that night.
" tell you these graveyard seats
mean business every time. Did / ever
have any Senators or Governors on ms
seats2 Why, Of course, Senator Ker.
nan courted two girls at once in this
graveyard, and President Arthur
knows where all the best seats are
They needn't be ashamed Of IL either
for Hamilton and Dewitt Clinton
used 10 do the same thing when thej
we're boys. Boys will be boys" con
tinued the old man, as be jumped oul
Of the grave, "and girls will be girls
Girls with big hearts like 10 be loved
and fellows with big hearts will kis
and love them. don't care hov
straight their parents make them 81
up and down at the States, they vii
occasionally get away aud come ul
here in the graveyard 10 act natural
and I'm the last man 10 hinder them
why, | often keep these grave
yards open till . O'Clock when ther'
are genuine lovers enough around =
Warrantit / don't mean hirters.
mean real, genuine lOyers."
But how do lovers manage down q
Long Branch and over st Newport
when they have no grayeysrds handy
| asked.
81 don't know, but they have malinI
places somewhere. / 'Epeet they II
out 10 the sand under the bluffs. 0
J sit around under umbrellas 10 the "a
yilions, or get in dismal corners 10 n
: balconies. They're got toby gosh
they're got tOw
Y That's what the old Saratoga grave
4 yard philosopher said.
j
oil Ho.- frae... n. Us...