Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-09-26

( In lot situated at the corner of Orleans and Dau-
phn streets. in the city of New Orleans, there is
tree which nobody looks at without wondering how
it came there For long time, it was the only one
OF its kind known in the State and from its isolated
posItIon 1t has always been cursed with storriity.
1t reminds one of the cline of Africa or Asia
and wears the aspect of stranger of distinction
driven from his native country. Indeed with It's
sharp, thin foliage, signing mournfully under the
blast of one OF our November northern winds, it
looks as sorrowfully exile. It's enormous trunk
is nothing but an agglomeraton of knots and bumps,
which each passing year seemed TO have deposited
there as mark of age, and protection against
the blows of time and of the world. Enquire for its
origin, and every will tell you that it has stood
there from time lmmemoral. A sort of vague but
impressive mystery is attached to it, and it is as
superstitiously respected as of the old oaks of
Dodona. Bold would be the axe that would strike
the first blow at this foreign patriarch and if it
prosrated TO the ground by profane hand what
native of the city would not mourn its fall and
brand the act as unnatural and criminal deed? So,
long live the date tree of Orleans street-that time
honored descendant of Astica ancestors!
In the beginning of 1727 French vessel of war
landed at New Orleans, man of naughty mien, who
wore Turkish dress, and whose whole attendance
was a single servant. He received by the Gov
ernor with the highest distinction, and conduct
ed by him to small but comfortable house with q
pretty garden, then existing at the of Orleans
and Dauphin streets, and which from the crcumstan$
ces of its being so distant from other dwellings,
might have been called rural retreat. although
situated in the limits of the city There the stran-
ger, who was understood to be prisoner OF State,
lived in thesgreatest seclusion and although neither
he nor his attendant could be guilty of indscreon,
because none understood their language, and although
Governor Perier severely rebuked the slightest in
qulry, yet It seemed to be the settled conviction IN
Louisiana that the mysterious stranger broth
or OF the Sultan or some great parsonage of the Ot
toman Empire, who had fed from the anger of the
Vicegerent Of Mahomed, and who had taken refuge
in France.
The Sultan had peIemptory demanded the fugi-
tive, and the French Government, thinking it de-
rogatory to its dignity to comply with that request,
but at the same time, not wishing to expose it's friend
y relations with the Moslem monarch, and perhaps
desiring for political purposes to keep in hostage the
important guest had in its hands, had to
the expedient of answering that he had fled to Lou
lsana, which was distant country, that it might
be looked upon the grave, whereas it was suggest
ed the fugitive might be suffered TO wait in peace
for actual death. without danger offence to the
Sultan. Whether this story be true or not is mat
ter of so little consequence that would not repay
the trouble of strict historical investigation.
The year 1927 was drawing to close, when on q
dark and stormy night the bowling and barking of
the numerous dogs in the streets of New Orleans
were observed to be fercer than usual, and of
that class of individuals who pretend to know every
thing, declared that by the vivid flashes of lightning
they had seen, swiftly and stealthiy, gliding TO-
wards the house of the "unknown," BODY of men
and ministers of blood. There afterwards came also
report that piraticallooking Turkish vessel had
been lowering, few days previous in the Bay of
Barrataria.
Be it as it may, on the next morning the house of
the stranger deserted. There were no traces of
mortal struggle to be seen but in the garden the
earth had been dug, and there the unmistakeabe
indication of a recent grave. Soon, however, all
doubts were removed by an inscription, in Arabic
characters, which affixed to post and which
was sent TO France to be deciphered. 1t ran thus:
The justice of heaven is satisfied, and the date tree
shall grow the traitors tomb. The sublime En-
peror of the faithful, the supporter of the faith the
omnipotent master and Sultan of the world has re-
deemed his VOW. God is great, and Mahomed is
his prophet. Allah" Sometime after this event,
foreign looking tree to peep out of the
spot where the corpse must have been deposited in
that stormy night when the rage of the elements
yielded TO the pitiless fury of man, and thus is
planed in some degree this part of the inscription
the date tree shall grow on the traitors tomb"
Who was he, what had he done, who had pro-
voked such relentless and far-seeking revenge g
Ask Nemesis or that hour when evil spirits were
alIC we'd to the earth, and magical invoca-
tons are made-go and interrogate the tree of the
death !"-Creole.
LARGE SALE OF VALUABLE PKOPEHTY.
"a ON WEDNESDAY THE lST DAY OF OCTOBER
Inext the subscriber will offer for sale his residence
of he