Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-03-27

"Who gave me this Boou knue 70 CUT
twine, make me wooden needles, cover
my cabin with reeds, carve my canoer
"I. Father Sassa." replied Francis.
"And for that, continued the cacique.
"Sassagari follows you wherever you
20. Sassagari would let the sharks eat
him before hair of your heads should
be injured. Sassagari saw the little
master and mistress yesterday struggling
against the sea; he went under the
water; he saved their shell"
"But what is this shell, Father Sas-
saf" I inquired; Sand what was the
meaning OF all the sorceries OF Zombi "a
fetich), which you told us yesterday
evening under the cocoa trees ?"
"See T. said the Carib, pointing with
his finger to the fragments of shells
heaped mp around his hut, "see what
remains OF Sassagari, my father, who
was the first in these lands to walk
securely beneath the deeps."
We observed that the shells were of
the same kind as ours.
"The white strangers chased our
fathers from their home. To escape
from slavery the old Sassagari embark
ed his family in his canoe; but he would
not leave behind him these shells,
which bring luck TO the fisherman and
keep afar the witchcrait of the water.
The whites suspected some mystery.
They broke the shells against the rocks.
Furious at finding nothing but the
white CLEAN Of the shells, they pursued
us; we rowed in vainl They shot all
except me, who saved myself by swim
ming under the water. / was alone;
the sea did not require my bones. /
have caught since then far more than
they snapped up, the bloodsuckers.
The rock only, besides Sassagari, knows
the nest where they slumber. But keep
the shell of yesterday, little whites;
when it speaks, Sassagari 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 Garth spoke. be was motion
less; he glanced, sweeping afar 10 the
verge of the horizon.
We silently left him, and gained our
cool hall before the burning noon made
il intolerable without.
But these early happy days we're
coming to an end. We were about to
quit this pleasant paradise for new
scenes.
eve grew up. Our parents spoke of
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 a vessel
which would sail in two weeks.
My poor sister, the news was terrible
to her. / think can see her now dur
ing those days. She would sit for hours
under a great palm tree, looking at the
deep blue sen.
Once, when Francis stole mp to her,
taking her hand, he said in the tender
est tones:
my lily, what is it you see there at
the bottom Of the sea 2"
"I see, she replied, 4" the white sail
Of a ship which bears you far away
away Z"
The count consoled them both, and
passing his hand over the golden curls
of his boy, he said:
You love Julie very much, then ?"
Yes, papa; and II were never to
see her again / would drown myself"
The day Of departure came. We bade
adieu. Julie, pale ~ q sheet, came 10
us with her shells.
She gave the finest TO Francis, and
taking me by the hand. said:
"Jules, 1 give you this horrible old
shell; don't forget that I found IL that
evening when Francis saved my life.
Keep II in memory Of your sister and
her love for Francis"
Six years later. during the winter Of
17z7-S, young man completed high
ly-successful course Of studies at the
university Of Paris, and entered aristo-
cratic life. II was the vicompte de st.
Croix.
We made our preparations TO return
10 Martinique. Between our departure
and the wedding there came an obsta-
Gle. This obstacle was revolution
The freedom of the blacks was pro.
claimed. The Count de st. Croix was
ruined. He hoped 10 save his crop by
borrowing. The money was obtained
and wasted in vain efforts.
Francis rose in dignity and energy
during this trial. "I will overcome
this disaster" he said. "I viii not be
crushed; / will go 10 America; q few
years of labor, and We shall be reunited,
and Julie will 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 government
some indemnity for his lost estates.
Every effort was in vain. One morning
the poor old count tottered into my
room, and, casting himself on the sofa,
exclaimed:
CAN is Lost I"
In sudden alarm I started up 10 re-
Tieve him, and that so suddenly as to
overthrow heavy table. Owing to its
conclusion, the portrait of Julie, which
hung on the wall, fell TO the ground, and
with IL the shell, which rested upon the
upper portion Of the frame. As the
shell fell It separated into two portions,
from which rolled three white balls.
They were the three stars OF night
three extremely large, immensely-valua-
kIe s.an~fa