Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.

- Friedrich Nietzsche
 

Hope, deceiving as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.

- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
 

Hope is itself a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords:
but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain;
and expectations improperly indulged must end in disappointment.

- Samuel Johnson
 

Mary Morehouse had her first child at 26.  Her son, Charles, apparently died at birth or shortly thereafter.  A year later she was pregnant again - with twins.  Young George lived little more than a year, though his sister Sarah lived to be 31.  However, Sarah apparently never married and died before either of her parents.  The year after George died, Mary was pregnant again - and again she had twins.  The girl, Martha, lived to the age of about 4.  The boy, William, died around 15.  There was room on the tombstone for more children's names - but perhaps Mary and David felt they had two children living - Sarah and William - and they would stop there.  By the time William died, Mary was 46 - a bit old for more children.  Did she hope, to no avail?  When her last child died, Mary was 59.  She lived another 4 years and her husband died the year after that.  No scripture, no religious symbols.  Were they happy enough?  Or bitter?  I shall never know...

The Take-over Tree

The couple buried under this tombstone died more than 100 years ago.
The couple buried next to them apparently had family that planted a commemorative tree.
The tree has completely taken over their grave and is now hard at work eating their neighbours'.
No one seems to mind...

The Evergreen Cemetery Office

It blends in nicely

In all there are 11 pages of photographs of some of the unusual features to be found in Morristown's Evergreen Cemetery.  See the New Jersey section for seven pages and the Photographs section for the other four.

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