The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-01-26

he possessed. A more rational surmise,
and indeed one that turned out 10 be
true, was that he had been SLAYER and
had made his fortune by running car
goes OF negroes from the Barracoons Of
the gold coast and the Gaboon to the
West Indies and Brazil.
"But Notwithstanding the dread and
aversion excited by his appearance and
the mystery in which his .Ireer was in
volyed, his wealth did not fail to secure
him conductors and allies. Among
these was the Senior Ramon Esquiros,
a merchant, esteemed no less for his
probity than for his wealth and his
many public services. lie was the head
Of one OF the most ancient families in
the Empire, and IN honored parsonage
in the austere and exclusive society of
the Capital. The Singular intimacy
which sprang up between the Senior
Joao---coarse, unlettered, misshapen,
maimed-and the refined and fastidious
Senior Ramon Esquiros naturally at
tracted attention, and was the cause of
not few friendly romonstrances and
warnings. But they We're Of little avail.
The joint operations OF Seniors Es-
quiros and Joao increased in magnitude
and importance; they shared the own
ership Of sugar-mills and plantations
in the province Of Entire Rios; they ex-
tended their operations to the
Amazon, where they were CEN
cerned in the production Of India
rubber; they projected railroads from
the coast to the plantations of
st. Paulo and we're meditating the es-
Enlistment of bank, the charter Of
which had been applied for and its list
of directors named. At this point of
time the Senior Ramon Esquiros was
found one morning lying upon the floor
OF his sleeping apartment in his house
upon the Gazette shot through the heart.
A small pistol identified as his own lay
near him, and after due inquiry his
death was ascribed TO suicide. The in
vestigation of his affairs, which took
place Immediately after his funeral, dis
closed a sufficient motive for the act
His extensive estate was found to he al
most entirely wasted, and it seemed TO
have passed bodily into the hands Of
Senior Joao. Nor could the re gnlarity
Of the proceedings of the latter be inn
peached. AL seemed according 10 the
usages of business, and
though the aversion and hatred felt
towards Senior Jeao were, il any
thing, increased, nothing came of them
except that be was cursed more vigor-
ously than ever on Change, and that
more people than ever crossed the kue
Direita or the Rue d'Ouvidor rather
than meet face to face a parsonage so
dreaded and detested.
Among the properties which be-
longed to Senior Ramon and which af-
ter his death came by right Of mort
gage to Senior Joao was plantation
with about forty slaves, near Teresopo-
lis, mountain town, almost within
sight Of the capital. Among the latter
was young girl Of eighteen, natural
daughter Of Senior Ramon, TO whom
be had given his name and whom he
had had educated with the utmost care
at Lisbon aud later at Paris. She had
but recently returned from Europe, and
her first knowledge that she was a slave
and not the legitimate daughter Of her
father came to her after his death and
from the horrible lips OF her new own
er. There were many Of the friends of
Djn Ramon who were aware Of his in
toward Carita and who were
determined that she should be rescued
from the possession Of Senior Jeao,
and to this end sum Of money was
subscribed among them, and Senior
Joao plainly informed that he might
name his price for Carisa, and it should
be paid, but il i'll befel her he should
answer 1t. Within day or two she
had disappeared from the Teresopolis
and no trace Of her was TO
be found. Senior Joao professed per-
fect ignorance Of her whereabouts, and
Il is known that at the time OF her dis
appearance he was himself in the city.
This was about the middle Of Deem
Der. The search for her continued for
some time but il was at length con-
ectured that, terrified By the prospect
1f passing into the possession Of such
IN owner, she had in some unknown
manner, made good her escape.''
Thus far Mr.. Carston had proceeded
with the story of the Seniors Joao and
Ramon, when the deepening twilight
made it necessary to light up the porch,
and this was done by hanging rows Of
paper lanterns Of Chinese pattern on
either side, and a constellation of them
above the table. Their soft light shone
lpon the faces Of the guests, which in
he gathering gloom had faded into in
iistinctness, and revealed the interest
with which each had followed the mar
ration. When the illumination was
Mr.. Carston resumed
"The villa over yonder which is now
deserted and going to ruin, was one Of
the summer-houses of Senior Ramon,
and one Of the portions Of his estate
which came into the hands OF Senior
Joao. II had been for some time unoc-