Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-04-20

clans tried TO destroy him. There Is
the tomb OF John Dryden. a beautiful
monument: but | cannot help but think
at 40 years of age he wrote OF bis be-
ing oppressed in fortune and OF the
contract that be had just made for a
thousand verses at sixpence a line.
And there. too. you find the monument
of Samuel Butler. the author of "Hudi-
bras:" but while l look at his monu-
ment in Poets corner cannot but ask
myself where he died. In garrett.
There I see the costly tablet I'm the Po-
cts corner-the costly tablet to one or
whom the celebrated Waller wrote:
The old blind schoolmaster, John Mil
ton. has just issued tedious poem on
the fall of man. If the length of IL be
no virtue. II has none" There is a
beautiful monument 10 Sheridan. Poor
Sheridan! If he could have only dis
counted that monument for n mutton
chop,
Justice 90 the Living.
Oh. you unfilial children. do not give
your parents SO much tombstone. but n
few more blankets-less funeral and
more bedroom. II 3 per cent OF the
money we now spend on Burns ban
quets could have been expended In
making the living Scotch poet comfort
able. he would not have been harried
with the drudgery of an. eXciseman.
Horace Greeley. outrageously abused
while living. when dead is followed to-
ward Greenwood by the president of
the United States and the leading men
of the army and navy. Massachusetts
ffsfp 70 NJ. NJ sfxn
Sumner for the ignominious resolu.
tons with which her legislature de-
nounced the living senator. Do you
think that the tomb at Springfield can
pay for Booths bullet?
oh. do justice to the livingl All the
justice you do them you must do this
side the gates of the Metropolis. They
cannot wake up to count the number
of carriages ut the obsequies or to no.
tice the polish OF the Aberdeen granite
or to read epitaphal commemoration
Gentleman's mausoleum In the suburbs
of Jerusalem cannot pay for Bethle-
hem nianger and Calvarean cross and
Pilates rutfian judiciary. Post NOR
tenn honors cannot atone for ante NOR
tenn ignomiuies.
sepulcher, | am impressed with the
fact that floral and arborescent decora-
tons are appropriate for the place OF
the dead. We are glad that among
flowers and sculptural adoruments
Christ spent the short time of his inhu-
nation.
cannot understand what some
times see in the newspapers where the
obsequies are announcedand the friends
say in connection with It, "Send no
flowers" Rather, IL the means allow
| say II the means allow-strew the
caskct with flowers. the hearse with
flowers, the grave with flowers. Put
them on the brow-it will suggest coro-
nation; in their hand-it will mean vic
tory.
Christ was buried in garden. Flow
ers mean resurrection. Death is sad
enough anyhow. Let conservatory and
arboretum contribute TO its alienation.
The harebell will ring the victory; the
passion flower will express the sympa-
thy; the daffodil will kindle it's lamp
and illumine the darkness. The cluster
of asters will be the constellation.
Your little child loved flowers when
| she was living. Put them In her hand
now that she can go forth no more and
pluck them for herself. On sunshiny
days take n fresh garland and put Il
over the still heart.
Where Rest the Dead.
Brooklyn has no grander glory than
| its Greenwood. nor Boston than its
Mount Auburn. nor Philadelphia than
L ft- \ l,o f.-
| Spring Grove, nor San Francisco than
its Lone Mountain But what shall we
say 20 those country graveyards with
| the vines broken down and the slab
aslant and the mound caved In and
the grass pasture ground for the sex
toms cattle? Indeed, were your father
and mother OF so little worth that you
cannot afford to take care OF their
ashes? Some day turn out Sill hands
and straighten the slab and bank up
the mound and cut away the weeds
and plant the shrubs and flowers.
Some day you Will want TO lie down
to your last slumber. You cannot ex-
pect any respect for your bones IL you
have no Difference for the bones OF
your ancestry. Do you think these rel.
les are of no Importance? You will
see OF how much importance they are
In the day when the archangel takes
out his trumpet. Turn all your GENE
teries into gardens.
Again, standing in this garden Of the
new sepulcher, i am Impressed with
| the dignity OF private MISUNDERSTANDING
obsequies.
Joseph was mourner, sexton, livery
man-had entire charge OF everything.
Only four people 1T the burial of the
King of the Universe! oh, let this be
| consolatory TO those who through lack
Of means or through lack of acquaint-
| ance have but little demonstration of
grief at the graves OF their loved ones.
Long line OF glittering equipage, two
rows of silver handles, casket of rich
est wood, pallbearers gloved and scarf
ed, are not necessary. If there be six
at the grave, Christ looks down from
heaven and remembers that is two
more than were at his obsequies.
| Not recognizing this idea, how many
small properties, are scattered and wild
owhood and orphanage go forth into
cold charity! The departed left a small
| property, which would have been
enough to keep the family together ui-
til they could take care OF themselves,
but the funeral expenses absorbed ev-
erything. That went for Grape which
ought to have gone for bread A man
of moderate means can hardly afford
to die In any of our great cities. BY
all means, do honor to the departed,
but do not consider funeral pageant as
necessary. No one was ever more low
ngly and tenderly put away to sepul-
cher than Christ our Lord, but there
were only four people in the process
| sion.
Again. standing in this garden with a
new sepulcher, l am impressed with
the fact that you cannot keep the dead
down.
| The Prenguration.
l. Seal OF sanhedrin, company of sol
diers from the tower OF Antonio, floor
OF rock, roof OF rock, walls of rock
door OF rock, cannot keep Christ In the
crypts. Come out and come up ht
must Come out and come up he did
Prehguration- First fruits of then