The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-09-06
VAMPIRE STORIES.

VAMPIRE SIOklESs
A Revival of the Old Superstition of Blood
Drinking Bats and Men-The Literature
of Vampirism and Its Influence Oh
European Peoples-Stories That We're
Told of Vampires and Their Doings in
the Last Century.
A physician of local fame in an East
ern city said to the writer recently:
This is an age of queer mental and
bodily delusions, despite its enlighten-
ment. One of the oldest cases that |
ever saw was called on to treat the
other day. A man came in to COM
plain that his ankles were wounded. |
found that the wounds were scratches.
and expressed my surprise that he
should have consulted physician about
a tribe. He sad he often found the
skin of his ankles broken in the same
way on rising from bed l suggested
that he smooth the foot board, and not
kick it so much. Then the real object
of his visit came out. What do You
think 1t was? With bated breath he
whispered that he was the victim of a
vampire-not q vampire bat, but a
human vampire. Actually, here was a
sound, healthy, intelligent man COVER
stition. He limited to me that he knew
who the vampire was-a former enemy
now deceased. He had come to me for
a charm, or something else, to exercise
his terrible visitor. | tried to laugh
and chat him out of the idea. Whether
succeeded l don't know. The man
went away very much depressed, and
hasn't returned since. / ought to have
mentioned that he was native of Hun
gary, and had imbibed vampirism in his
childhood s home.
This is one of several instances that
have come under the writer's notice to
prove that the ancient and horrible
vampire belief is yet lingering upon
earth. Certainly no more extraordinary
or appalling belief ever troubled mems
wits. The very idea is startling. That
the dead returned from their graves to
prey on the flesh and blood of the liv-
ing should have ever been believed by
thousands of people sounds incredible.
But it is a fact nevertheless.
The history of the vampire supersti-
ton ranges over 1000 years. 1t begins
with the Lamia of the Greeks, beauti-
full woman who enticed youths to her
in order to drink their blood, and it
may be said to end with the dawn of
general education about sevenuy-fiye
years ago. At certain periods its be-
levers have numbered hundreds of
thousands, perhaps millions, of people,
not, of the unlettered entirely, but in
cluded educated and scientific men of
France, Germany and Italy. Fifty
years ago the vampire was we'll
known figure in literature and the
drama. The foremost poet in England
was credited with the authorship of
popular play called the "Vampire, Z"
and did not wholly deny it. A hundred
years before this time vampires and
ghouls were the topic of interest in the
salons of Paris, that ranked with Law
and his schemes. At this period, in
deed, the superstition obtained the
greatest currency among educated peo-
pie, and its literature is the richest.
Voltaire express d astonishment at the
spread Of the belief. The shafts of his
were directed against it. We learn
from the memoirs of court lady at the
time that Vampirism was talked at
every so.ree, and that its ardent be.
levers were nearly as many as
those who scofled it. Among
the former were members
of the army, the law, several members
of the academy, and numerous scien-
tific men. Physicians were divided.
They agreed there must be some founda-
ton for the vampire belief, and for the
werewolf belief, which was closely al
led to it. Finally they gave the mono
mania which lay at the bottom of all |
the vampire belief the name of lycan-
thropy, Elaborate treatises were writ
ten for and against. and host of minor
writers flung out books on the subject. !
The principal of these were Raufit and |
Calmet. The latter's work is especially |
rich in cases of vampires, many ofwhich |
are described By actual witnesses.
One of the best attested vampire sto-
ries in Calmet's work is that of Mar |
shall de Retz. This was noble, brave
and worthy man, who lived in France
in the reign of Charles VII. He was q |
soldier and after distinguishing himself |
in the wars retired to his country seat. |
Shortly after he took up his residence
the neighborhood became alarmed at |
the disappearance of many young chill
dren. Only children under the age of |
seven disappeared, and soon the num-
Der of distracted parents mourning their
lost ones was very great. No amount
of vigilance could discover the mys-
FERROUS agency which as it were swal-
lowed the children up. Accident. how
ever, directed suspicion to the noble de |
Retz. His castle was watched by des-
perate parents who had lost their little |
ones, and circumstances multiplied to
give the people courage to accuse him |