St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-12-05
sH, La, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1896.
ST. TAMMANY PARISH, l.

[, La, SATURDAY,
! TONES Observation-Disclosures OF
Greenwood Cemetery to Have Nanbea
Of Aagnincent 0ausoleunas.
Greenwood cemetery will presently
be embellished with q number Of monu-
ments the like Of which cannot be seen
in any other American cemetery, and,
indeed. viii only be surpassed by the
structures erected over the remains Oh
to the memory of eminent public men.
Much is written about funeral pomr
and cxtravagances, and most that il
said upon this point is worthy to be
needed. for it is not one family in q
hundred that can easily bear the ex-
pense of great funeral. The cold clay
has no good of the ceremonies enacted
over it. the prolopging of words and
formaEties intensifies grief rather than
allays it. and the retinue of carriages
contains many whose presence is but
a perfunctory compliment, since their
acquaintance with the deceased was
slight. For the expense put into funer-
ais there is no material return.
With the monument it is different,
for it is possible to make Of this worl:
of art that shall be enduring and .
delight. The Taj Mahal. erected to
the memory of an Indian princes favor
ite wife. is a wonder that draws travel
ers from all parts Of the world. and
that may outlive the names of both
occupant and builder. From it archi-
tects have been able to gather useful
ideas, and SO from other famous tombs
designs have been appropriated that
have beautified the earth. advanced our
arts and given employment to the in-
dustrious. 1t is with the greater diff
fusion Of wealth that these tombs have
come. The old-fashioned country
churchyard held no such mortuary
architecture as we find in even the
quietest Of provincial cemeteries Of
to-day. Il quaint and simple inscrip-
ton ON slab Of slate, marble or sand
stone sufficed, and il there was orna-
ment it took the usual form of grim
ming cherub, a deaths head OF figure
seated beneath q willow holding an
urn. Now we find tombs that are spa
cious chambers, with elaborate tables
where fresh flowers are placed, in
scriptions in gold on richest bronze or
iron CRATES tnat recall the friumphs of
Ghiberti. Quentin Matsys and the old
Nuremberg workers.
There are some who object to perpet-
uation of names that in themselves hold
no associations of greatness, and there
are a few who would abolish all the
beauty of mortuary emblems for re-
ligious reasons. But usually the man
who protests against such tombs n
we are to see in Greenwood has failed
of esthetic cultivation and sees in the
tomb a pile of dollars that might bet
ter have been given to somebody living
especially to himself. He does not
consider that out of this tomb the archi-
tect. the mason, the sculptor, the quar-
ry man, the artist in metal and glass,
the gardener will reap material advan-
tage. Indeed. but for the luxurics ol
the rich., many Of those who live by
supplying those luxuriex would find it
hard to live ut all.
There is, perhaps, . need Of a higher
regard for fitness in cemetery struc-
lures. Occasionally we find some that
are vain and frivolous in conceit and
execution, overloaded with ornament.
vaunting in epitaph, embodying conceit
by color, gliding and extent. dominating
the graves of humber and equally wor-
thy neighbors as a purseprou<l, strut
ting man tries to subdue his associates.
In fact, we must rely on the extension
of good taste to keep in check move
ment toward excess in these matters.
that might otherwise be carried to .
point as funny Is we find il in West
minister abbey. There in the multitude
of monuments, among some that are
in the best of taste, quiet, august and
pure, we see admirals and generals
swelling themselves in Roman armor
TO the neck, fsll-bottomed wigs above
that and holding batons or telescopes
in their hands. while about them cher
ubs peer from tons Of maj BILE clouds
or sea fights are shown in relief be-
yond the puffy victors. Startling IKE
nesses to skeletons jump from black
holes in tombs; people lay on couches
dying, while angels come
down to weep over them. NJ IL lament
ing the need Of taking them to Heaven;
statesmen rise ON their toes and bran
dish their arms in impassioned ORA
tory. instead Of lying quietly in their
places after they are dead. in the fashion
of the older kings and cross-legged cru
saders. And the verses-the lines in
them would shame . modern politician.
We have not advanced so far in sculp-
ture in our land an We have in architec-
ture, and these pretenti0us horrors are
to be spared for the present, at least:
but for tombs that have splendor Of
grace, solidity, dignity of de-
sign and beauty Of ornament, we can
hardly have too many. No matter VINO
it il that lies beneath the pile, he or
she will have lived TO : purpose thus
to have inspired work Of art.-Brook-
lyn Eagle.
Africans at = Ca0p Y1zo.
The African strikes happy medium
with regard to benefits derived from 4
fire. He lies SO close m to get the Mt
most heat and just escape the roasting
point; his thick hide will stand lot Of
degree Of heat which would
blister the skin Of white man. On the
c0ldest night, provided he has plenty Of
dry wood, he can keep himself conn
Portable outdoors with the thermome-
ter down to freezing point. He builds =
big fire. which he keeps going al night,
the attention apparently costing NO
Of his rest; during the night he
shifts his position to adapt himself to
the fire. Sleeping in hannels, with m
overcoat snd three blankets. have
failed to keep warm; have had chilled
spot in the small Of the hack, - IL =
block Of ice were there. Ny men by
= g - ~ - - -.