St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-01-28
THE TOMB-BLOSSOMS.
BY WALT WHITMAN.

| village cuDOSSeO III trees, WIN Ole
churches, one tavern, kept by a respect
able widow, long, single-storied farm
houses, their roofs messy, and their chin
neys smoke-black, a village with gras!
and shrubbery, and no mortar nor bricks
nor pavements, nor gas-no newness
that is the place fer him who wishes lift
in its flavor and its bloom. Until Of
late, my residence has been in such ,
| place.
Man of cities! What is there in all YOU
boosted pleasure-your fashions, parties,
balls and theatres, compared with the
simplest of the delights we country folks
enjoy.
Our pure air, making the blood swell
and leap with buoyant health; our labor
and our exercise; our freedom from the
sickly vices that faint the town; our not
being racked with notes due, or the fluc
tuations of prices, or the breaking OF
banks; our manners of sociability ex-
banding the heart and reacting with q
wholesome effect upon the body-can
anything which citizens possess balance
these?
One Saturday, after paying few days
visit at New York, returned to my
quarters in the country inn. The day
was hot and my journey a disagreeable
one. / had been forced to stir myself
beyond comfort and dispatch my affairs
quickly, for fear of being left by the
cars. As it was I arrived painting and
covered with sweat just as they were
about to start Then for many miles |
had to bear the annoyance of the steam
engine smoke, and it seemed to me that
the vehicles kept swaying to and fro on
the track with more than usual motion,
on purpose to distress my jaded limbs
Out of humor with myself and everything
around me. when came to my travels
end, refused to partake of the comfort
able supper which my Iandadv had pre-
pared Tor me and rejoining to the good
wonan's look of wonder at such an un-
wonted event, and her kind inquiries
about my health, with sullcn silence,
took my lamp and went my way to my
room. Tired and head throbbing, in less
than half score of minutes after | threw
myself on my bed, | was stepped in the
soundcst slumbcr.
When | awoke every vein and nerve
felt fresh and free. Soreness and irrita-
ton had been swept away, as it were.
with the curtains of the night and the
accustomed tone had returned again. |
clous! 1t was Il -cssrns, Y window. Deli
morning in May. The dewdrops tl1t}.
tered tn the grass; the fragrance of the
apple blossoms which covered the trees
tioated up to me, and the notes of a hun
ared birds discoursed music to nv ear,
By he rays just shooting up in the east
ern verge l knew that the sun would be
risen In a moment. I hastily dressed
myself, performed my additions and sal
he'd forth to take morning walk.
Sweet, vet sleepy scene! No one
seemed stirring. The placid influence of
the day was even now spreading around,
quoting and hallowing everything,
sauntered slowly onward, with nv hands
folded behind me. | passed around the
cage OF a hill, ON the rising elevation,
and top of which was a burial ground.
On my left, through an opening in the
trees, l could see at some distance the
ripple of our beautiful lay; on my right
was the large and ancient field for the
dead. stopped and leaned my back
against the fence, with my face turned
toward the white marble stones o
few rods before me. All | saw was far
from new to me; and yet I pondercd
upon it. The entrance to that place of
tombs was a kind of arch-a rough
newn, but no doubt hardy piece OF +
architecture, that had stood winter and
summer over the gate there. for many.
many years. Oh, fearful arch! if there
we're Tor thee voice to utter what has
passed beneath and near thee: if the
secrets of the earthly dwelling that to
hee are known could be by thee dis
'losed, whose ear might listen to the an
FALLING story, and its possessor not go mad
With terror!
Thus thought I; and, strangely enough,
UGH imagining marred not in the least
he sunny brightness which spread alike
yer my mind and over the landscape,
nvoluntarily, as unused, my look was
asst to the top of the hill. I saw O figure
lowing. Could some one beside myself ,
e out so early, and among the tombs2 {
What creature odd enough in fancy to !
oAoiC, anu dt suCn tlmeE /
ontlnuing my gaze ] saw that the figure +
as woman. She seemed to move with
slow and feeble step, pass- r
g and repassing constantly be- t
veen two and the same graves f
hich were within half a rod Of each t,
her. She would bend down and an s.
'ar to busy herself few moments with "
e one, and then she would rise and 90 f,
the second, and bend there and en- o
oy herself as at the first. Then to the n
rmer one, and then to the second. o.
slonally the figure would pause a mo- lc
ent, and stand back little, and look tt
down upon the graves, as if b
see whether her work was done well. ia
lrlce | saw her walk with totterine d
1t and stand midway between the two st
q look alternately at each. Then she to
'uld go to one and arrange something W
come back to the midway place. and ar
re first on the right and then to the he
t, as before. The figure evidently had of
ne trouble in suiting things to her Sc
nd. Where stood could hear no noise 10
her footballs, nor could I see accur- tn
NV y,n,rx ,~,xB- A. -