The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1910-04-01
AN HOUR WITH OUR DEAD.
5
Mounds and Memories, Graves Ov-
er Which The Good Byes We're
Spoken in The Glad Good
Morning
Morning.

ion with those who had gone before
With uncovered head and heart OF
hope we stood at the grave Of
Governor at the spot where rests the
Beloved Physician" and then where
sleeps a prince of merchants, the
village Blacksmith, of whom Long
fellow wrote,
For since the birth of time,
throughout all ages and nations,
Has the craft of the Smith bees
held in repute by the people"
The young wife. on whose grave
the flowers never fade. the short
resting place of the infant. the sha-
dow from which has been as long as
the longest life. the turf covering
the remains OF the maiden fair, cut
down while the dew of the morning
glistened Oh the flower the mound %
the soldier who fell on the forefront
of battle, that of the young mey-
chant who left the ledger unfinisk-
ed. the farmer whose plow stood in
the furrOw, the lawyer with hia.
briefs unwritten. the youthful schO-
lar with lessons yet TO be learned,
of young hearts that ceased TO thrOs
when stirred by high hopes, OF the
tired housewife who needed rest, OF
mother whose children still cry for
her. of the man of God whose flock
followed Loyalty and lovingly, OF
the clerk whose life was as fault
less as was his books. of the school
boy whose companions still miss
him sIom the play ground, Of the
father who cared so wei for the
household. the child of genius whs
charmed by his presence. the labors
who lifted heavy burdens that 9th
ers might ie.t in peace. oi the sing
er who filled other he"' - with
melody. of the orator who per
suaded with all of his eloquence, Of
that friend horn on foreign shore
and who became the friend OF all
Farmville Gone, all gone, but not
forever. Stately monuments crowH>
many mounds. while others are un-
marked By stones and yet whose
memories are kept green in hearts
of love. Go now and then to the
cemetery, the sleeping place OF our
dead. and then read of what gift
I'd scl of Virginia once said as he
stood to dedicate beautiful Holly
wood in Richmond.
True it matters little to the
dead where they sleep. But II AN
things are to be tried by a scale OF
utility anc absolute necessity, what
Inateis il to the living thao
they should provide themselves with
more Than the indispensable supplies
OF food and clothing. Why the
comforts OF home, the 'uxuries sf
life. the cultivation Of music, OF
> statuary? Now let us reverentiy as
cend from the man to his Maker
and ask. why do we not see this prn
ciple of utility. or rather, | will say,
this common and contracted idea OF
utility manifest in the works OF Goa
/ WHY has he throughout his whole
|c.torlcn. exhibited at once power
that awes the mind, and a beauty
that cnraptures the heart? Wh%
mattered il that he should make the
r earth more than a level, productive
r and unadorned field? Why make
that field of grain, which presently
is to be converted into food for man.
so attractive to his eye? Why make
that tree. which is to become MS
bahitation stately as well as strongy
WHY make the storm cloud, which
purifies the air and fertilizes the
earth beautiful in its wrath no"
sending from its dark bosom wes-
mons brighter than the swords OF
Seraphim. and now cleaning witA
the gorgeous tints of the bow which
the Almighty fixed upon the cloud.
r the radiant seal of the covenant OF
= God With man? Why invest even the
fleeting yapors of the sunset SKY
with colors which the painters most
. elaborate art can not rivalE "n|
= fill the air with sweet fragrance asn
: why deck the earth with wild fio'F-
ers. even il the distant recesses OF
, the forest and the mountains where
r the foot Of man rarely penetrfltes!
And why strew the very bottom OF
the sea with shells, whose tirits re-
r fleet the radiant hues Of heaven, un-
less ii be not only to delight the
eve and the imagination OF man, but
, because love of beauty peryades
Axr n