Smyrna times., 1896-01-01
ABSOLUTELY PURE

the history of Delaware some years
prior tC the Revolutionary War. and
settled on big farm near Lewes. She
had fabulous wealth, so the old men
said, and to all she was as a sealed
book Many young men sought for
her hand, but to all she turned q deaf
ear, and shut herself up in her cloister
like mansion. Those who saw her
said that she had sweet and passive
look, as if she had seen much sorrow
and was resigned. Her affairs were
managed by an old man who had
known. her before the days Of adversitv
and who fed with her from the castled
land of Spain. She had hundreds of
blacks working for her, and was re-
puted to be the wealthiest lady in Del
| aware
One day a slave ship put in at Lewes
and finding that she was in need of a
slave she sent to the ship for one. 1t
so happened that a handsome young
fellow, straight in stature, noble in
bearing and withal having a kingly
look about him, was chosen and
brought to the mansion of the myster-
lous lady. He walked with such an air
and spoke with such a clear accent.
and, above all, cOnversed in those dull
Get tones which alone are Spanish, that
the lady, who was seldom seen by men
called for him to be brought to her.
There and then, in the most romantic
way, he fell on his knees and told her
IN sweet Castilian tongue that he was
an exiled Moorish prince who had
fought in the Spanish War, gained re-
nown, and because of his popularity
was secretly carried off and sold to the
SLAYER by friends of his uncle, who was
jealous of his popularity and coveted
the throne himself.
Whether or not his story was true.
the heart of the exiled woman went out
to that of the exiled Moor, and from
that moment she loved her princelv
suitOr, The result was marriage.
and the children had the characteristics
of the Moor and Hibernian, the volup-
tuous beauty of the one, the natural
vivacity Of the other
When it became known that the mis-
tress had married the man, who was
looked upon as a negro, the populace
for miles around was incensed and the
young men who had sought the lady's
hand, and had been slighted, cast many
aspersions on her fair name. Hence if
was that to this day there are stories
in Delaware to the effect that the wo-
man was an outcast favorite of the
Spanish King, and like the celebrated
Lola MonteZ, who held the King of
Bavaria enthralled, had been compelled
to flee because of the wrath of the
mobiles and the Queen. At any rate
the children of this pair were tabooed
by the good society of Sussex county.
and hence arose curious state of af
fairs. The children, reared under the
best of tutors, for the exiled woman
valued education, held themselves too
good for the blacks, and were not al
lowed the society of the whites. It
was because of this that fusion of
blood occurred between the Nanticoke
Indians and the children of the curious
ly fated pair took place. The aborig-
ines had reached a high degree of
civilization and among the young men
of the tribe there were some who were
educated. Hence it was that one of
the children, beautiful daughter. fell
in love with aneducated and well-tO-
do member of this tribe, who at that
time inhabited that part of Delaware.
were tillers of the soil, and had none
of the evil habits common to the Indian
race. This union was subsequently |
followed by the marriage of a Moor
son with an Indian maiden, and so the |
blood of the Moor and Indian became
diffused, and the curious combination !
of races brought forth the Delaware |
MOors of to-day. In this way the |
NanticOke Indians who were once
numerous in Southern Delaware have |
entirely disappeared, but their descend.
ants are these men who to-day are
scorned by the whites,
The Moorish school at Cheswold is
an object of no little interest. There
is nothing lofty about it, but that the
board which directs its affairs are de-
termined set of men may be shown by
little story which is told apropos of |
the school. The story shows the posi-
tive character Of the Moors when their
racial preiudices are aroused. Some
time ago the school, which stands in a
romantic spot about a mile from the
village, was without teacher, and the
board sent to Superintendent Tindal,
at Dover, to fill the vacancy. "Send
us a teacher" they said, "'but under
no circumstances let him be a black
man." Three days later, when G, G,
johnson, of Hamilton, Va, appeared
to take charge of the little frame school
one of the Moorish parents discerned
that he was a negro, and then there
was scene. All the Kent county
AIoors rose up in arms against the al
legged outrage, and an indignant protest
was sent to Superintendent Tindal.
After Mr.. Johnson returned to Virginia
Mr.. Tindal was told that he might send
an Indian or a white man, or preferably
a Moor.
Cornelius, who is a member of the
Board, laughed heartily in speaking of
the matter. He then dilated upon the
queer customs of his people. They do
not marry outside their tribe They
observe color line with the negro
stricter than that of the out and out
Southerner, and woe betide the Della
ware Moorish maiden who so forgets
her station as to manifest weakness
for common black man. She is first
warned, then chastised, then entreated,
and finally, if she persists in loving
him, is banished altogether from her
fathers roof, and boyeotted by the ,
tribe forevermore.
The MooYiab rao,da,a e,,o1~... - -