The Press., 1893-04-13
THE GOLDBUG'
By EDGAR ALLAN POE

What ho! what hol this fellow is dancing mad!
 All in the Wrong.
 Many years ago contracted an inti- macy with a MT. William Legrand. He was of an ancient Huguenot family and had once been wealthy, but 8 series of t1isfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid the modification consequent npon his disasters he left New Orleans, Inc city of his forefathers, and took up his residence at Sullivan's island, near Charleston.
 This island is very singular one. It consists of little else than the sea sand and is about three miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds quarter of mile. It is separated from the main land by scarcely preceptible creek, oozing it's way through wilderness of reeds and slime, favorite resort of the marsh hen. The vegetation, as might be supposed, is scant or at least dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted during summer by the fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may be found indeed the bristly palmetto, but the whole island, with the exception of this westerly point and line of hard, white beach on the seacbast, is covered with dense undergrowth of the sweet ! myrtle so much prized by the horticul- turists of England. The shrub here often attains the height of 15 or 20 feet and forms an almost impenetrable coppice, burdening the air with its fragrance. In the innermost recesses of this cop pice, not far from the eastern or more remote end of the island, Legrand had built himself small hut, which he oc- cupied when I first by mere accident made his acquaintance. This soon ripened into friendship, for there was much in the recluse to excite interest and esteem. I found him well educated, with unusual powers of mind, but in fected with misanthropy and subject to perverse moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy. He had with him many books, but rarely employed them. His chief amusements were gunning and fishing, or sauntering along the beach and through the myrtles in quest of shells or chronological specimens. His collection of the latter might have been envied by Swammerdamm. In these excursions he was usually ac- companied by an old negro called Jupi- ter, who had been manumitted before the reverses of the family, but who could be induced neither by threats nor by promises to abandon what he considered his right of attendance upon the foot steps of his young "Massa Will" It is not improbable that the relatives of Le- grand, conceiving him to be somewhat unsettled in intellect, had contrived to instill this obstinacy into Jupiter, with view to the supervision and guardian ship of the wanderer.
 The winters in the latitude of Suli- vans island are seldom very severe, and in the fall of the year it is rare event indeed when a fire is considered neces- l sary About the middle of October, 18-, there occurred, however, 8 day of remarkable chilliness. Just before sum- set 1 scrambled my way through the evergreens to the hut of my friend, whom had not visi ted for several weeks-my residence being at the time in Charles I ton, distance of nine miles from the island, while the facilities of passage and repassage were very far behind those of the present day. Upon reaching the hut I rapped, as was my custom, and getting no reply sought for the key where knew it was secreted, unlocked the door and went in. A fine fire was blazing upon the hearth. It was 8 novelty and by no means an ungrateful one. l threw off an overcoat, took an armchair by the cracking logs and awaited patiently the arrival of my hosts. ~
 Soon after dark they arrived and gave me a most cordial welcome. Jupiter, grinning from ear to ear, hustled about to prepare some marsh hens for supper. Legrand was in one of his fits-how else shall term them?-of enthusiasm. He had found an unknown bivalve, forming 8 new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted down and secured with Jupiter's assistance scarabeus which he believed to be totally new, but in respect tC which he wished to have my opinion on the morrow.
 'tAnd why not tonight?" asked, rub ping my hands over the blaze and wish. ing the whole tribe of scarabsei at the devil.
 'Ah, if had only known you were here," said Legrand, "but it's so long since saw you, and how could I foresee that you would pay me visit this very night of all others? As I was coming home met Lieutenant G., from the fort, and, very foolishly, lent him tht bug, so it will be impossible for you te see it until the morning. Stay here to night, and will send Jup down for it al sunrise. It is the loveliest thing in ere ationp'
 ''What-sunrise?"
 Nonsense, no-the bug! It is of { brilliant gold color, about the size of { large hickory nut, with two jet black spots near one extremity of the back and another, somewhat longer, at tho other. The antenn@ are"-
 'Dey ain't no tin in him, Massa Will keep a-tellin on you" here interrupted Jupiter; ''de bug is goolebug, solid ebery bit of him, inside and all, sep hin wing-neber feel half so hobby a bug ir my life"
 Well, suppose it is, Jup," replied Le grand, somewhat more earnestly, Ii seemed to me, than the case demanded lis that any reason for your letting tn, birds burn? The color"-here he turned to me-s'is really almost enough to war rant Jupiter's idea. You never saw more brilliant metallic luster than tn, scales emit-but of this you cannot judg' till tomorrow In the meantime I car give you some idea of the shape" Say ing this he seated himself at small ta ble cn which were pen and ink, but D, paper. He looked for some in a drawer but found none.
 ''Never mind" ," said he at length, '.this will answer" and he drew from his waistcoat pocket a scrap of what tool to be very dirty foolscap and made upo1 it a rough drawing with the pen. While