Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-05-31
Nniun aud dispatch.
SUNDAY. NAY n. IsGs.
Largest CireulatiOn in City and State.
YOUDOU[SM.


Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
NEW ORLEANS, La, May 25, 1863
Eight on ten squares back from st. Charles
street, running parallel thereto, is a street
known as Yiilere street, q quiet thorough
fare, where people may live all the year
round without encounteripg any greater
excitement than that caused by the running
away Of grocer's horse, or the arrest Of a
midnight braRler. Pleasant rows Of cot
tages front upon its sidewalks, lines Of
shade trees are growing before them, and
in. the evening scores upon scores Of happy
children romp until bedtime. In short,
Villere street is quiet, retired, and usually
devoid Of great events. But one morning
last week there came sensation. The
dwellers in one Of those quiet houses were
astonished, perhaps somewhat unpleasantly
40, to find upon their doorstep, not the tra-
diiiOnal basket and baby, not'an anonymous
letter, or warning from the Ku. Klux, but
more strange than either, the quiyering
heart Of a beef, stuffed with tacks and wild
herbs, and wrapped around with black
Grape ...
Now in any other city savethis, such
discovery would suggest no more than the
tricks Of a mischievous boy, aad the find
ers would throw away the nOnsensical trash
aud think no mere Of it. But in this case
notice was Immediately sent to the Lieu
tenant Of Police, and steps we're taken TO
have The author Of the mystery appre-
hehded. However impoient and silly may
be the means, the leaving of this strange
charm has meaning one which, had it
been left at the door OF some Of the ne
groes living in New Orleans to-day would
have terrified Them almost into their graves
bnt which in the present case being con-
Veyed 10 white persons Of intelligence, and
devoid Of superstition, only shows that they
must be the objects Of some ignorant per
son's hatred. .......-..
la other words, II was the work OF the
Noldoux, an old relic of African supersti-
ton, made up Of incantations, conjnrors
arts and savage rites, which even to this
day find their yotaries inthis city. Threaten
a negro with the curse of the boudou
Queen, and you invoke upon him or her
all the terrors of the inferno. An mex
plicable horror seizes upon the one thus
threatened, and the only preserVative
is in counter charms. Many and many
a time have servants, under supposed
indignities from their employers, gone
10 consult with the Queen" generally a
| withered old woman, dressed IN black
head-handkerchief and all, who, for fee
| gives the iBcensed one advice, whether
paeifcatory or the contrary. l remember
/ once a case where mulatto servant girl
while opening some feather pillows, found
number of little knots, or bolls, int
which, as is generally tue case, the feathers
has by long use worked themselves. I'm
metliaiely she burst into loud ht OF cry
ing, and, calling her mistress, showed mel
the knots in question. Nothing could que
her or induce her TO touch the pillows ol
feathers again. It was a NoudOu charm
she said, foretelling no good to those who
/ slept upon the pillow. In vain It was at
| tempted TO explain to her excited compre
bension that electricity had caused the con
4 rlomeratien of the feathers. Straightway
| she proceeded to cOnsultthe nearest EoudoI
Queen. Royalty received her with du'
ceremony, aud having heard the story
the pillOws, said that it had indeed been
charm wonder for some body, bat not lol
those who now nightly laid their heads y
rest upon it. And so the woman wa
. 1 QlfALIA. buA L AlAaitN oaaA ~ -
covered from the shock.
Now and then the police discover vota
ries OF Voudouism in their orgies, dancin
naked about a cauldron, uttering terrih
wells, in fact carrying out to the letter, on
Of those savage scenes which traveller
have told us are occasionally to be witness
ed among the tribes Of the interior OF Afr
ca. BY the indescribable terror and imag
nary power with which these 'queens
thus invest themselves, do they obtain thei
influence over their votaries. There is
Doctor John" here who is said TO posse.
healing power 10 miraculous exten
And lately, too, valuable lot Of stole
diamonds, are said 20 have been reclaim
! ed through the discoveries made by
| Voudou. .... 4.
So il came that when one morning q
inmates Of the quiet house on Vile
street found, on their doorsieps, the beel
heart served up in green herbs, tacks al
Grape, they felt themselves fully justified
informing the police that some unknoN
: person was thus manifesting a feeling
hostility toward them.
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IIpUpv uHpn DpErUER