New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-31
THE SORCERY OF ASENATH.

People often ask me why gave up promising
business career and devoted myself TO tr"NeIIng'
IN which find no pleasure; exploring, LOT Whicn
have no taste: aIid archaeology, when - 10 me
the most firing OF pursuits. The question mas
never been answered, save by tAc statement th1'
there is no reason to give, which involves the tell
ing of an incredible story. , -.
There are two or three to whom l would like
to tell it. If they survive me- they shall KNOW
TO that end, these pages
1t is my conviction that whatever intelligent
man has known he has tried to record in some
way-that living truths, new TO us may be CLEANED
from the stone tablets of races extinct Tor ages
For such a truth, ! am searching one man found
il, but he is dead. Ills spirit l have called up
as the woman at Endor called up Samuel. and cues
toned it. He tod me that the knowledge had
sent il 10 tile world Of shades before it's time and
had put power into the hands of an evil one,
who had hidden il never in any place TO reveal
to any mortal what it knew.
Even yet l must obey her" said the spirit OF
Paul Glen: but what YOU seek is written.
AS yet | have not read. Many strange things
have l unearthed, but never this that seek.
Now, / will write my story. You who read II
may believe or not, as you see IT. L Know thau
1t is many years now since I went South to
visit my sister Helen. l had not seen her since
the day of her marriage. three years before. III
she met me at the door of her own home ana
welcomed me in her old sweet and quiet manner.
Ii seemed 10 me, at the first glance, tat her lace
had aged too much, and that certain once Inc
eXpression-a suggestion of latent detcrmlnauoh-
had overdeveloped and marked her win stern
lines. From the first moment. TOO, | feared the
existence of q trouble in her life. of which her
letters had given no hint.
She seemed though cheerful enough. She led
the way into great room that was shaded and
cool and full of the scent of lacs. With
motion of her hand. she dismissed three or four
black maids, whom she had been assisting or III
structng at some sewing work, and they went out.
cOurtesying and showing their white, even 'ee'l
at the door ..u o,,,
Of the room and went on with the sewing:
noticed what q tiny garment she was making.
and what q sharpy-cut silhouette her face made
against the white curtain of the window by wlich
Helen chatted away, apologizing for her hus,
bands absence. asking host of questl0nS ana
planning some pleasure for every one oil the DAYS
of my stay with her. ! lay back In my chalr
with a feeling of languid content, and listened
When Helen suggested sleep and refreshment de-
clined both feeling need OF anything Dut her
presence and that delicious room, the atmosphen
of which was laden with rest as with the scent OF
The black woman sat directly in the line
Of nv vision. and | remember now that
my gaze never strayed from her: 1
noticed, idly at first. then with interest
the regularity of her features and the gran1 pro
in color. with dull copper TINS, was as stalsnV
as my own and she had hand and arm SO per
fectlv moulded that except for their DICK skn'
they might have been those of lazy Of hlsh ue-
gree But it the pride, speaking from every
line of that dark face, that most attracted my
notice There in it, too, an eAultant sense oil
power and it was the most resolute lace, piacK or
white that ever saw.
PRESENTLY I began to feel that it required an
effort 10 keep the thread of what Helen said and
70 reply Her voice seemed TO get faint then to
come in snatches, with an lndlS,lnct m4rinur DE-
tween them; at last, not AT all, uhOugh hHe"
abe still speaking
was not unconscious, but perception was CON
tracted and concentrated upon one abnormal enoft.
From me narrow path OF lght slre'cneu cow" y.
the room 10 the black woman. She seemed TO
expand and TO grow luminous; Vapor eXhaled
from her, foatcd to the middle of the pathway
and there assumed her own form, almost nude.
perfect like her face in its every line motloG-fss
as if carved from ebony but with fierce, impure
eyes that looked straight into mine and from which
there seemed to be no escape.
Their gaze begot overwhelming sense OF
disgust. My soul shuddepd but my body could
not move. The evil face smiled cloud flOated
over the form of ebony. slowly passed away, re-
vealing one like polished ivory, but the eyes
changed not.
helpless | do not know. Suddenly, something
white shut out the vision. and my sisters voice.
harsh now and loud struck upon my hearing like
u lash. Instantly the room assumed It's ordinary
anDearance the scent of the lacs greeted me as
If | had newly come into the atmosphere and
Helen, in her white dress, stood before Inc
The ncgress at the window looked at us both
with insolent amusement. 1t was TO her that
Helen spoke.
could punish you as you deserve
The girl smiled and slowly drew her needle
through the cloth in her lap.
Tic girl drew herself up, and her face took
an expression Of sullen defiance. 1t seemed for
instant that she would not obey. She clenchcd
her hands, and l heard her teeth crate together.
But she hcsitated only moment, then went slowly
out Of the room. Presently she passed by the
window, pushing heavy barrow full Of earth.
Lucas. the gardener followed carrying a long CAD.
In minute or TWO they passed again, going III
the same direction, and afterward again and
again. The girl was pushing the barrow around
and around the house.
That is the heaviest and most mental employ
nent | can devise for her. said Helen; wish
there were something worse. She grows more i'm
pndent every day, but this is the first time she
has dared TO exert her snaky, power upon a
Mile Mile Won p Nv" We're under that spell?"
Now. Helen, for heavens sake don't i'm
u imagine nothing she interrupted, in a
low voice Il know that girl. She can do
strange things. II ever human creature was
possessed of devil she is
She Vent on without needing my astonisbment
Every negro on the plantation, except Lucas is
corner of their cage if she approaches them, the
centest horse we have will rear and kick at
sight of her, and if she goes into the pouTy-yard
come She has affected others she did you.
She has done worse. When first came here, she
was given to me for n maid; but, not liking
her; I took, instead, little mplatto CIR! who
was bright and smart ther, but who is now idiotic
through fear of Asenath.
did not thinI; it best to dispute with Helen.
knowing her well enough to be sure that any
argument | could adduce against her belief she
had already weighed and found wanting. She
was not a superstitOus woman, nor hasty one !;
but whose very mistakes deserved respect since
she always took that course of action which she
believed to be wisest and hest, even If 1t Were Were
TO her own disadvantage. simply asked: Why
= do YOU not get rid OF her?
Il have tried, but something illustrates every
effort of that kind. Robert objects TO sale-it is
unusual on this plantation. We once offered her
her freedom if she would go away but She only
looked as if she scorned the freedom we co1ig
give and laughed in way that chilled my blood.
"She seems very insolent"
lpsolent-that is q weak word | sometimes
think she is birth-markcd with impudence as she
is with straight hair.
THAT hair, then; is birth-mark? l thought
il must be a wig