Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-05-16
TIE GOLD
CHAIN.

gold chain round his arm"
"Oh," ! replied, ''that's nothing very
wonderful"
"But this is" said he. 1T Is fastened on
80 that IL cannot be removed. IL was put
on him somewhere abroad, and he is bound
by IL In some mysterious way so that he has
to go there whenever he IL called"
This was certainly something unusual,
and as my friend could tell me no more my
curiosity was reused. and determined 10
fnd out the truth for myself il possible.
There was no great difficulty in getting
an introduction to the gentleman in ques-
tion. He was well KNOWN and though
rather reserved was accounted good fel-
low by his more intimate acquaintances.
We soon became very good friends, but
though was eager TO know his story did
not venture TO ask him point blank, as /
could see that nothing could be got in that
way. So waited patiently, and at length
hit on an idea, which proceeded to carry
out on the first favorable opportunity. One
evening brought the conversation round
to the subject Of hypnotism, and after
little preliminary fencing asked him wheth-
er he believed in these so called mysterious
powers said to be possessed by some people.
Believer replied he, Eyes, do, and in
truth have good reason to- And so would
you II you had passed through what have
suffered from these same Internal powers
for that they are internal i am as sure as
that am at present in their grasp, into
which had the Ill luck to fall Look at
thatl" said he, suddenly barring his right
arm TO the elbow, there Is the mark of the
demons who have killed for me all pleas
ure in life. Would they had killed me
outrightp
IL was certainly a most extraordinary
sight. Around his arm, midway between
the elbow and the wrist, there was deeply
imbedded in the flesh a gold chain com
posed of massive links OF very peculiar
pattern. AT first sight it appeared TO be
merely cleverly tattooed design, for the
links, though perfectly distinct, did not
appear to interfere with the continuity OF
the skin, but closer examination revealed
their actual solidity. 1t was a mystery how
such an object could have been SO implant
ed in the living tissues without, as he as
sured me, inconveniencing him in the least
at ordinary times. When | had exhausted
my curiosity and sufficiently expressed my
astonishment, he proceeded, though ap
parently with considerable reluctance, to
tell the story connected with it.
"This chain," said he, (which appears to
you a mere object of curiosity, and the re-
suit of some mad freak on my part, is 70
me a terrible badge and a real bond OF
slavery.
''Ten years ago was in the West Indies
partly on business, partly on pleasure. !
had already wandered over great part OF
the earth, and wherever went / made
point of examining as closely as possible
into every strange phase of human life, and
my cursed curiosity-I can call it by no
more dignified name-led me to visit Haiti,
that ulcer of the new world where the ne
gro has covered his native barbarism with
an all too thin veneer Of civilization. One
day had wandered into the country, adj
miring the rank luxuriance of the tropical
vegetation and, unluckily for me. having
gone too far, lost my way. Night. the
sudden black night of the tropics, came
down, and i knew not whittier to turn.
''In the wilds there were no signs of hui
man dwellings, but as l aimlessly STUN
bled on, hoping sooner or later to light on
some trace of human life or some track
which might follow, l saw the glad gleam
of lights at no great distance. Fastening
on, / soon heard voices, and breaking
through some thick underground found
myself at the entrance to a small level
clear space surrounded by lofty trees. So
glad was to be, as i thought, within reach
of shelter for the night that hastily ad,
vanced few steps before glance at the
group of wild figures, now clearly illumi-
mated by the light of the fire. told me that
had broken in on an Obeah ceremony.
II well knew the fate that awaited un.
authorized intruders on these horrid rites
and turned to fee, but / was too late
had been observed, and ere / had taken a
couple of steps backward pair of swarthy
negroes sprang on me and bore me to the
ground. Their knives were already at my
throat, when the leader of the band-the
priest, suppose, IL he can be called priest
who presides over these orgies-came for
ward and with word staid them. Set
on my feet again at his command, he eyed
me steadily for few moments, and IL ever
devil looked out of human eyes he did then.
Such another diabolical countenanceI have
never seen.
"He appeared to cogitate few moments,
then speaking to the negroes in jargon Of
which all but few words were unintelligi-
BILE to me he spoke to me in fairly good Eng
lish.
"'You are an Englishman. Had you been
of any other race / would not have wasted
breath on you, but left you to your fate.
But you English are the boasted conquer
ors Of the world and think you know every
thing Before l have done with you will
know and can tell your people. IL you
choose, that there are some things you
have not got hold of yet Meantime, first
Of your proud race, you shall behold the
most solemn rite of Obeah in this one of its
most sacred places
80 saying he turned on his heel and left
me, while the negroes seized me again, and
hurrying me nearer the huge fire burning
In the center Of the open space, bound me
securely, but not, must say, too tightly,
to tree, while right before me the rest of
Se crew went on with their unholy buh
hess.
Partly prompted by curiosity, partly
owing to the threats Of the priest, who
spoke to me once when / shut my eyes In
shuddering horror, saw the fearful orgies
to the end. What I saw shall never ten
Il could not II would. No words could
use would suffice to depict in all their
dreadful blackness the acts of that de
moniac circle l supped full Of horrors,
and when at length / was released /
swooned away.
"When recovered consciousness, i was
lying In a small cave on n rude couch, and
before me, intently looking into my face,
was that monster in human shape, the
priest of the midnight debauch. How long