Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-14

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ON Tho roof and two stones fell before
me, one narrowly grazing my nose.
| dismissed the children, who evinced
great fear, and RECOMMENDED sobbine
and shivering, and rushed out OF the
+" CASE" csroming in my flight against
the coachman, who was waiting at some
distance to hear the result OF my cour.
ageous exploit.
Have YOU ever heard Of this sort
Of thing before ?" / mustered up sufli.
cient creole TO say.
"Si fait, Ma'amselle 81 fait!" he
replied and told me forthwith some
ghastly tales, ending most Indignantly
with And they say, some of them,
that am at the bottom Of it."
"Nonsense, l said. and rushed out
of the binding vertical sun-rays on to
the comparatively cool veranda to en-
counter Djuman, my own servant, who
next respectfully asked if ma'amselle
had seen or heard anything.
81 wonder what it can be?" ! said
more to myself than him.
"Le diable! /" promptly responded
Djuman.
"Nonsense !" said again, this time
| quite sharply; for, though had a
vague idea in my own mind that per-
haps ale diable - was at the bottom OF
it somehow, my honor and self-respect
required me to keep up an appearance
Of courage was far from feeling before
these timid Indians, who all looked to
me as a rock of defence--an infallible
authority as we'll as q most welcome
outlet to their feelings as an audience.
To their mistress they did not attempt
to speak, for she was too frightened by
thSwhole proceeding to listen even to
my experiences.
Isl, Ma'amselle, 81 there is little
book" continued Djuman, they con-
suit, and it is some one in the house
who is doing it, and the little book is
called the Petit Albert, and there is
only one copy in the island"
was much interested in this relation
and noted the fact, and the reader can
Judge my surprise when, long after, in
reading book of P. Hamerton's, called
Ground Ny House" came upon the
following passage SIN one part OF
France the peasants have the fullest
belief in sorcery. They believe that the
secrets of sorcery are contained in a
mysterious volume called an Albert,
and they are convinced that certain per-
sons possess the book, though | never
could see a copy of it, nor ascertain if
it really existed"
Had ! known the fact at the time my
interest would have been doubled, as
Mr.. Hamerton's testimony shows that
a book Of divination, or demonolOgy,
called "Le Petit Albert" does exist
in other countries, though whence it
derives its rather peculiar and some
out.
Next day Manuel, his wife, and chill
dren, took French leave and went of
for the day without our having any clue
to their whereabouts. The place was
quiet during the day, but while we
were at dinner, between s and 9 o'clock,
a servant came 70 say that Manuel had
returned, and sent in a message to
tell massa he was drunk" Dark
though it was, the instant he and his
family turned from the highroad into
the avenue the stones ratified round
them in the path.
Next morning, as sat in the store
room, giving out rice, flour, curry
all the articles necessary for the days
consumption-l began to Manuel thus :
Cook, | am very sorry indeed to
think that after being a trusted servant
here for nine years you should come
home in such a state as you were in last
night. can assure you that if it ever
happens again your master will not
pass it over, but you will have to 60"
Manuel, who, like most Madrasses,
spoke little broken English, replied :
"What me do, Missy? Me no eat ;
me children, wife misrable they no
eat, no sleep, no noting. There is no
noting to do but get drunk"
remember that read him a moral
lecture, and said by adding the effects
of drink to his present misery he was
not doing much to improve his condi-
ton, but all the time | felt deeply for
the poor man.
Slightly infected with my brothers re-
iterated suspicious of his two children,
who bore a name for mischief, | asked
him earnestly if he thought they had
really any thing to do with it, and see
ing the success of their tricks in the
general terror and mystifcation, were
induced to keep it up. | did not add
that G. insisted that | was very much
to blame in the matter, as my evincing
so much interest encouraged them to
continue.
Was it likely" said Manuel in re-
ply, st that children Of eight and ten
would 90 on doing a thing, even if 1t
were possible for them to do it so close
" watched, which was making their
parents miserable, involving themselves
in punishment, and which would ulti'
mately deprive them of house aud
home?"
"No, Missy; it will go worse, you
see-we will be pinch black and blue
Needles will 60 through our tongues
when we sleep, and two month we die
if no one find out and stop" Then
shutting the store-room door mystic
riously, he approached me and said II
a low whisper Missy, some one ii
dis house want to get rid me. moi
know who. tink, but | not sure. i
Missy will give me-lend twenty ru-
PEGS, 60 see woman in town who will
60 sleep and write names on paper
and | show Missy in store-room to-
morrow morning."
"No, no, cook" | said d; "don't d.
anything so silly as waste money on {
clairyoyant. She can't tell. And don
suspect any Of the servants here. i
is merely a mischieyous trick. an
very sorry for you meanwhile. but W,
will find it out by and by. could no
lend you money for such purpose, anC
you must not waste your own"
But the poor wretch was too misera