, 1886-04-30
a FAMOUS yoopoo ougga.
Description OF Marie Lsveau OF Now Or
Issns-worshipinx a snake.

Description OF Marie Laveau Of Now Or
issns-wor.hiPinx a snake
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 be the oracles Of the serpent deity are
called the king and queen. The queen is
the more important of the two, and, ever
in the present dilapidated state OF the
worship in Louisiana. where the kings
office has almost or quite disappeared,
the queen is still a person of great note.
She reigns as long as she continues to
live. She comes to power notify in
heritance. but by election or its barbar-
ous equivalent. Chosen for such quail
tiles as would give her a natural su-
premacy, personal attractions among
the rest, and ruling over superstitious
fears and desires OF every fierce and
ignoble sort, she yields no trivial infu-
ence. | once saw, in her extreme old
age, the famed Marie Layeau. Her
dwelling was in the quadroon quarter OF
New Orleans, but a step or two from
Congo square. a small adobe cabin just
off the sidewalk, scarcely higher than
the close board fence, whose batten gate
Yielded to the touch and revealed the
crazy doors and windows spread wide to
the warm air. and me or two tawny
faces within, whose expression was di-
vided between a p%retense of contemptu-
Gus inattention and a frowning resent
ment Of the intrusion.
In the center Of a small room whose
ancient cypress floor was worn with
scrubbing and sprinkled with crumbs Of
soft brick-a creole affectation Of SUI.
perior cleanliness-sat, quaking with
feebleness, in an Unlocking old rocking
chair, her body bowed, and her wild
gray witch's tresses hanging about hes
shriveled, yellow neck, the queen Of the
Voodoos. Three generations of her
children were within the faint beckon Of
her helpless, waggling wrist and fingers.
They said she was over 100 years old, and
there was nothing to cas- doubt upon the
statement. She had shrunken away
from her skin; it was like a turtles. Yet
withal one could hardly help but see that
the face, now so withered. had once been
handsome and commanding. There was
still a faint shadow Of departed beauty
OF the forehead, the spark of an old fire
In the sunken, glistening eyes, and a
vestige Of imperiousness in the fine,
slightly aquiline nose, and even about
her silent, woe-begone mouth.
Her grandson stood by, an uninterest-
ing quadroon between 40 and 80 years
old, looking strong, empty-minded and
trivial enough; but his mother, her
daughter. was also present, a woman Of
sone 20 years, and a most striking and
majestic figure. In features, stature
and bearing she was regal. One had but
to look on her, impute her ~brilliancies-
too untamable and severe to be called
charms or grnces-to her mother, and
remember what New Orleans was long
years ago, to understand how the name
of Marie Laveau should have driven itself
lnextricably into the traditions Of the
town and the times. Had this visit been
postponed a few months il would have
beer too late. Marie Laveau is dead;
Malvina Latour is queen. As she APP
peared presiding yer a Voodoo ceremony
on the night Of June %, 1884, she is de-
scribed as a bright mulattress of about
AZ, of Extremely handsome figure dig
niied bearing, and a face indicative of
a comparatively high order of intelli-
gence. She wore a neat blue. white
dotted calico gown. and a brilliant
tignon (turbanl gracefully tied.r-The
Century.