, 1859-07-15
THE BLACK CARDS.
TCoHcLUDED.1

unueTslhTU, anu NllEu GuIuSSNy ASSNNN " ~ 49,
alone with his mistress at the same time begged
MustapFa and Charles not to be beyond call
his looks were haggard, and his complexion had
been changed by sickness from its sable to .
yellow hue. .
Mistress" said he, In low tremulous voice,
al am row departing to the land Of my fathers.
! know shall 20 there, for never suffered the
white priest to sprinkle over me his charmed
water the assembled Eboe negroes will shortly
dance over the grave Of him whom the white
man called Jack, but who in his country was
and will be called 0orra, which signifies the
cunning Do not, my mistress, hinder this ce-
remony from being performed, as ] never was
baptzed.~ But this is not what called you for.
| have w-ongcd you-decply wronged you;
have plundered you, the unprotected orphan OF
my late kind master often have I wished to re-
store nv ill-gotten wealth, yet never was abe
to conquer that strong attachment for gold which
marks all nv race 4; but now, on the eve Of
speeding across yon rowing ocean to the land OF
my fathers, will 0orra make restitution. ] am
no Christian. vet there is something in my heart
that tells me that the curse Of the Great Spirit,
which white men pray to, will attend him who
rObs the orphan, yet makes no restitution! Yet
ere do that, promise me one thing"
"What is that? ?"
"That YOU will look with favor on that noble
youth who but now quilted this chamber, If he
ever asks you 10 become his wife. He loves you
II know he docs; and he has been kind to old
Jack Eboe, who obtained kindness from few
because he bestowed Il on none"
"What, in the name Of heaven" stammered
Rosetta, has induced you to make such q
request ?"
aNo matter; promise to comply. and you
shall be rich refuse me, and I speed to the
shores Of the Eboes, and your treasure lays
buried until the pillows Of the main shall roll
over this island. What, do you hesitate? Think
you bequeath you but the savings Of the bonds
man e-even that is worth inheriting; hut can
make you mistress Of the wealth your father lost
the night ere his death; have concealed Il ever
since; over this secret have brooded, nursing
It like revenge, which is at once the joy and tor.
ment Of the injured"
"What say YOU, old man 2-for the sake Of
Heaven do not deceive me; remember you are
now on your death-bed."
81 know It; even at this moment the blood Of
life grows chin in my limbs; but do not deceive
you; I have injured you too much already to do
that"
"where is my fathers fortune?"
promise to comply with my request, and you
shall know"
"old man, old mani" said Rosetta, "why do
you seek to impose such condition on me,
without having any knowledge Of my feelings I;
but IL YOU force me TO q conf.ssion-"
Mistress" said the dying man, "therc are no
other cars but mine, and in Jew minutes they
will close"
"If it will render your last moments mNre
happy" said Rosetta, in subdued tone, 81
promise what you require"
Enough" said the Eboe, al am satisfied.
Call in old Mustapha and Charles Melburn. Now
listen to me" said the African. "Buried in the
earth, Immediately beneath my head, you will
find calabash containing ten times as many
dollars as there are notches in this bed.post; for
every ten cut a notch; this bcqueath to Ro-
setta Belgave; and at the back Of this hut you
will perceive covered fowl-house; remove the
mass Of woura dried cane-lcaves) at the bottom,
and Immediately below the earth you will find
small chest. | do not bequeath her that, for II
is hers; it was who one hundred and sixty
moons since, carried it from yoEder house the
night when you, Mustapha. brought It there, and
when the black Carlos burst on the plantation.
CThe Mandingo muttercd some expression Of
bitter recolectioD) know you call me villain +;
are oil men villains for gold: for this does the
white man traverse irackless oceans, guided by
his invisible gods for this he eonverses with
the viewess spirits Of his books; for this he
wars: for this he tolls and may not the poor
Ebue, too, act the villain to obtain and hoard the
treasure which the white man thinks he enjoys
not, because he secretes itI He little dreams
that the recollection Of his pOssessionsc eers the
wretchsd bondage oi the despiSt d Eboe, and makes
him bear oppression that drives the savage Cor
omanteean to rebellion, the gentle ANGLICAN to
suicide, and the desponding Moco to swallow the
dIrt trOdden by man and beast. The Eboe's god
is Hy bOny, VINO g,ves gold and precious stones
to the earIn, and rivers Of the sand ;-he alone is
worthy worship. Remember, beneath the trash
Of my iowl-house, you viii find the long-lOst gold
and Jewels Of Rosetta Belgrave. The Christian
negroes, who were regardless Of the Obia-bag,
suspended over its roOI, have sometimes plum
dered my poultry; yet little thought these dar-
ing men Of the riches beneath them. What said
II yes, do not dig 1t up till am departed; |
could not bear the sight OF my lOng.baricd wealth
in another's hands"
He paused, and after looking wildly around
him, said, :" have told you all, Rosetta; obey
my injunctions-and now | speed to the land Oi
my fathers" The negro, with a faint voice com
uencgd chanting an uncOuIh Eboe song, which
al best has peculiarly harsh and melancholy
sound but now, beng uttered by the heathen
with bis failing aud sepulchTal voice, It was op-
prvssive in the extreme; his chanting grew fainter
and fainter, until it gave way to that awful rat
tling in the throat which Is the iorerunner OF
DEATH Rosetta could not endure the scene; she
was borne from the cottage lainting to an adjoin-
ing negro's, where she remained TIL she was sut'
hcienty recovered to return home. AtMelburn's
return to the EbOe's, he found his uncle had ar
rived, 10 whom they recountel what had taken
place. MusCapha procured spade, and the trea-
sures werU found precisely In the spot described
by Jack, who was just dead In large calabash
was found nine hundred dollars; the chest was
carefully wrapped round with q goats skin
dressed with poisonous herbs, which eiiectually
kept il from insects and moisture that 50 abound
in tropical climate; over the lock was fastened
an egg.shell, containing = farago Of trash well
known BY the appellation Of o5ia; they could not
e,und therain aold coins 10 the amount Of four