The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-12-12
A eHosTLY REVELATION.

One day thoughtful man strolled through
a churchyard s clustered graves
And hunted for the tombs of hypocrites and
knaves;
For hghe t virtues met his eyes on every
polished stone,
And there enscribed in limping rhyme were
all the Virtues known.
No single fault, or blemished life, or good
thing warped aside;
Twas plain that these were sample saints; no
sinners there had died.
The sun was low; he sat down beneath will
low tree
To mediate how strange 1t was that such
thing should be,
When, looking up, at once he saw the day had
changed to night,
And DER each stone there shown a CLEAN OF
phosphorescent light;
When, walking swift from stone TO note q
fact so strange,
He found that DER each text thereon had
come wondrous change.
The deacon's grave, which but that day pro-
claimed perfect lamb,
Was sacred now ito one who lived hypo-
crit and sham;
While on Il bankers shaft where praise SEEM
ed destined to endure,
Was graved"Ile piled his shekels up by pinch
ing of the poor"
His neighbor-so the headstone said--had
Died from soul confusion"
And near him one who perishedyouRg from
vanity delusion."
Another, whore 3 pastor lay, said 'he was
And pride himself because he led the fash
ionablc dOck,"
While DER a merchant laid to rest mid uni
vorsal means,
He read, Poor mani ne pledged his soul for
pelf and mortgage loans"
Another. Here lies Deacon Smith, who also
lied on earth;"
And "Parson Porksoul, who enjoyed good
brandy from his birth"
so everywhere the reader strolled his soul
was more dismayed,
Unsavory things on lofty tombs were every
whore arrayed.
"Here lies a man who lodged his debts and
often slyy swore."
"Here rests saint whose piety was worn
hindside before"
''Here sleeps a sinner who for years passed
for churchman true"
"Her rests in peace one who, till death, nc
peace with neighbors knew"
"Here lies girl who died of lace, thin shoes
ana corset-pinching."
"Here sleeps man who Rugged his sins
with seltlshness untlinching."
"Here pause awhile and think of one who
never blessed his mother"
And Here is one who captured wealth by
fraud against his brother"
"Here sleeps a wretch who crawled through
life, led bN the Demons tether."
And Here soul whose principles were
changeful as the weather"
One stone contained in long array list o.
One told Of death Encountered in dellriun
tremens' crisis; "a
While some announced with simple truth
HE died of over.eating"
And many said: His vice was great, his vir
tues poor and fieetng!'
So some of fashionable faults" some from
m ID g prescriptions"
And some from Tempers too intense" ant
some from plain conniptions."
OF one it said; His sins were bold, his piety
Another: He preached patience Oft, a
home was most contrary" sf
Another; re would mock the truth will
~ many q cynic question" h rU.ea
Another had An acid soul, which turned t,
Indigestion" trf
"A politician died. it seemed, from "long con
strained ambition" t.teasr
One Snapped the silver cord to reach be
49, You'd his true condition" 80 st.Ht e.
Recorded there were faulty traits of ever.
kind and measure; tr ~. "a
They died of greed, congested rage,sof pov
erty and pleasure; VA
"a rush of envy TO the heart" of "Anger ii
bl zzard,' sl..F
Attention 70 The soul" and Structure 0
"Obstructior5cf the pocketbooh," "ConstriC
ton sore of kindness"
"CongestiOr OF religious thought" an
Envy turned to blindness" d.
Along with each was craven lists of qualitie
redeeming,
And thest were numerous on graves of mos
unlikely seeming,
Where but seanty stone bespoke some pat
la per form reclining. s ssf sEa'sl
The phOSphoUeScence on long lists of goo
was brightly shining.
So on he strOlled amid the graves, plunge
deep in meditation,
And muohlhe marveled rs he read each me-
and strange Great on.
Tired out at last, he laid him down and sleI
until the morning;
With woven bars of sunny gold was eac
iV white shaft adjoining,
But when he read the craven words, tn
Older fibs were cleaning,
And half convinced. yet half in doubt, h
thought he had been dreaming.
Yet, wheH he balanced up accounts, b
laughed in strange derlsion,
And wondered whether graves would bea
the test OF such vision;
Nor does he make of tombstones now stant
ard of precision.
a Il Edgar Jones, IN Boston Transcript.
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