The widow, nerved for the obsequies of her husband, reclined
in silence, with Henry by her side. Friends from the city and
neighboring plantations sat or stood in whispering circles,
shrouded by scarfs, and hoods, and weepers, each holding a sprig
of rosemary twined with white paper ; the glasses and pictures
were turned to the wall, and every article of taste covered with
a white cloth. Labor was suspended, the household servants
stood in the piazza clothed in mourning, and the field-slaves,
with such little testimonials of external respect as they could
beg or borrow, arranged themselves below. The coffin was
brought to the piazza, its costly ornaments riveted, and little
Henry held up to see the inscription. In the eity, after a re-
cent decease, the widow would have remained secluded in the
formality of grief ; but in this case there seemed to be a call
for a representative mourner ; and, taking Henry's hand, she
followed the six negro female waiters dressed in white, with
napkins pinned over their shoulders, who were preceded by the
coffin, which was borne by his people, attended by the pall-bear-
ers, friends of the deceased. The procession passed on, followed
by the servants, to Cedar Mound. The coffin was lowered,
" dust to dust" was pronounced over it, and the earth fell upon



SOUTHERN MATRON. 13

its glittering decorations. Henry clung to his mother, crying,
" Papa, come back," while the lamentations and shrieking howl
of the negroes filled the air. The widow looked on with zeal-
ous scrutiny until the last spadeful of earth was deposited on
the swelling mound ; then taking her son home, retired to her
apartment, where her heart only knew its own bitterness.
