An Outcast [pp. 544]

644 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ n Outcast. [SEPT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MEER,~~-
where they rest fiom their labors. The character of our
institutions forbid a change in our laws and nature demands, as well as the good of society, that they shall not
be altered. Can the much to be deplored result to which
we have alluded, be remedied without an abrogation of a
policy so essentially necessary to the freedom and prosperity of our country? We are happy in the belief that
it may be done, and that by'the simplest means. Some
of the cities have already fatllen upon the expedient. fte
have to suggest, and permanent resting-places for the
dead have been provided. Mount Auburn, Laurel Hill,
Greenwood,Cemetery and now Hollywood, not to mention others of less note, are provided, and the example of
these great and beautiful republics of the dead, we may
hope will soon be followed by every town and village in
the country.
What we would propose is,that a similar arrangement
should be made in each county under the supervision of
Trustees, to be appointed by the Court or Legislature,
and that a tract of land of such extent as might be deemed
necessary, should be procured and set apart for the burial place of the dead, to be divided into lots of suitable
size, and, if needs be, sold out for a surn sufficient in the
aggregate to return the purchase money, and pay for a
permanent enclosure and suitable guardianship, securing permanency in the arrangement; a sanctity would be
thrown around the grave which it now so sadly wants, and
we must add a higher and more exalted'moral and religious feeling would be produced. Asjournalistswecando
no miore than suggest, and we earnestly appeal to the
religionists of all the different persuasions to take up the
suggestion and to carry it otut. The preaching of the
tombstone will come in aid of the pulpit, and the history
of the country be preserved in the history o'f its parishes.
As things now are, our bones when we are dead only
s erve to " playaat loggets with," and that rel igious veneration which should linger for centuries around the grave,
is substituted by utter neglect and followed by a disregard of every thing but the too eager pursuits of earthly
objects.
These reflections have been forced upon us by our having accidentally stumbled over two tombstones on a spot
near the banks of the James river, in the county of Charles
City, which was once a cultivated field. but which is now
overgrown by the forest-the one bearing date 1675:
the other 1692. They purport to be the memorials of a
father and a son, of the name of Hunt, and indicate from
their finish, that their tenants were in their day men of
wealth and consideration. The concluding sentence on
that of the youngest is - " The day of his birth was one
of joy-that of his death, of sorrow." Our minds were
irresistibly carried back to "good master Hunt," the first
minister who migrated to Virginia, the beloved pastor of
the church at Jamestown, who administered the rites of
baptism to Pocahontas in the Christian faith. We would
have given mtuch to have been able to trace back the
pedigree of the two, whose memorials were before us, to
that exemplary teacher of divine truths; but there they
were, the Alpha and Omega of their race, and their very
burial-place forgotten by the great world around. The
first of the Hunts lived in stirring tines in the colony.
Nathaniel Bacon had beardied the royal Governor, and
had taken into his hands the administration of public aft
fairs. The elder of the Hunts had mos't probalbly given
to the great rebel shelter and comfort, or he may have
shouldered his musket as one of his followers. It was
quite prudent in his successor not to have that fact, if it
was so, inscribed upon the slab.
I have said the history of families constituted the his tory of the State. Take the inscriptioni on a solitary
The R oses that bloom for th, Pure in Heart, have faded
from hel browAnd the Lily flowers of Innocence lie dead in her path way now:
Once she was young and beautiful, and sinless-soul'd as
thou!
And she was yonbg!e alas too young for the spoiler's hand
to winAnd the cruel scorning world refils'd to take the erring iu,,
So she pursued she evil way, and lived a life of sin,!
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.dn Outcast.
[S-EPTF.MIIEP.,
gravestone, which when a bov we remember to have seen
ti t Shirle, in the county of 6liaries City, displaced froin
'its proper position and propp,.d up against a cedar tree
so as to be removed out of the way of the plough. We
remember the inscription, although when we saw it we
werequitevoung. Itranthus,if.Dotlntheseverywords:
Here lveth the remains of Edward Hill, Coll. and coinmandei-i:ncl-jiet'aftliecountiesofCharle,sCityandSurry,
imeit)l)er of his Majesty's privy councill. for the colonv of
Virginia, and sometime judge of his Majesty's Court of
Adiiiiralty;"-tlius affording a leaf, in early local history,,,
of some interest and value. What if each county ha-d
contained a spot devoted to the dead, how many similar
leaves now lost to bistorv might not have been preserved.
We cannot too strongly urge this subject oii public attention, or invoke too strenuously aid in its accomplishment at the liauds of the Christian and Pliiianthropist.
AN OUTCAST.
BY E. JESSUP IEAMES.
11
II.
A bright and hit-ppy home she had, and friends the leal
and true,
With whom heir gay and guileless years to happy May
time grew- -
And her gentle heart all other hearts with the cords of
kindness drew.
III.
Look at her now! her cl-teek is thin, and in her hollow eye
Welleth a burning tbunt of tears whose source is never
dry;Ah! gladly would slae lay her head down in the dust and die!
IV.
V.
Jesu! be kind, and pity her, even as that one of yore
To wlioin those blessed words were said, 11 Go thou, and
sin ilo more!"
-IIer cry for n)crey Iiiiidly heed, and pardon we iiiiplore!