The National tribune., 1885-07-09

It was beautiful scarabaus, and, at that time,
unknown to naturalists-of course a great
prize in a scientific point of view. There were
| two round black spots near one extremity of
the back, and long one near the other. The
scales were exceedingly hard and glossy, with
all the appearance of FURNISHED gold. The
weight of the insect was very remarkable, and,
taking all things into consideration, could
hardly blame Jupiter for his opinion respecting
it; but what to make of Legrand's concord
ance with that opinion, I could not, for the
life of me, tell.
81 sent for you," said he, in grandiloquent
tone, when l had completed my examination
of the beetle, 81 sent for you, that / might
have your counsel and assistance in furthering
the views of Fate and OF the bug"-
my dear Legrand," I cried, interrupting
him, you are certainly unwell, and had better
use some little precautions. You shall go to
bed, and l will remain with you few days,
until you get over this. You are feverish
and -
"Feel my pulse" said he.
felt it, and, to say the truth, found not the
slightest indication of fever.
:" But you may be ill and yet have no fever.
Allow me this once to prescribe for you. In
the first place, go to bed In the next -
"You are mistaken" he interposed, :" am
as well as can expect to be under the excite
ment which l suffer. If you really wish me
well, you will relieve this excitement"
"And how is this to be done2"
Every easily. Jupiter and myself are going
upon an expedition into the hills, upon the
mainland, and in this expedition, we shall
need the aid of some person in whom we can
confide. You are the only one we can trust.
Whether we succeed or fail, the excitement
which you now perceive in me will be equally
allayed."
81 am anxious to oblige you in any way"
replied but do you mean to say that this
internal beetle has any connection with your
expedition into the hills?"
at has,
"Then, Legrand, can become a party to no
such absurd proceeding"
Il am sOrry-very sorry-for we shall have
to try it by ourselves"
"Try it by yourselves! The man is surely
mad!-but stay-how long do you propose to
be absent?"
Probably all night We shall start immedi-
ately, and be back, at all events, by sunrise"
"And will you promise me, upon your honor,
that when this freak of yours is over, and the
bug business (good GodD setsled to your salts
faction you will then return home and follow
my advice implicitly, as that of your physi-
cian?"
"Yes; I promise; and now let US be off, for
we have no time to lose"
With heavy heart accompanied my friend
We started about four oclock--Legrand, Jupi-
him the scythe and spades-the whole of which
he insisted upon carrying-more through fear,
it seemed to me, of trusting either of the i'm
plements within reach of his master, than from
any excess of industry or complaisance. His
demeanor was dogged in the extreme and
"dat deuced bug" were the sole words which
escaped his lips during the journey. For my
own part, l had charge of couple of dark
lanterns, while Legrand contented himself with
the scarabsus, which he carried attached to the
end of bit of whip-cord; twirling it to and
fro, with the air of a con- Juror, as he went.
When / observed this last, plain evidence of
my friends alteration of mind, / could scarcely
refrain from tears. thought it best, however,
to humor his fancy at least for the present,
or until l could adopt some more energetic
measures with a chance of success. In the
meantime / endeayOred, but all in vain, to
sound him in regard to the object of the ex-
pedition. Having succeeded in inducing me
to accompany him, he seemed unwilling to hold
conversation upon any topic of minor impor-
tance, and to all my questions youchsafed no
other reply than we shall see."
We crossed the creek at the head of the island
by means of skif, and, ascending the high
grounds on the shore of the mainland, pro-
ceeded in northwesterly direction, through
a tract of country excessively wild and desc
late, where no trace of a human footstep was
to be seen. Legrand led the way with decision;
pausing only for an instant, here and there, to
consult what appeared to be certain landmarks
of his own cOntrivance upon a former occasion.
In this manner we journeyed for about two
hours, and the sun was just setting when we
entered region infinitely more dreary than
any yet seen. 1t was species of tableland,
near the summit of an almost inaccessible hill,
densely wooded from base to pinnacle, and in
terspersed with huge crags that appeared to lie
loosely upon the soil, and in many cases were
prevented from precipitating themselves into
the valleys below, merely by the support of
the trees against which they reclined. Deep
ravines, in various directions gave an air of
still sterner solemnity to the scene
The natural platform to which we had
clambered was thickly overgrown with bram
would have been impossible to force our way
but for the scythe; and Jupiter, by direction
of his master, proceeded to clear for us path
to the foot Of an enormously tall tulip-tree,
which stood, with some eight Or ten oaks, upon
the level, ant far surpassed them all, and all
other trees which had then ever seen, in the
beauty of its foliage and form, in the wide
spread of its branches, and in the general
majesty of its appearance. When we reached
this tree, Legrand turned to Jupiter, and asked
him if he thought he could climb it, The old
man seemed little staggered by the question,
and for some moments made no reply. At
length he approached the huge trunk, walked
slowly around it, and examined it with minute
When he had completed his scru-
tiny, he merely said,
"Yes, massa, Jup climb any tree he ebber
see in he life"
" Then up with you as soon as possible, for it
viii soon be too dark to see what we are about"
=" How far mus go up, NASSAU" inquired
Jupiter.
"Get up the main trunk first, and then
will tell You which way to go-and here-stOp!
take this beetle with you"
"De bug, Massa Will de goole bug !" cried
the negro drawing back in dismay-" what for
mus tote de bug way up de tree?-d-n if l
dol"
eff you are afraid. Jup, great big negro
like you, to.take hold of harmless little dead
beetle, why you can carry it up by this string
but, if you do not take it up with you in some
way, / shall be under the necessity of breaking
your head with this shovel"
" What de matter now, NASSAU" said Jup,
shamed into compliance; "always
want for to raise fuss wild old niger. Was
only funnin any how. NE feered dc bug 1!
what l keer for de bug?" Here he took
cautiously hold of the extreme end of the
string, and, maintaining the insect as far from
his person as circumstances would permit, pre-
pared to ascend the tree.
In youth, the tulip-tree, or Liri0aendr0n
Tulipiteyum the most magnificent of American
foresters, has a trunk peculiarly smooth, and
often rises to a great hight without lateral
but, in its ripper age, the bark be-
comes gnarled and uneven, while many short
limbs make their appearance on the stem
Tins the difficultv of ascension in the preSent