The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-11-17
An Extraordinary Scene.


Ian custom among the native South Ameri-
cans, which made deep impression upon
me. On returning home rather late, af-
ter accompanying some captains of my
acquaintance to the landing place where
their boat was waiting for item, passed
low rooted house, in whose well lighted
rooms music and dancing were going on.
| tried to get a peep through the curtain
ed window, but did not succeed, and was
just passing on when the door opened,
and two men came out. A third one was
just going to shut the door when he saw
ne, and asked me in a most friendly way
to come and be welcome.
Always ready to see what I could
whenever l could get a chance, follow
ed his kind invitation, and found himself
the next minute in perfect flood of light
but in very small room, crowded with
people. Taking in the whole at the first
glance, the room seemed rather poorly
furnished, with whitewashed walls, only
here and there ornimented with small col
ored pictures of saints and martyrs. The
table and chairs were made of pine wood
the latter with cane bottoms: and one
corner of the room, and great part of
the whole space, in fact, was taken up by
a large bed covered with lowered cur
tains, instead of mosquito net; but the
curtains thrown back at present to offer
room to those guests whowould notdance
themselves. (Agua ardiente and dubloes)
were handed round; while all, men and
women, the dancers excepted, smoked
their cigarillos.
But the most remarkable thing in the
room seemed to me large kind of scaf-
fold, which occupied the corner opposite
the bed, and consisting of a large frame
work, ornamented all over with artificial
flowers, little pictures of saints, and a
quantity of small lighted wax candies
On the top of it, a most extraordinary
made wax figure of little child was seat
ed in a low wooden chair, dressed in a
snow white lady frock-the eyes closed
the pale cheeks tinged by a soft rosy
hue, and the Whole figure perfectly strewn
with flowers. ! 1t might have been about
seven fleet high, and the figure was SO
deceptive, that when l drew near at first;
| thou5 bit 1t real child, while a young
woman below it, pale, and with tears in
her eyes, might very well have been the
mother.
But that was most certainly mistake
fol at this moment one of the men step
ped up to her, and invited her to dance,
and in a few minutes afterwards she was
one of the merriest in the crowd But it
must be a child-no sculptor could have
formed that little face SO exqusitely, and
now one light went out, close to the little
head, and the cheek lostits rosy hue. My
neighbors at length remarked the atten
ton with which I looked upon the figure
or child, whichever it was; and the near
est one now informed me, as far as I
could understand him, that the little thing
up there was the child of the woman with
the pale face, who was dancing so merri
ly; the whole festivity taking place, in fact
only on account of that little angel.
l shook my head doubtfully, and my
neighbor, to convince me, took my arm
and led me to the frame, where l had to
step upon the chair and nearest table, and
touch the cheek of the child, 1t was
corpse and the mother seeing I had
doubted it, but now convinced, came up
to me and smilingly told me that it had
been her child, and was now little angel
in Heaven.
The guitars, and cacaes commenced
wildly again, and she had to return to the
dance. | left the house as in dream,
but afterward heard the explanation of
this ceremony. If little child, believe
up to foul years of age, dies in Chill, it is
thought to go straight to Heaven and be-
come little angle; the mother being
prouder of that--before the eyes of the
world at least-than if she had reared
her child to happy man or womanhood.
The little corpse is exhibited then, as |
had seen it; and they often continue
dancing and singing around it till it dis
plays signs Of putrefac;ion. But the
mother whatever the feelings of her heart
may be, must laugh and sing and dance;
she dare not give way to any selfish wish
es, for is not the happiness of her child
secured? Poor mother.- GerStdcher's Voy
age round tile World.
HoRTIcULTURALS LSPEcIMENs--Ourfrl
Mr.. Cooper of the Oak Rancho, about SIX
miles from town, on the road to Canon
creek, called in our Office few days since
and presented us with some of the finest