Written in 1897, in St James's Budget.
The story is about a father and his son and their difficult relationship ending in tragedy. Sargent Holway, was proud to have a son Luke whom he aspired to be in the army and reach great heights. But Luke did not want or share any of his father's dreams.
'He comes the prisoners to re-lease,
In Satan’s bondage held’
Luke wanted to become a mechanic in spite of his father's wish for him to follow in his footsteps and join the army. He finally persuaded his son, Luke Holway, to go and join the army overseas but as a result of this he had a terrible time.
Soon out of spite, Luke sends letters with deep anger and sarcasm and bitter words to his father from the battlefront. The letters are full of childish complaints and anything but a heroic army man's words as his father would have expected.
In Satan’s bondage held’
Luke wanted to become a mechanic in spite of his father's wish for him to follow in his footsteps and join the army. He finally persuaded his son, Luke Holway, to go and join the army overseas but as a result of this he had a terrible time.
Soon out of spite, Luke sends letters with deep anger and sarcasm and bitter words to his father from the battlefront. The letters are full of childish complaints and anything but a heroic army man's words as his father would have expected.
This breaks the proud Sargent's heart slowly and ultimately one fine afternoon, in his cottage, he shoots himself. Luke on knowing this, feel depressed and guilty. He requests a church choir of his village to bury his father and even prepares the headstone for the grave. Making all arrangements for a proper and respectful funeral, Luke, as his father wishes, goes back and rejoins the army to atone to his father.
The choir people are unable to carry out Luke's request. This was more due to bureaucratic problems than out of respect to the dead and kin of dead. Thus the Sargent's grave remains near the forlorn place by the handpost and not in a proper church cemetery. Even the headstone lies abandoned near the choir member's house, catching moss and dust in the village sleet and rains.
The choir people are unable to carry out Luke's request. This was more due to bureaucratic problems than out of respect to the dead and kin of dead. Thus the Sargent's grave remains near the forlorn place by the handpost and not in a proper church cemetery. Even the headstone lies abandoned near the choir member's house, catching moss and dust in the village sleet and rains.
Many years pass thus. Most of the choir members are also dead in gradual passing of time. After the war in Spain and many years of war and wanderings, Luke Holway returns, wiser and more respected among his superiors and colleagues. But nothing of the glory and accolades mean anything to him, when he finds out that his father's grave is not arranged for as he had requested. Heartbroken
and too humbled or tired to put blame on anyone, and with a burden of guilt for, first, hurting his father and then not being able to give a proper and suitable funeral, Luke kills himself. Shooting in the head just as Sargent did many winters ago on a gloomy night.
He leaves a note say that he want to buried next to his father. But the ill-fated note blows away by a wind of fate, leaving history to repeat itself.
Image - Where His Father Lay Buried — illustration for Thomas Hardy’s “The Grave by the Hand-post” by George M. Patterson. St. James’s Budget Christmas Number (30 November 1897)
The main themes of the story stress on parent child relationship and regret and forgiveness to self.
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