San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-08-23
ON THE LOITER.
TOMBSTONE EPITAPHS.

w hllN % ~ ANHA
the dozen or more weeds and mes
quite covered cemeteries on the east
side of the city, the other day, we
came upon a monument in one OF
the better kept burial plots, on
which were carved in heavy gilt
lettering the words Eminent
among the great" Before the
granite shaft bearing the epitaph
of which the quoted words formed
a part, we paused.
allow people will lie about the
dead" said my friend. "Here was
a man who was neither eminent
nor great, except in a local sense
and surely he was not eminent
among the great The sentiment
de mortuIs nil nisi bonum' was
never intended to be twisted into
any such thing as this"
And as we strolled from tomb to
tomb, from plot to plot, we saw
dozens of epitaphs which, if not
a bold, barefaced stretch of truth,
at least indicated vivid imagin-
alton. Here was the grave of a
contemplate drunkard who law
ished his affections on his wife
and younger children with a mas
sive fist or a stick of wood, but
over his Wondering body there
stands a marble slab bearing the
inscription, "a devoted husband
and a good father" Over another
mound of dirt in green and well
planted little lot, where all that
was mortal of despicable pluto
cratic leech and usurer lies buried,
we found a tomb Ornamented with
the carving of an angel bringing
a wreath of laurel, and underneath,
the words charitable and kinu in
life."
A hellish fiend who once served
a long term in penal institution
for attempting to ravish girl on
her way to school, lies buried near
yonder fence, and in fresh black
letters on the wooden cross over
his remains is his epitaph, the con-
Guiding words being, faithful I'M
to death,"-more likely plagarized
from the tom bstone over the grave
of a young wife, not ten steps dis.
tant, than quotation from Revel-
alton.
There, over the wasting body Of
some dazzling rioutous demi-
monde, admiring friends, in her
station in life, have erected a
dainty little tomb wherein are en-
blaZoned these words, Erected by
friends in honor of her many noble
qualities"
A very versatile gossip and
scold who now holds communion
with the worms under six feet of
soil and gorgeous, massive tomb
stone is here heralded to the world
as charitable and forgiving." Ye
gods how the vigor of death doth
change ones qualitiest, or, per-
haps, was this bit Of post NOR
tenn sarcasm"
There are many more epitaphs
very similar to those and of course
vastly greater number that are
undoubtedly far more reliable.
But the bold, barefaced untruths
on some Of the slabs are so promi-
nent and the temptations to eXag-
gerate the better qualities of the
dead are so great, that one is very
prone to consider nearly all of
this glowing tombstone praise
with a cold and heartless
suspicion. Aside from this, the
too promiscuous slapping on Of en-
dearing terms and family praise
on grave yard tombstones appears
to lack of proper delicacy. 1t
smacks too much OF endeavoring
to make up in public for the appre-
citation and endearment that was
wanting at home during life, or, it
may unpleasantly call to mind the
actions Of the couple that spoons
at home through the spontaneity
of love and in public for show. OF
course, l bring no such charge
against even the most untruthful
and most endearing Inscriptions
but only recall the unpleasant sus
picions with which the abuse Of
that pretty custom, has cloudeG
every such glowing and praisine
epitaph.
KEEPING PosTED-Somebody has
been circulating the report thai
the two old maids across the way
have acquired the habit of focusing
opera glasses on the interior o.
neighbors' houses in order to keeI
posted as to what is going on
Other reports have it that they
prowl around the premises when
the occupants are out, interview
the butcher, the milkman, the
baker and the ice man, and every