The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-06
A NEW ORLEANS MYSTERY.
5. R Roman. m Tho Times Democrat.

siblN the CITY of Mexico, can furnish the
novelist and story writer with so much
romance tragedy and mystery as New
Orleans" 1 said 70 my friend from New
England, as we trsurely strolled in the
dusk of the evening through that portion
of the Third district living near the river,
where numberless large and roomy
houses, now old and sadly out OF repair,
attest the former occupancy of the veal
thier class.
Queer old place, certainly" said Ha-
mer, looking around with curiosity. THE
people in this quarter of the town don't
seem TO be as thrifty as our village folks
and they don't much trouble about clean
ing their streets, But down here YOU don {
feel as if you were in a large city, so few
vehicles pass, and everything is so quiet.
Not much of an air of mystery about,
either, / am looking out for some "blood
and thunder story, some violent romance
for my friend Parker, who has pretty
much run out Of stock for his magazine
writing Fact is, we are all rather tired
of the usual Puritan hOusekeeper, with
her broom and duster; and the classical
New England maiden, who teaches in a
Sunday school, and the energetic young
man who makes money. We seem TO
feel the need of a little genuine
romance, moonlight and extravagane.
promised Parker that if l could come
across something Of this kind down here
| would make a note of it for his benefit,
and that of the reading public" said
Hamer, between the puffs of his Havana.
Good habit of yours, smoking on the
streets. Can't do it over the water, nor
up north. While we are walking around,
let's look for a mystery"
go VO1l won't have tO search long - I
answered. IF you will go as far as Pope
Llulla's cemetery will show Won one
this very evening"
Whose cemetery2" said my surprised
friend, stopping short.
"Pepe Llulla's cemetery" answered.
"YOu will soon get used to these queer
sounding names. They abound in this
part of the, city Pope Lula was a clever
| Spaniard who made much money by spec
ulatiug in a private burial ground. There
was an unknown grave in the square and
no one would buy lots near it to build on.
So he wisely converted it into a Gem
etery."
Lets go to Popolulu's establishment
by all means" said Hamer enthusiastic
ally, quite forgetful of the thermometer
| and his precedent languOr.
"Pepe Ilulla'S successful venture in the
way of a church yard investment was in
| duced by the mysterious grave, although
his own career furnished excuse enough
! for throwing open to the public a restful
| place of the kind He was credited with
! having killed about dozen men, more OF
| less, at various times. Fought in a bar
! ricaded room once against three, and
| killed them all, so the story runs"
! Has he gone to explain the why and
! wherefore of his eccentriCitieS in a better
world2 And are his descendants around
here?" asked Hamer, examining the
! crooked and winding streets as he passed
''Yes, he's gone. But has left no one
to inherit the proceeds of his successful
graveyard business. At least, so l be-
lieve."
''Well, what's your mystery" said
Hamer, rs he approached the white walls
of the cemetery, over which grew at in
tervals that beautiful clinging vine which
covers the walls of all cOnservatOries and
lighthouses in Belgium and France. 1t
was brought over here in the Dos by Gov.
Roman, and is now commonly seen on all
sides.
The tall iron gates, surmounted by a
heavy brick archway, were wide open
and we paused to look at the pretty pic
ture within. Clustering punches of scar
let geraniums and masses of pale roses
grew around the various carefully tended
grass mounds, for here are but few bricked
and cemented tombs, and the aspect of
the place is not sombre and repellant like
that of some other cemeteries. We
wandered around, stopping to read the
diversity of peculiar names inscribed on
their head-stones Italian, German,
French, Spanish, and even a Scandinavian,
a Pole and a Russian, and some few
Americans had all found final resting
place in Pepe Llulla's consecrated ground.
Political animosities, creeds and races
were all slumbering under the geraeiums
and the roses.
We were slowly approaching the en-
trance gate.
Here comes our mystery, | said, draw
ing Hamer to one side. A soft rustic of
silk was audible as she passed US close
by, but her absorbed look attested that
she was uncOnciOus of our presence. She
was a small woman with wan face.
emaciated and delicate, and her snow
white hair cleaned through the long
black lace mantle which fell in soft folds
around her Her black silken dress
trailed on the white shells of the broad
walk, and IN the indistiuct evening light
the hand which held her lace mantina
across her breast was diminutively small
while from her wrist fell some heavy
white lace, and the sparkle of diamonds
flashed as she moved on. and turned
close to the wall. Hanging across her
pathway was the waving branch of a
climbing rose vine. Pausing, she raised
her left arm to push it aside.
Good heavensr' Hamer whispered
''Where is her haud?"
The lace at her wrist had fallen
back but no hand protruded from her
sleeve.
Now, you begin to enter upon the
mystery" ] said, sadly, for the fearful
old story always oppressed me. ''YOu
must know that above the hand of her
right arm there is a deep and unsightly
scar, incircling her wrist She's supposed
to wear that lace to conceal it.
She had turned from the walk and now
stood q short distance or, directly facing
us. She was looking down intently at q
grave where no flowers bloomed and over
which no headstone arose to record the
name of the silent sleeper, whose rest
seemed peaceful enough under the quiet
evening skies; for neither hustle nor
noise interposed to break the mel
ancholy silence Of the place. The short,
summer twilight had come and was gone
and so, screened by the shadow of the
heavy gateway, we could observe without
intrusion the sad watcher by the nameless
grave.
Within the frame of her black lace her
face seemed extraordinarily white and
delicate, crowned as it was by her luxu-
RANT silver hair. The stars were family
visible and the first rays of the moon
shot across the white marble slabs, the
tall ornamental shafts and broken col
umns of the graves, and shone on the
,vl,tro hal t,,.o6 1,oipor oIao,. Z