The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1875-04-24
A Night With the Voudous.
DT NJ. II. WILLIAMS.

My acquaintance with them "de rfsu''
occurred in this wise: We had a servant
from an island Of the West Indies-a mu-
lattress, and very intelligent. Phoebe
was mystic-n soul Of Huldah the
Prophecies. Phoebe, too, entertained q
quccnly contempt for the quiet house born
md housc-taught "niggers," and lost no
opportunity ofimprcssing them with awe
and astonishmcDt at her superiority. Our
house, like many others in New Orleans
ut that time, lad n long hall or entry run
ming through it, and which furnished the
principal mode of ingrcss or egrcss for its
inmates. The door Of this hall was rig
idly locked at the nine o'clock gun, and
the key put in my hand, as was the first
one Of the family up to open the corridor
gate, that the housc-serYant might get
water from the early water r-carrier, and
the cook go to market for her daily sup
ply Of provisions.
One evening old Phoebe camo whcod-
ling around me, and said:
Little master, you keep the key of the
corridor. Please let nc out tonight after
IinG o'clock. You sit up till ton at your
lessons, and you can let me out, and no
one will know"
"Why don't you ask father for pass1"
[ answered.
"Wcll, couldn't tell him where want
to 90, because I must stay out late, SO
thought that If you would open the gate
fJr me, and go with me, you would DO
the good pass, and We could come back
before daylight"
"But where do you want togo, Phoebe" ;"
"Wcll, little master, l can't tell you;
but you conc with me, and you will sec.
Look rs much rs you choose where We
ire going, but speak, No"
was fifteen years Old and not model
boy by any means, The SAVIOR of forbid
icn fruit was delicious to my palnte, aud
when old Phoebe addressed herself to my
love Of mystery and spirit Of daring she
had me soul and body. SO Mt ten o'clock,
the family Nil retired, put up my books
and hurried to the door, where | found
Phoebe waiting, dressed in white, and we
sailed forth into the lovely juno night.
1t was the eve Of st. John. Two blocks
from the house We met tho gcndarmcs,
who halted US; but / had my answer
ready. 1 was going to my grandmothcr's
and my servant was accompanying me.
We passed nll the large streets, and when
we reached the last from the river, Phoebe
took the lend aud followed in tho dark
ness through all kinds Of uileys and I'M
defined ways. At last, at the extreme
limits Of the city. VIC reached nh empty
squnrc, incioscd in q cypress pickct-fcncc
fully ten feet high. recognized the spot
It was m abandoned brick yard, In Which
we boys had been in the habit Of catching
crawiislI in the brick pits.
| heard dull, weird sound rising on
the stiffness Of the night, and creeping
through The house where We stood.
"licarcst tfoul" said Dcdc; "tlIat is the
call, and wc must CO."
As lie went forth saw n long building,
some forty feet in length by twenty in
width, which I recognized rs the great
brick shed. When used for that purpose,
ono of the four sides had been left open
to admit carts. That wns now closely
boarded IN, and, MS wc approached, I
could sec crowd of white pilantoms issu.
ing from tho cabins around, and making
their way toward the shed.
An cntranco-d0Or wns opened at the
call Of Dcdc, and witnessed scene
which. old MS am, no passage Of years
can ever dim. Tho first thing whicl,
struck mo Is VIC entered was q built-up
square of bricks Mt tho upper and lower
end of tho shed, on each of which WINS
burning n fierce fire, cnsiing lurid light
over the scene. Along the four sides of
the parallclogrnm Of tho building, were
sconccs, with lighted dips placed Mt equal
distances, which barely added to the
1arkling light of tho two pyrcs. On tho
initiated who had already como In, and
on those who were then tllronpinr tho
shed, tho combined light of flrC-stack and
tnllow.dip falling on their white garments
made an uncartlily, fantastic picture, such
ns Dorc to-day would have delighted In
| began to understand whcrc was, md
though no coward, can tell you shud.
dcrcd when thought of all / had heard
of Youdou rites. Each man and woman
had white kcrchicf tied around the fore
bead, though tho heads of tho hitter were
covered by the traditional Madras hand
kcrchicf with It's five, may, with its sovcr
artistic points, upturncd to heaven.
In little timo tho company, some six
ty In nlI had assembled. There were
males aud females, old nnd young ncrroc!
md nCgrcsscs -. handsome muiattfcssci
and quadroons. With them half a dozc,
white men and two white women.
In ono Of the corners Of the upper pyrt
Phoebe assigned mo n place. Ncnr whrr,
stood wns an oblong table about cigh
feet In length and four In width. On Il
right end stood black cat, md on Its lcf
n whito ono. thought them alive, and