Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-22
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In llttte country ceHlStSlS thsie 10y
on a knoll, surrounded on all sides b3
the rolling acres of cultivated farms
with farm houses and red barns anc
windmills scattered over the landscape
in this little country cemetery on 9
certain summers afternoon, middle
aged woman was engaged with troW-
ell, a green PAINTED watering pot ana
sickle, upon and about burial lot
which was fenced in from the rest Oh
the graveyard by a low, white raining
The woman was substantial ana ma
tronIy looking, and her plump inquire
was enyeloped in a freshly washed ano
starched gown of light summer materl-
al, the sleeves of which she had drawn
up above her elbows. On her head she
wore an old fashioned sun bonnet OF
stiffened calico, which concealed nef
face as she leaned over to ply the troW-
ell and rake, and to pour now ana then
a little water from the green watering
pot upon the thirsty ground.
The cemetery, small tho it was in
area, was we'll populated, as the numer-
Gus upright marble slabs bore evidence
1t was clear, too, that many OF the
grave stones had been there for several
decades, for they were yellow ana moi
DIV and leaning, and the inscriptions
were Clipped and blackened by the
storms of winters and the heat OF
summers. :,
There were great many little rail-
ings in the cemetery. like the one near
which the woman worked, but most OF
them, instead of being fresh and clean
with white paint, We're soiled and moss
covered. There were numerous low
hedges, also, In hollow squares; but,
like the ratings and tombstones, they
seemed to have suffered neglect, for
they were in sad want of trimming ana
training.
But the most striking feature about
this little country cemetery was the
rank growth of grass and weeds thas
filled the lots, concealed the MOUNDS
and fairly over topped the marble
slabs themselves. Here and there
weeping willow or sypress tree,
unkempt and dropping.
it's branches with the weeds
and formed miniature jungle.
The outer fence surrounding the place
was almost invisible because OF tho
iuxuriant growth of these weeds ard
grasses. The double gates leading from
the country road could never have been
cuened short of half an hours vigorous
work with The soy the, and even then a
carriage would have found guide nee
essary to pilot it thru the chnked ur
1t was years since the last
solemn cortege had entered the little
and however much the silent
sleepers may have been adored N life.
they were wofully neglected in death.
Indeed, is it not strange how quickly
the affairs of this world take our
thoughts from those who have preceded
us to the other?-how quickly the sting
Of death is Forgotten?
But, to do simple justice, it should
be said that here and there n tho
was q spot which showed
that memory fingered fondly over some
lost one. Now and then a little oasis
IN the wilderness of weeds showed a
grave with blooming plants upon it,
md with close cropped lawn about it.
violence OF some mothers never dying
owe or some sisters tender thought
fulness.
1t was at such a grave that the ma
ronly woman In the sun bonnet Ia
bored. The lot within the white rail-
ng was very small, and the solitary
grave upon the lot was also small, but
he little mound was carefully rounded
md its edges We're nordered with the
softest and thickest of sod, while its
OPP YVES q mass of blooming yiolets.
rhe rest of the lot was like a lawrs.
20 completely was it carpeted with
loosely cut and velvety grass. At tn
reed of the grave stood a small but
massive monument of granite. upon one
ide of which was carved this inscrip.
ion: