Jan. 1915. RECORDS. 109 



servants of the Devil who had placed them 

 in America to prevent the godly from occu- 

 pying the land ! 



Of course these peculiar beliefs became 

 impressed upon the literature of the day and 

 also found expression on grave-stones in the 

 personification of Death. 



Epitaphs did not at first accompany the 

 winged skull, but later they were sometimes 

 found with it. Here is one from a stone in 

 Osterville, Mass., dated 1802. It is simply 

 another form of that given on page 68, and 

 in one way or another often occurs :- 



Behold and see as you pass by 

 As you are now so once was I 

 As I am now so you must be 

 Prepare for death and follow me. 



Much the same idea is expressed on a stone 

 in the church-yard of Centerville, Mass., and 

 dated 1829. It was erected in memory of 

 two boys, aged thirteen and nineteen, who 

 perished from exposure on a barren island 

 after being shipwrecked there in winter:- 



Stop stop young brother sailor 

 On this stone cast an eye 



