The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-24
In A GRAVEYARD OF PETS.
WHERE 4 RECLUSE mas BURIED
ff7 OF ms BRUTE FRIENDS.

GoULDTowN, N. j., Jan. 23.-This county has
the most remarkable ourying ground In New
Jersey and probably In the United states. The
area OF the ourying ground Is less than . quar-
ter OF an acre but has 147 graves and tho
number Is still growing.
The graveyard 10 the private property of silas
STARK ana the OCCUPANTS have been his friends.
Thoy nave been laid to rest without ostenta-
nous ceremony or prayer. stark has acted As
sexton, undsrtsker. ana preacher. and At tho
mead OF eaoh grave he has erected wooden
sao which pears an ep'taph. showing his sent-
ment toward the occupant OF tho grave.
STARK Is reciuso ana has been one for sixty
years. ho owns httie iarm, docs some fishing
ana hunting, ana In oneway and another makes
sHVihR hehWsys mas . housefui. and pretty
nesry tsrmtui' Oh animals that are his pets
There are dogs cats coons. foxes, pigeons. crows
quail, opossums. rate, rabbits, and innumerable
small oirds that follow him when he travels
ABOUT MS domain. stark has peculiar ideas
OF humanity, aud has figured out to his
own satisfaction that the only true friend
has wings. True to this theory he has
lived .nart firm, ma, ara ,.... -. A.,
~ ap",s .,on' nen enu women and II
about az happy as the average person. or
st.rt,s an,.c.d.n,. or ,h. 80.
,ror,, -h,oh r.. 80, 49,, so p",' y, .he "ori.
county knows. He suddenly appear,d nm. A .v
more ,han half a century ago wanted 70 mn
cnsso the ano thet NAV been MS dwelling place
.'er SINCE, sho"ea 'ha' ne haa the money In his
inside pocket, and closed the bargain
For long time Stark was mystery and .
! .,.i,,,, ., III. ,,.n h,.t, 80,
n..sh,,. ,no. W.. S business ana nna'iy his
There were all sorts OF coniecturea A IN ,b.
,n.n,. ,...on o.. t.a,.,t $50, W sno
sssoe , IN 'no helshoorS minds, with n
love affair. and other thing, that aSar. in
,om.rc,. h,, ,o,hI,,, ,. I, 80 u"
e., 80 =, 80 ,..',.' - y" .hu'.".o
that any Oh their suspicious were well founded.
A.. IT., a., it,. .aa-,I. 80 ~ p0''.,''
a.. 1t. r., .. ,,., w" ~.
'"o.'' "'en 10 o''ue"''y very gao 10 DO.
starks age has to DO guessed at. His hair is
straight a. a pike stad. and he is as spry as a
-. a.. ,,Is,, no, 50 'p'' 10
"sh III n''aa'o me- inero are good reasons for
believing. however. that he 10 In the eighties,
-. a.. " eumoorianu
tSir,ies lie IA man OF ri tsen i hppIiGsn In his
,s,sn liz hcn 49, Eoou BOOKS HIS house Is
enjoys himself best when. ia summer. he sits
under an apple tree In his back yard. with birds
dogs cats and otier fonr.fao,sa na Shair, ana
ing at his feet.
STARK always courteous to visitors and
taxes pleasure 10 showing them through his
graveyard, which 10 but few steps from the
back door or his house. IL !. snrrou ndcd with
high Doafu renee which 10 always shining with
fresh coat OF whitewash. Over tho gate that
ENss ehtrahee 70 tue yard Is assign In large
understooI which reads. pnn'.Iou ~ ee.iB
E.VhSnI f,,Id. go. " ", t.o
..a... -. ,S .,hn 'neIo SIC Walk ana the
siah. $500 ~ nm W m o'aer' Inc wooden
sizes, but OF tho same shape and are whita
washed. On the front OF each a A versa ,.ii,n.
the yirtur. ~ ms m, Al 49, h 81 49, y
1, Z. cairnia1s 81 20 ,..n.,,., 'e ""ose memory
Although not a poet OF the highest order. Stark
mas ground out some lines that mako Interesting
reading worthy of place in the gallery OF
graveyard fhSmes. A. the right Of the gate
STANDS slRo bearing the follow ing lines;
JAMES CROW; DIED JrSr Nth ls4o
uns., m. .oa 7 ,.,a .,,, A..
one sunny dsy In June ''"n'
And tho his soul " As full Of aona
He never sang tune.
I,ox.a his, 10, RI. ,,,.,,
To me ne nss s ave. I'M su'ness
And while he'd always been n crov
The creature never crew
III,
, Ino orticM may Ieel IKE congrstulating the
n neis1n James row because ne had not the
prnieke OF mak,ne ms own epltaph, but stark
pdi.,i on. AZ uno ts,ary gem OF the whole