The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-26
A vooDoo PRIESTS VICTIM.
A Tragic Story About the Death o.
Moorc's "The Rose of the Isles"


We were putting our after dinner cigars
and, strangely enough for a dinner party,
we had somehow drifted into talk upon
the supernatural. Perhaps it was the
dreamy air of Bermuda or the fairylike
scenery from the hills at st. George, but
whatever was the exciting cause" as my
friend the doctor would say, he himself
was all skepticism on the subject. When
one of the majors guests seemed to take
the power of voodoofsm seriously, the doctor
laughed outright, whereupon several pairs
of eyes were turned toward our host and
there was an awkward pause, which the
major presently relieved by saying:
Let me tell you a bit of family history
1t was in the old Bermuda days and the
characters in the tragedy were, first, ms
uncle, an officer, then stationed here with
his regiment; second, beautiful young
Bermudian, whom Tom Moore celebrated
in his poem, The Rose of the Isles the
third pretty and accomplished quadroon
maid, and the fourth was vOodoo priest.
MY uncle won the love of the fair Ber
mudian and their engagement was an
nounced. Not many days afterward a
strange illness seized the intended bride.
She dropped. She avoided the sight of all
men, even that of her father, to whom she
had been tenderly attached Al for her
lover, she pinned for him when he was away
and when ne was near her she sat with
downcast eyes and in silence Both body
and mind seemed gone when the baffied
medical skill OF Bermuda suggested a
change of scene and climate. In England
she became perfectly well. Her health
and spirits were fully restored. Back she
came to Bermuda and her lovers heart
What happened' She became i'll with
the same symptoms as before. The wed
ding was postponed. To England she
went again Her health was restored.
Back she came TO Bermuda and her lovers
heart again, and this time she was happily
married in Pembroke church. But now
for the third time the illness seized her
and in a few months SIZE was dead. Let
me say here that the Quadroon maid have
mentioned did not accompany her young
mistress on either Of the voyages TO Eng
land.
Twelve years ago was here on mil
itary commission. One morning / re-
ceived request from friend at Hamilton
TO call at my earliest convenience. / went
at once. An old servant OF MS, who was
dying. wished to see me. When l was
alone with her she confessed that she had
been the cause of the illness and death OF
The Rose of the Isles
''She said that she had been nadlv ia
love with my uncle and had gone to a VOC
doc priest for charm The priest directed
her 70 bring him three garments that were
in the habit Of being worn nearest the skin
Of the rival 10 whom the lover had given
his affections This the Quadroon was cas-
lily able 70 do by reason Of her position as
maid She told me that her mistress. while
shewore the garments over which The spell
had been cast was affected By the symp
toms have mentioned. but wheE sue was
away from the speiI Of me voosloo her lore
ard health returned When she became 5
bride he qaadro5u Cot Tie priest to syorS
4 much stronger charm. which be az. and
by means 81 the garments a. before, and
w5sh the sSzae results. e&cepJ that The
charm ended fatzlly. Nhat have you tc|
say 10 that. doctor
oh - II lie doctor. ysAing ~, from a
REVERE. ''tlls garments were poisoned. oi
c3urss '-&eu YoTk Herald