Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-30
Canatrice-a Story of Louisiana


1t Was Sunday morning i'll New Or
leans. A stranger, named Peter Ellis,
wandered forth from the ST. Cuaries to
wiLness the approaches OF tue lnuudu-
ton, which then formed the staple Of
discussion among all glasses. Peter
Eliis WAS about forty Years of age, OF
noble figure, proud, gloomy Ease, and
with u forehead seameu Win nIauy AID
deep wrinkles. His dress Was rIcn, al
ter the fashion OF the Southern ar.stoc
racy, but worn negligent,y, aud some-
what sOlled with the siali4o VI recent
travel; Tor he had arrived only the pre-
vlous evening.
The stranger passed groups OF peo-
pie gathered on every corner, all en-
gsged IN earnest conversaiioL; and still
here III the streets, Us b.cA yunder al
the tavern, the crerasse e, he creoasSe,
spoken IN English, FreLcu, Spanish,
Italian, aud pdtOSiS-was The topic that
seemed to monopolize every thought.
He had almost reached tue old Basin,
where the water was said IT, be- rIslug
with fearful rapidity, when his Gars
were assailed by an Understandable noise
which issued from u point u lev squares
to the lett.
"Whst internal din is that ?" asked
Peter Ellis, interroga,lng little
Frenchman, who Glanced " be gliding
by.
Monsieur is stranger IN the city?"
said the Frenchman, bowlug to the very
knees.
eyes"
Has heard of the Sunday dance on
Congo Green?"
Yes
Never had the pleasure of seeing
it,"
"No."
"Then Monsieur will be delighted,
charmed, enchanted with the spectacle"
exclaimed the volatile son OF Paris. en-.
Enthusiastically; adding, with another
deep bow, but beg Monsieur's par
don for the remarkable will be careful
TO respect the Africans. The Green be.
longs to them-is their theAter, l might
ssy-and the amusement is under the
strict surveillance of the pelice."
"Does anybody else 20 there be.
sides negroes ?" inquired Ellis, abstract.
edly:
"Ohl yes; everybody attends some
times or other, and the ladies' who have
had the serious misfortune to lose their
character 60 always"
The wrinkles on the brow of Peter
Ellis grew as black as the gloom of q
thunder cloud.
The last answer of the Frenchman
appeared to call up the ghost of some
horrid memory, and, With a scowl at
his astonished interlocutor, he hurried
EDWARDS and entered Congo Green.
This vas large level square, including
more than dozen acres, situated not
tar from the Basin, and set apart by an
ordinance of the city for the Sunday
amusements of the Africans exclusively.
1t was enclosed in strong iron ratings,
with gate of the same metal on each
Of the four sides, and was adorned with
many beautiful trees, scattered here
and there at irregular intervals, which
gave 1t the appearance of forest rather
than park.
Although 1t was scarcely nine when
Ellis reached the Green, it was already
well supplied with dancers. The scene
was such as to defy all attempts at de-
hneatlon by pen or pencil. A huge ne
gro, taller, blacker, and uglier than any
other in the concourse, had been chosen
general director for the day. He was
called inditferently King of Congo >
or king of the Wake" and bore on
MS head, as q crown, a great pyramid
OF painted paper boxes fastened togeth-
er, which lad the effect of nearly doub-
ing his natural height. This monarch
ana all his subjects were tricked out in
mahner so grotesque that is was i'm
possible to behold them without laugh
Ter. Here was one furnished with
noois. There went another brandish.
ing enormous horns. A third clapped
ms wings, Growing like a chauticleer.
a fourth strutted majestically, spread
ing behind him the plumes of tie pea
COCK; while the fifth displayed the tail
OF a monkey. Their sable features
were licked with all the colors of the
RAINBOW; and their necks, waists, arms,
and ankles literally bristled with in
Vulnerable little bells that iingled and
chlmed as they moved.
ihe dancers initiated the cries of
every animal. They crowed, barked,
beloved, neighed, bleated, saualled.
hooted and howled, while still ever,
without ceasing. the little bells iingled
and chiAed; and they had all sorts of
musical and un-musical instruments.
Inc fiddle uttered its silvery laugh; the
ofum Numbered; the trumpet roared !;
the nile squeaked; while the boatman's
pugle flung its winding notes to the
SKY; and still the little bells jingled
ana chimed. They increased the clamor
oy humping pans, kettles, tubs and
empty barrels. They shufied, waltzed 4;
but yet, over all the new eyolutions'
the genuine original Congo dance main.
famed Its undisputed pre-eminence.
IL was the saturnaiia Of animal mas.
sion the jubilee Of Joyous instinct.
Every eye cleaned; every countensnce
was radiant. The burning. heavino
mass of vitality was worked up to q
height OF feeling, intense as the motion
OF madness. Even many of the specta.
tors caught the contagious fury and
joined in the savage glee; bat there
was one beholder that pazel nm the
scene with grim look OF horror.