The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-03-13
BOUND BY A CHAIN OF GOLD
TIE OBEAH PRIEST, WHOSE COM
MANDs MUST BE OBEYED.
A Chain Fastened to a Man in II Mystic
riOus Way, and He Has to Go
Whenever He Is Called.

passer-by in the street, the TREND VINO
was walking with me saying:
500 YOU observe that man? He has a
gold chain round his arm"
ooh" L replied, "that's nothing very
wonderful"
"But this is said he. "It is fastened
on so that it cannot be removed. 1t WIS
put on him somewhere abroad, and he is
bound by it in some mysterious way, SO
that he has to go there whenever he is
called
This was certainly something unusual,
and, as my friend could tell me no more,
my curiosity vas aroused, and determin
ed to find out the truth for myself, il
possible.
There was no great difficulty in get
ting an introd uction to the gentleman in
question. He was well known, and
thoug rather reserved, was accounted a
good fellow by his more intimate &C
ouaintances. We soon became very
good friends, but, though l was eager to
know his story, did not venture to ask
him point blank, as 1 could see that
nothing could be got in that way. So !
waited patiently and at length Ii
on an idea which l proceeded to carry
out on the first favorable opportunity.
One evening l brought the conversation
round to the subject of hypnotism, and,
after little preliminary fencing, asked
him whether he believed in these So
called mysterious powers said to be pos
sessed by some people.
Believer" replied he, Eyes, I do, and
in truth l have good reason to; and SO
would you if you had passed through
what have suffered from these same in
fernal powers-for that they are internal
I am as sure as that 1 am at present in
their grasp, into which had the ill-luck
to fall. Look at thatr' said he, suddenly
barring his right ann to the elbow; "there
is the mark of the demons who have
killed for me all the pleasures in life.
Would that they had killed me outrigh
1t was certainly most extraordinary
sight. Round his arm, midway bet Ween
the elbow and the wrist, there was deeply
imbeddedi in the flesh gold chain, com
posed of massive links of a very peculiar
pattern. At first sight 1T appeared to be
merely a cleverlY tattooed design, for
the links, though perfectly distinct, did
not appear to interfere with the continu
ity of the skin, but closer examination
revealed their actual solidity. 1t was
mystery how such an object could have
been so implanted in the living tissues
without, as he measured me, inconven
fencing him IN the least at ordinary
times. When l had exhausted my curl
osity and sufficiently expressed my
establishment he proceeded, though
apparently 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 result of some mad freak on my part,
is to me a terrible badge and real bond
of slavery. .....
'Ten years ago 1 was in the West In
dies, partly en- business, partly on pleas
ure. l had already wandered over great
part of the earth, and wherever l went
made point of examining as closely as
possible into every strange phase of hui
man lite; and my cursed curiosity-I can
call it by no more dignified name-led
me to visit Hayti, that ulcer of the new
world, where the negro has covered his
native bal barism With an all too thin
ven err of civilization. One day | had
wandered into the country, admiring the
rank luxuriance of the tropical vegeta-
ton, and, unluckilY for me, having gone
too far, lost my way. Night, the sud
den black night of the tropics, came
down, and knew not whittier to turn.
'In these wilds there were no signs of
human dwellings, but as [ aimlessly
stumbled on, hoping sooner or later to
light on some trace of human life or
some track which 1 might follow, l saw
the glad geam Of lights at no distance.
fastening on l soon heard voices, and,
breaking through some thick under
gro With. l found myself at the entrance
to a small level, clear space, surrounded
by lofty trees. So glad was | to be, as l
thought, within reach of shelter for the
night, that / had hastily advanced few
steps before a glance at the group of wild