Daily Republican., 1884-02-02
ORIGINAL
THE LONE GRAVE.

am not exactly second edition of
Old Mortality, but have always had a
peculiar fondness for cities of the dead,
especially for ancient country church
yards. Consequently, In visiting Il new
vicinity, one Of the first objects of inter
est sought out by me IL the resting
place for the tired bodies OF earth's pill
grims.
A graveyard Is always kind of di-
rectory IN a new place, and for family
histories and things of that kind, there
Is nothing equal to 1t. Once have yOnr
subject and you are sure to find some
one to give you predicate. And
person will always speak more freely
and justly concerning dead man than
a living one.
II was in one Of my many ramb les, In
which usually manage to combine bust
ness with pleasure, that visited or rath.
or stumbled upon the neglected ceme-
terry in which | found what | have
termed the Lone Grave.
It stood apart from all the others OF
like ilk, neglected, grass grown, for
saken, with but single headstone Of
time.stained marble, marking 1t and
bearing but two words-Ray Erlin.
No epitapb of tenderness, no list of
amiable traits or many virtues, no ap-
propriate or inappropriate verse of
scripture, no doggcrel poetry, no record
Of ancestry craven on the grave-stOne.
Had she a father, had she mother,
had she brother, was she sister,"
and these wore the queries 10 which the
marble was AZ unresponsive rs the lips
of her who lay beneath. A name, and
OthiDg more-Ray Erin.
Pretty and novel it struck my fancy,
and longed to know something of Its
pc .aessor. The grave was not that OF a
child. Was it the home Of all that was
mortal Of some fair, innocent maiden-
a dainty Hover of nature who had lived
her few short years and died was it
the abode Of some forsaken, wretched
0utcast, or did 1t contain the remains
of some withersd, old beldame, har-
dened by years of sin and unrepent-
ance?
White thus unused and wove web
after web of idle romance In the soil.
tude and warm Sunshine of the quiet,
September afternoon, the iron gate at
the entrance to the grave yard, creaked
on It's rusty hinges, ana au old man, clad
in a faded suit of army blue and lean.
ing on hts crutch, hobbied toward me
through the long grass.
He started when he caught sight Of
me.
Evidently visitors to that remote spot
were not a common occurrence.
"a pleasant day, my friend,' re-
Marked as she approached me. am
u stranger hereabouts, but | am inter-
ested in this grave; if you have lived
long in this place perhaps you can tell
me something concerning il"
The old man gave me a serious, side
long glance ere replying.
Aye, am native of the place; |
was born and have lived my seventy
years here, and here | expect to die.
was little more than a boy, though, when
helped dig that very grave pointing
toward it with his cane as he spoke.
And it was the hardest piece of
work | ever performed, for know that
for very shoveiul Of brown earth !
turned out dropped tear. Poor
girl Poor girl !"
'Iour words imply "A story" said, "If
you have time should very much like
to hear 1t. -
There is a story" returned the old
man, slowly, though few around here
now could tell it may hap, or tell it as it
really was, but had an opportunity Of
knowing more about THAN most others
hereabouts, for lived with the Colonel,
Miss Rays father, for many years.
Yes don't mind telling you the story
as far an know it myself"
He seated himself with the stiffness
OF age on slab tomb, and pulling a
piece of tobacco from his trousers
pocket hit off fresh chew ere he began
his recital.
The first time ever saw Ray Erlin
was when, as boy cf twelve, ! sat sob.
bina on a stone by the dusty roadside,
orphaned, tired and homeless, and she,
beside her father, whirled past in their
comfortable vehicle, gay and happy.
But quickly as they had passed, 1t was
not too rapid for her to notice my dis
tress, and IN an instant she had made
her father turn the horses heads, and
was by my side inqniring the cause of
my trouble. She begged her father to
take me home it'll them, and when he
would have refused On the pea of hav-
ing no use for me, she threw hr arms
around his neck and pleaded with him
to keep me az her attendant. He will
be useful in taking care Of Mouse, she
said. Mouse was her pony.
" Her father yielded and became an
inmate OF the ColonePs household.
$50 the first memory have of Ray
Erln is a grateful on", and one
retain to this day. To me she was a |
kind of beautiful fairy, and there was
nothing wonld not have done for her |
in my blind, boyish worship.
"The Colonel was n stern man of in
flexible will, naughty and unhendipg
AZ well to equals AZ interiors. He had |
the soft spot in his composition though,
rs all men r.ust have, and that was his
love for his only child. Whatever she
asked, either in reason or out of 1t, was
always granted Any one who wished
favor Of the Colonel, and was in doubt
regarding it, had only TO secure Miss
Ray az their mediator and they we're
sure of SUI cess. She was COZ siderate
of the feelings of even the poorest. The
servants adored her. She was proud to
her equals, hut never to those beneath
her in position. She had gracious
sweetness that never made 1t hard for
one to ask favor of her or tell her q
trouble A smile from Miss Ray
was worth more to many than gold
from her ia her.
When she was eighteen the Colonel
gave ball and il troduced her into
society. raw her after she was dressed
for It. She came dancing down into
the big kitchen in her beautiful, white
silk dress, with her eyes that were blue
as wood land violets, shining with excite
ment, and asked us in her merry way If
we did not consider her "a lovely Gre
alton of nature and art, and when we
all declared her with one accord 'the
most beautiful person we ever beheld,
she laughed in her sweet, childish
fashion and ran away, with her long
train thrown over her arm that was
white aud dimpled as a baby's.
81 can remember it all so plainly, I
though it happened 80 many years ago. :
"A a.. 'nl . 4