of ^Itpstone palace. 141 



performed at their obsequies. Graves are opened beside 

 the public road, on some wild common, or lone forest ; 

 those who dig them seem filled with more than usual sad- 

 ness, for they have not yet learned to think that it is a 

 matter of indifference where their friends are buried. 

 Strange it is, that in these fearful times any should 

 think of marrying. Yet such there are, and now a bridal 

 company is seen passing up the narrow pathway that leads 

 to the small church. The sun shines as brightly as if all 

 on earth were happy ; the trees wave in the soft summer 

 wind, and the butterflies and bees flit from one flower to 

 another, or rest on the tufts of wild thyme that skirt the 

 path. But the old people look exceeding sorrowful, 

 and there are no smiles on the faces of the young. They 

 stop at the entrance of the churchyard, at the old stile 

 with its thatched roof, where part of the ceremony is wont 

 to be performed, and the bride and bridegroom stand 

 there, as if they almost feared to go on. The sod which 

 used to be kept so nicely that a weed might not lift up its 

 head unbidden, has grown long and rank. It overtops 

 the graves ; and the thistle, and that unsightly weed the 

 great cow-parsnip, with its sickly-looking flower, has sprung 

 up in rank luxuriance. The bells are placed beside the 

 church, and near them the images, and the one old cross 

 are lying on the ground, covered up in a manner which 

 cause them to look like corpses waiting for interment. 



In a moment the old church and its venerable yew 

 the sad bridal company the bells and images are gone. 



