The Innocents Abroad — Volume 06 by Mark Twain
page 19 of 129 (14%)
page 19 of 129 (14%)
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upright tombstones. A Moslem grave is usually roughly plastered over and
whitewashed, and has at one end an upright projection which is shaped into exceedingly rude attempts at ornamentation. In the cities, there is often no appearance of a grave at all; a tall, slender marble tombstone, elaborately lettred, gilded and painted, marks the burial place, and this is surmounted by a turban, so carved and shaped as to signify the dead man's rank in life. They showed a fragment of ancient wall which they said was one side of the gate out of which the widow's dead son was being brought so many centuries ago when Jesus met the procession: "Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. "And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said, Weep not. "And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, arise. "And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. "And there came a fear on all. And they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and That God hath visited his people." A little mosque stands upon the spot which tradition says was occupied by |
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