Connecticut western news., 1900-04-19

story. lie ASkcu bread. they gave him q stone.
 Christ, like most of the worlds bene- factors. was appreciated better after he was dead. Westminster abbey and monumental Greenwood are the worlds attempt to atone by honors to the dead for wrongs to the living. Poets cor ner in Westminster abbey attempts to pay for the sufferings of Grub street.
 Go through that Poets corner in Westminster abbey. There is Handel, the great musician. from whose music you hear today; but while I look at his statue I cannot help but think of the discords with which his fellow musi- clans tried to destroy him. There is the tomb of John Dryden, beautiful monument; but cannot help but think at 70 years of age he wrote of his be- ing oppressed in fortune and of the contract that he had just made for thousand verses at siXpence q line. And there, too. you find the monument of Samuel Butler. the author of "Hudi- hras;" but while l look at his monu- ment in Poets corner I cannot but ask myself where he died. In q garret. There l see the costly tablet in the Po- cts corner-the costly tablet to one of 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 it be no virtue. it has none" There is a beautiful monument to Sheridan. Poor Sheridan! If he could have only dis counted that monument for mutton chop!
 Justice to the Living
 Oh, you unfiiial children, do not give your parents so much tombstone, but a few more blankets-less funeral and more bedroom. If 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 tries to atone at the grave of Charles Sumner for the ignominious resolu- tlons 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 living. 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 at the obsequies or to mo- 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 manager and Calvarean cross and Pilates ruffian judiciary. Post nor tenn honors cannot atone for ante nor tenn ignominies.
 Again, standing in this garden of the sepulcher, I am impressed with the fact that floral and arborescent decora- tions are appropriate for the place of the dead. We are glad that among flowers and sculptural adornments Christ spent the short time of his inhu- nation.
 I cannot understand what I some times see in the newspapers where the obsequies are eannounced and the friends say in connection with it, ''Send no flowers" Rather if the means allow 1 say if the means allow-strew the casket 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.
 ipl in, nr1n an CTS mean resurrection. Death is sad enough anyhow. Let conservatory and arboretum contribute to its alleviation. The harebell will ring the victory; the passion flower will express the sympa- thy; the daffodil will kindle its 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 a fresh garland and put it | 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 | it's Laurel Hill, nor Cincinnati than its | Spring Grove, nor San Francisco than | its Lone Mountain. But what shall we | say to those country graveyards with | the vines broken down and the slat | aslant and the mound caved in and the grass pasture ground for the sex tons cattle? Indeed. were your father and mother of so little worth that you
 cannot afford to take care of theil
 ashes? Some day turn out all hands | and straighten the slab and bank uI | the mound and cut away the weeds | and plant the shrubs and flowers. | Some day you will want to lie dowI | to your last slumber. You cannot eN | )ect any respect for your bones if yoI | nave no deference for the bones ol your ancestry. Do you think these rel | .cs are of no importance? You vii
 See of how much importance they ar, | in the day when the archangel take.
 out his trumpet. Turn all your ceme
 teries into gardens.
 Again, standing in this garden of tn,
 new sepulcher, I am impressed witl
 the dignity of private and unpretendins
 obsequies.
 Joseph was mourner. sexton, livery
 man-had entire charge of everything
 Only four people at the burial of tho
 King of the Universe! Oh, let this bt
 consolatory to those who through lacl
 of means or through lack of acquaint
 ance have but little demonstration oi
 grief at the graves of their loved ones
 Long line of glittering equipage, two
 rows of silver handles, casket of rich
 rst. wood, pallbearers gloved and scarf
 ed, are not necessary. If there be si1
 nt the grave, Christ looks down iron
 heaven and remembers that is two
 more than were at his obsequies.
 Not recognizing this idea, how man!
 small properties are scattered and wid
 owhood and Orphanage go forth into