Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-27
MARIE LAVEAU.
A Sketch of One of the Most Famous
"VoodOO Queens"
George ". CABLE in April Century.

George ". cable in April Century.
''The worship of Voodoo is paid to a snake
kept in a box. The worshipers are not merely
a sect. but in some rude, savage way also an
order. A man and woman chosen from their
own number to the oracles of the serpent
deity are called the king and queen. The
queen is the more important Of the two ana
even IN the present dilapidated state OF the
worship IN Louisiana, where the kings office
has almost or quite disappeared the queen Is
still person of great note.
"She Teigns as long as she continues TO i've.
She comes 10 power not by inheritance, but
by election or its barbarous equivalent.
CHOSEN Tor such qualities as would give her a
natural supremacy, personal attractions
among the rest, ami ruling over supersttous
fears and desires Of fierce and ign0ble sort,
she Yields no trivial influence Ouce saw, IN
her extreme old age, the fared Marie Laveau.
her dwelling was in the quadrOon quarter Oh
New Orleans, but a step or two from Congo
square, small adobe cabin just of the side
walk, scarcely higher than its close broad
fence. whose Datten gate yielded TO the touch
and revealed the crazy doors and windows
spread wide to the warm air, and one or TWO
tawny faces within, whose expression was dl-
Vlded between a Dretense of cOntem ptuous IN
attention and frowning resentment OF the
intrusion. In the centre of a small room
whose ancient cypress floor was worn with
scrubblng and sprinkling with crumbs OF soft
brlck-a Creole affeetatOn of superior clean
llness-sat, quaking with feebleness in an Ill
looking old rocking chair. her body bowed,
and her wild, gray witch's tresses hanging
about her shriveled, yellow neck, the queen
OF he NoOdoOs. Three generations of her chill
dren were within the faint beckOn OF her
he pless, wagging wrist and fingers. They
said she was over years old and there was
nothing to cast doubt upon the statement. She
had shrunken away from her skin; it
was like turtles. Yet withal one could
hardly help but see that the face now so with
cred, mad once been handsome and command
uvn GFhl for aha ntFf 10
parted beauty on the forehead. the sparkle of
an old fire IN the sunken, glistening eyes, and
vestge of imperiOusne-s in the fine, slightly
aquiline nose. and even about her ST ent, woe
begbne mouth. Her grandson stood by, an
unlnteresting quadroOn between 40 and SO
years old, locking strong, empty-m lnded and
trivial enough; but his mother her daughter,
was also present, woman of some 20 years,
and most striking and majestic figure. In
feature. stature and bearing she was regal.
One had but to look on her, i'm
pute her brillancies = too untamable
and severe to be called graces - to
her mother, ant remember what New Or
leans was long years ago, to understand how
the name of Marie Layeau should have driven
itself ineXiricably into the traditions of the
t,wn and the times. Had this visit been post
poned lew months it would have been too
late. Marie Laveau is dead: Malvina LatOur
Is Queen. As she appeared presl ing over
Wood ceremony on the night of June %.
1884. she If described as a bright mulattress of
about 4S, of extremely handsome figure dig
comp rativey high order of intelligence. She
Wore neat blue, white-dotted calico gown
ana brilliant tignon' (turban) gracefully
tied"