The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-11-23


might De- able 10 purchase their freedom, I'M
ul at last one day Mabel came to mo with
twenty douhloona,and asked 10 pay the sum
had given for her, and tO receive her pa
Peru ~ freedom 1 was Astdnisbad I knew
Of her industry, bat had not supposed II
P,osa'hle ior her, Ia - Grw ysars, % have re-
allied ~ much.
Have you earned all tliis?' asked, in sur
prise, Of the girl.
Not all, n,asteF, she answered, with some
tokens Of embarrassment
And where hAa the rest come from = Iask-
ed, ia kind voice.
Brother Meto gave me one half Of H.
she replied
Your brother then gave you what he had
saved during these seven years ?
Yes, MASTER
And you earned the rest
'All but three doubloons
And where did they come from YI cortin-
ued, not little interested.
Ponce gave them to me, master, she an
swercd, with downcast eyes
y paused for while 20 reflect upon this
-lll--hcrllclng Apiril- il -hrGLhaE--a ti,f-
conhtAngy aud generosity IN a lover.
Iakinga blank from my paper,I filled IL out
giving her freedom and clearance for life, for
herself and hers forever, telling her 20 keep
the price of her liberty ~ a wedding dover,
and sent her away, happy, indeed They
were married, Ponce and Mabel, immediate
" aiicr, aud settled on bit Of ground that
Ponce's former master leased % him, but n
short league from here. Two years ago, when
the great rising took place in the Island, my
life. aud that of my whole family, were saved
10y Mabel and Ponce who gave me secret IN
formation at the risk Of their lives, and
thus enabled us 10 arm aud defend our
selves
But how about Alabcls brother; did he get
his liberty at last =
No his incentive 10 save had been for his
sisters sake, lac was himself quite contchted,
and - with me still. Il was he who directed
the gang ~ the sugar yais whore you saw
the rest uf the Ashantecs, lie II the onTy
one oimy people q At speaks that tribes lam
Punge.'
You must have aany curious reminiscenc-
cs Of this people
we have. Could ths records NJ each plant-
Atom bc wriitcn out, th1y would present ma
nv lnsiAnccA of lhe lIlo2t- ,,t,,.,.itnrurtcr
relating "a them, though, As a race they are
fcariully deficient in mcntal capacity. have
had those ON whom I have tried Tor years 10
impress a fCw simple ideas, and who To the
end have proved themselves far less intclli-
gent than the poorest hound on my planta-
ton
What are they catching those fire flies
for 2 ! asked. as a couple of negrocs hurried
oil among the undergrnwth, in chase of these
little brilliant toroh-bearers.
They hang them up in wicker cages in their
hutsfur lights Il is the only mode they have
Of lighting their cabins. II would bc unsafe
TO allow them lamps or candles
a queer idea
1t is; but in very dark place the light G.
mittcd by the Cuban freely, or, as we call IL,
the Curculos, is wonderful | am told that
they are not 50 powerful in any other part of
the world n in our island.
Atlcr "A song from one Of the ladies' with
guitar accompaniment, some slight refresh
mrnts wcr~ -psFtakVH-Bi, ani VIC separated
for the night. IL seemed almost too clear and
bright to sleep, and sat for an hour at my
window, half dreaming, with my eyes resting
upon the beauty Of the scene.
was the first of the household that was
stirring ON the following morning; and such
"A morning il was The dew had frcshencd
everything, and the air was laden with fra
GRANGE from honcysucklc Towering woodbine,
and the rank growth of the wild heliotropc.
Iheswoods were vocal with the sweet songs
ofbrds, and you felt once that you were in a
land whore
Fruits aud flowers blushed over every stream"
In strolling over the grounds, soon came
upon scene which with my feelings wrought
up TO such a high sense of delight gave me a
shock by its contrast that makes me shudder
even now 20 realize. The drying shed for to-
hacco and coffee was but few hundred Yards
in the rear Of the house, and there, hanging
from n cross beaIn,side by aide, were the dead
bodies OF seren sidres.
/ fastened back to the house, and aroused
the ovcrsccr and my host as quickly as possi-
blc and with them returned 20 the fearful
BCcno of solt-dcstruction at the drying-shel-l
. The doctor looked conlly upon the scene.
though not without considerable disappoint-
mcnt expressed in his countenance;thcn turn
ing TO the French ovcrseer, said:
'Cuf them down, De Vbuis, and we will
have them burned this afternoon before the
rest Of the people,
Burned J said l, in surprise.
yes. The Ashantees have belief that
when they die, their spirits fly back TO their
native land, and for this reason they are apt
10 ccts'ait suicide, and unless we burn their
bodies and scatter their afltes 10 the wind the
superstition might spread among the other
negroes, and we should bd losing half our
slaves
Those were the Ashantees then, that I |
Jaw at the sugar watts yesterday p asked.
fns, seven good stout fellows; but it II n I
'isk we run when we buy Africans of that
ribe.'
The same afternoon saw all the slaves mus
cred, nearly two hundred in numberand tho
yentle twilight breeze waited thc'ashcs of sew
N dead bodies over the fragrant flowers and
ipening fruits.
such is a true scene in Cuban life.
CELLARs-Probably one of the chief
auses why vegetables Of certain kinds, par
icularfy carrots, bcots, and turnips, rot sol
pom after being deposited in the wintor bins,
: the want of proper care in ventilating the
ellars in which they are deposited. The l
Germans, who arc famed for their exemplary !
omestc economy, are circumspect in this
aFtieulsr, Ih all or most of their houses q
iern is n communication maintained between !
ie cellar and principal chimney, in order to
cilitate the escape Of the noNious and stag :
ant gases engendered by the vegetable and G
her contents. II is a we'll known fact that &
Ie air in cellars, from its rapid deteriora- y