The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-12-01
THE GEORGIA HUM0RIST
DISCUSSES GHOSTS THOUGH HE DOES
NOT BELIEVE IN THEM.
some Remarkable observation-disclosures
Schoolmate Recites Story-.William is
Acquainted With Modern cold Nor.
tallity."

taltlty.'
"Old Mortality was one of Walter
SCOTS most interesting characters.
This long-bearded, venerable man
spent all the latter years of his life in
going about from cemetery to cemetery
in rechriseling and remarking the
marble slabs that covered the graves of
the dead. Not only that, but he clean
ed them of the mould and stain and
set them up square and level and did
it ont of respect for his dead kindred
and friends. Nearly fifty years ago I
visited Laurel Hill, the beautiful home
Of the dead Of Philadelphia, and the
first thing that greeted me at the en-
trance was a brown-stone statue of
Old Mortality working on a weather
beaten marble slab. A little dried up,
specialized old gentleman with pea
jacket on and the big pockets filled
with chisels and mallets and brushes
and old rags. Maybe he is there yet.
| don't know, but I thought Of him
the other day as / was wandering
through the silent city of the dead in
Myrtle Hill at Rome, Ga. 1t has Eeen
about forty years since I helped to -
OFT that cemetery, and people have
been moving there ever since and
good motto to place over the gate
would be ''For men may come and
men may go, but [ go on forever"
An old time friend was with me, and
| can't help but think of him as cold
Mortality" for he has been nursing
and cherishing that graveyard for over
thirty years and has made it a place OF
beauty and a Joy forever. He has long
since made reputation as an able law.
yer and learned Judge, but [ know
that he never took as much interests OF
real pleasure in anything as in beautify.
ing and adjoining that lovely and 70.
mantle place. He has spent hundreds
of dollars there out Of his own pocket.
His own lot, with it's italian marble
monument to the memory Of his wife,
is marvel Of exquisite beauty. I saw
where he had righted up and placed a
new foundation under the monument
of the wife of a far distant friend.
Within the last year OR two he has
been to Macon and reformed and re.
newed the monuments that mark his
parents graves. He has been to Eaton.
ton and worked on those of his broth.
ers and sisters who died in the long
ago, and has placed tombstones ovel
the graves of his grand parents. He
talked to me feelingly about some ne.
elected graves Of our friends who
sleep in the old graveyard at Rome
that nobody cares for and is we'll nigh
abandoned. "When I get through
with them" he said, CT shall feel sat.
istied and take a rest from this bust
ness and endeavor to be ready for my
own funeral" If he is not Old Nor.
tality now he will be if he lives long
enough.
Well, I like that. We all like it
that is to say, all kind-hearted, re.
Elective people. Some people are
afraid of a graveyard, especially young
people, who have horror Of death,
but it is foolish fear and wears off as
we get older. When I was youth al
O country school there was braggar
sort of a boy named Baldwin who sale
he wasn't afraid Of ghosts. Jim Lin
ton bet him a dollar that he wouldn',
go down to the rocky field that night
and cut a sassafras bush that was nea,
an old grave and bring it to the house
The money was put up. Just about
dark Jim slipped around and hid be
hind rock pile that was near thu
bushes that had grown around the
grave. When Baldwin got there anc
was about to cut the sassafras Lintor
said solemnly in a deep bass voice
"Beware! that's my grave" and Bald
win ran home with Jim after him ani
like to have tainted at the door
When I was the little mill boy ane
had to pass country graveyard on thu
way and happened to be late in get
ting my grist from the miller it wa
strain on my youthful courage to &c
slow by the sacred mysterious place
But go fast you can't on an old sway
back mare with bag of meal unde
you. For three or four years I wa
on the lookout for q ghost III the twi
light, but I never saw one and
reckon it helped me later on, for m,
wife lived near the village graveyard
and when l was counting her ant
kneeling at her shrine I had to pas
near it every night or two and it wa
test of my love and my devotion
for neither rain nor darkness intini
dated me, which proves that love i
stronger than fear. Some moonligh
nights when [ was little premature
have walked inside of that time-honor
ed place and sat upon the tombstone
and perused the epitaphs and tn
epitaffy for it is redeeming trait il
our humanity to speak well of tn
dead, especially upon their tombs.
| don't believe in visible ghosts, bu
some strange things have happene'
since the Witch of Endor called u
the ghost of Samuel. One night i
Florida number OF us were giving !
our experience when my old colleg
friend, Mckay, took his turn. He
too old to prevaricate or exaggel
ate. He travelled in Europe with hi
wife and educated his children there
and for eight years lived in Italy or i
the cities among the Mediterranear
staying sometimes several months j
| one place. On arriving at Dresden h
sought for pleasant house to rent an