Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-08-21

1
under the water; he saved their shell.
"But what is this shell, Father Sassa2
inquired; land what was the meaning oi
all the sorceries of Zombi Ga negro fetish),
which you told us yesterday evening under
the cocoa treesP"
''See!" said the Carib, pointing with hi,
| finger to the fragment of shells heaped w
around his hut, ''see what remains Of Sas
saggari, my father, who was the first III
these lands to walk securely beneath the
deep"
We observed that the shells were of the
same kind as ours.
1.-THE white strangers chased our fathers
from their home. We are not negroes. TC
escape from slavery the old Sassaggali EN-.
barked his family in his canoe; but he
would not leave behind him the shells
which bring luck to the fisherman and keep
afar the witchcraftS of the water. The
whites suspected some mystery. They
broke the shells against the rocks. Furious
at finding nothing but the white gleam of
the Shells they persued us-we rowed in
vain. They shot all except me, who saved
myself by swimming under the water.
have caught since then far more than they
|
rock only, besides Sassaggari, knows the
nest where they slumber. But keep the
shell of yesterday, little whites; when it
speaks Sassaggari will reply. He who
sings in the shells the plants of the sea,
and who paints the sunrise on their faces
will make the stars of heaven sink into
their heart" So the Carib spoke. He was
motionless, his glance sweeping afar to the
verge of the horizon.
We silently left HIM and gained our
cool hall before the burning noon made it
intolerable without.
But these early happy days were coming
to an end. We were about to quit this
pleasant paradise for new scenes.
We grew up. Our parents spoke of
sending Francis and me to France. When
Julie heard this she sighed-was agitated.
One evening my father came home from
the town and said that passage had been
taken for us on board vessel which would
sail in two weeks.
My poor sister, the news was terrible to
her. think can see her now during these
days She would sit for hours under a
palm tree, looking at the deep blue sea-
Once when Francis stole up to her, tax
ing her hand, he said in the tenderest tones:
''My lily, what is it you see there at the
bottom of the sea2'
II see," she replied, 1.-The white sail of a
ship which bears you far away-away!
The Count consoled them both, and,
passing his hands over the golden curls of
his boy, said:
''You love Julia very much, then"
''Yes, papa; and were l never to see her
again, | would drown myself"
The day of departure came We babe
adieu. Julia, pale as a sheet, came to us
with her shells
She gave the finest to Francis, and, TAX
ing me by the hand, said:
"Jules, | give you this horrible old SHE'LL
don't forget that found It that evening
memory of your sister and of her love for
Francis"
Six years later, during the winter of
1747-8, a young man completed highly
successful course of studies at the Univer-
sity of Paris and entered aristocratic life.
1t was the Vicompte de ST. Croix.
We made our preparations to return to
Martinique. Between our departure and
the wedding there came an obstacle. This
obstacle was a revolution.
The freedom of the blacks was pro-
claimed. The Count de St. Croix was
ruined. He hoped to save his crop by
borrowing. The money was obtained and
wasted in vain efforts.
Francis rose in dignity and energy dur
ing this trial. 81 will overcome this dis
aster, he said. 81 will not be crushed. 1
will go to America; few years of labor,
and we shall be reunited, and Julie shall
be mine.
He left soon for Havre and for New
York. Not long after his departure his
father, the old Count, arrived in Paris. He
hoped to obtain from the Government some
indemnity for his lost estate. Every effort
was in vain. One morning the poor old
Count tottered into my room, and, casting
himself on the sofa, exclaimed:
"All is lost"
In sudden alarm / started up to relieve
him, and so suddenly as to overthrow a
heavy tab e. Owing to its conclusion, the
portraits of Julie, which hung on the wall,
fell to the ground, and with it the shell,
which rested upon the portion of the frame.
AS the shell fell it separated into two por-
tions, from which rolled three white balls.
They were the three stars of night-threC
extremely large, immensely valuable pearls!
That very day the first jeweler in Paris
gave us $50, 600 for the three pearls.
We met again in Martinique. The mar
riage was solemnized. We sought the old
Indian, and cast ourselves, shedding tears
of gratitude, into his arms.
"Father Sassa," said Francis, FFYou told
us the truth. We found the stars of heaven
in the shells of the sea.
The eyes of the chief shone with a strange
light. ''Who were kind to the poor Indians
Who gave him wood for his canoe, knife
for fishing2 Who were good to hims fol
all that children, follow mel"
He placed his hand on great smooth
stone, or rather rock, which seemed cast
where it was by the fury of the waves.
''Sassaggari goes to the south. He goe
to the hidden land to join his fathers
There they live in the city, where all il
gold, where the race of the Incas of th'
south and the Aztecs of the north talk tn,
old sacred language of the serpent and O
the sun. There the voice of the white wa
never heard. Children, adieu!"
He rolled away the stone. 1t coverec
the entrance of the cave, in which we saw
piled high hundreds of shells, containing
pearls. We stood bewildered at the sigh
of such enormous wealth, and then turne'
to embrace the Carib. He had disappeared
But far off, IN the last rays of the settin
sun, vanishing in its purple mist, we saw
canoe padded by one dusky form, whic