The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-16

All in the Wrong.
Many years ago 1 contracted an intima-
cy with a Mr.. William Legrand. lie was
Of an ancient Huguenot family and had
once been wealthy; but series Of mis-
fortunes had reduced him to want. To
AVOID the modification consequent upon
his disasters. he left New Orleans. the
city Of his forefathers. ana took up his
residence at Sulivan's Island, near
| Charleston. South Carolina
This island Is a very singular one. 1t
! consists OF little else than the sea-sand,
and is about three miles long. us
! breadth at no point exceeds a quarter OF
| mile. IL Is separated from the main
! land by a scarcely perceptible creek. ogz-
| ing it, way through n wilderness OF
! reeds and slime, fayorite resort OF the
! marsh-hen. The vegetation, as might DO
| supposed, IS sCant, OF at least dWarn8h.
! No trees OF any magnitude are TO be seen.
| Near tho western extremity, whore Fort
| MOultrie stands and where are some
! miserable frame buildings tenanted, our
! ing summer, by the fugitiycS from
| Charleston dust and fever may DO found,
! indeed, the bristly palmetto; but tho
| whole island. with the exception or ms
| western point and a line OF hard. whlte
| beach on the scd-cOdSt il covered win
a dense underground Of the sweet myrtle,
! so much priced by the hortculturlsts OF
| England. The shrub here often attalhs
| the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and
! forms an almost impenctrable cOpplce,
/ burdcning the air with its fragrance.
/ IN the Utmost recesees of this cOoDice,
! not far from the eastern or more remote
| end OF the island, lHgrand had Duilt
/ himself a small hut, which he occupied
when l first, by mere accident, made his
acquaintance. This soon ripened into
| fricndship-for there was much in the re-
| cluse to excite interest ana esteem. /
| found him well educated, with unusual
! powers Of mind. but infected with mis-
! anthropy. and subject TO perverse moods
! of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy.
| lie had with him many books, but rarely
! employed them His chief amusements
! were cunning and fishing, or saunterlng
| along the beach and through the myrues,
| in quest Of shells or chronological specl-
! mens.-his collection Of the latter might
/ have been envied by a SWammcrdam. In
| these excursions he was usually accom-
I panied by an old negro, called Jupiter
| who had been manumittcd before the re
verses Of the family, but who could be
| induced, neither by threats nor ~ prom
| Uses, TO abandon what he considered his
right Of attendance upon the footsteps
! OF his young "Massa WILL IL Is not
improbable that the relatives OF Le-
! grand cOnceiying him to be somewhat
! unsettled in intellect, had contrved 10
instil this obstinacy into Jupiter, with
view TO the supervision and guardianship
OF the wanderer.
Y8ns Island are seldom very severe,
and in the fall Of the year It is a rare
/ event indeed when a fire is considered
| necessary About the middle OF October
! IS there occurred. however day OF
| remarkable chilliness. Just before sun
sot 1 scrambled my way through the
| evergrecns 10 the hut Of my friend. whom
/ l had not visited for several weeks-my
| residence being. at that time, Ia Charles
/ ton "A distance of nine miles from the
/ island, while the facilities Of passage
/ and re passage were very far behind
! those of the present day. Upon reaching
| the hut j raped as was my custom, and
| getting no reply, sought for the key
/ where 1 knew IL was secreied, unlocked
! the door, and went in. A flne IRE was
! blazing upon the hearth. IT was a nov nov,
! city. and by no means an unsratelui
/ one. I threw OFF an overcoat, took an
/ armchair by fthe cracking logs, ana
! awaited patiently the arrival Of my hosts.
! Soon after dark they arrived, ana gave
me most cordial welcome. Jupiter,
| grinning from ear to ear. hustled about
! 10 prepare some marsh-Aens Tor supper.
! Legrand was IN one or his iiis-how e!se
| shall 1 term theml Of enthusiasm. lie
had found an unknokn bivalye. forming
| a new genus, ana, more than TINS, ne Aad
! hunted down aud secured, with Jupiter
| assistance a scarabaeus which he brheV-
! Ell 10 be totally new, but I'm respect 10
! which lie wished to have my opinion on
| tho morrow.
And why not tonight" ! asked, rub
& bling MY hands over the blaze ana WISH
/
| oetn
"Ah. II I had only known you were
! here" said Legrand, but II 8 50 long
! since l saw YOU, and how could lore
Sc that YOU would pay me a visit this
/ very night Of all others As ] was COM
7 ing home j met Lieutenant H--, IRON
/ the fort, and very foOlsnly, ! lent MIN the
I bug; so 10 will be impossible for you 70
see il until the morning. stay here 10
/ night and ] Will send Jup down Tor 10
al sunrise. II IS the loveliest thing IN
! creation
"What?-sunrise?
Nonsense. hottie bug. 10 IS Of a brill
/ liant gold cOlOr.-abOut the size OF a
| larsa hickory-nls- with Two let-macH
/ spots near one extremity of the back,
| and another somewhat longer, at tle
! other The anteunae arc
"Dey aiut no lin I'm him. Massa Will
| keep tellir on YOU here interrupted
/ Jupiter, ode bug is a. goole-bug, sOlid'
| cherry bit Of him. inside and all sep
/ him wing-neber feel half 50 hebby a
| bug In MY life.'
"Weu, suppose it is, Jup" replied Le-
| grand somewhat more earnestly, IL
| seemed 10 me. tnan the case demanded.
| sis that any reason for your letting the
! birds burny The cOlOr'-here he turned
10 me--"is really almost enough TO war
/ rant Juuiter's idea. You never saw
/ more brilliant metallic lustre than the
/ scales cmit-hut of this you cannot Judge
/ Till tomorrow In tho meantime 4 can
/ give you some idea Of tine shape. say
1 ing this. he seated himself at small
/ table. on which were q pen and INK, but
10 paper He looked for some IN Il draw
I e. but found none.
Never mind" said he at length. 'this
| will answer; and he drew nom his
waistcOat pocket n scrap Of what | took
! 10 be very dirty foolscap, and made upon
/ IL a rOugh drawing with tho pen. While
/ he did This. 1 retained my seat b. the
/ fire for / was still chilly. When tho de-
/ sign was complete. he handed it 10 me
without rising AS ! received II, loud
| grOw was heard. succeeded by a scratch
/ ing at the door. Jupiter opened it, and
a large Newfoundland. belonging to Lee
| grand rushed in, leaped upon my shout
/ ders and loaded me with caresses, for
/ 1 had shown him much attention during
! ureyiOus visits. When his FambOls were
/ over. I looked az the paper and 10 speak
/ the truth. found myself not a little puz-
/ Zlei al what my friend had depicted
| "WcuW / said. after contemplating II
! for some minutes, this is a strange scar-
/ abacus / must confess. new 10 me. never
saw anything Ike IL before-unless II
/ was a skull. or a death s-head, which II
| more nearly resembles than any thing
else that has come under my obserya-
/ ton"
"a death's-headi" echoed Legrand-"O
| -yes-weu, 10 has something OF that APP
pearance upon paper, no doubt. The two
/ upper black spots look like eyes, eh ana
the longer one al the Dot'0n nhc
| mouth-and then the shape OF the Whole
| Is oval =,
Perhaps So" said I: but Lesrand |
! fear YOU are no artist. ] must wait until
/ see the beetle itself. If l am 10 form
! any idea of It's personal appearance
! well / don't know said ne. lltte
nettled. 81 draw tolerably-shOuld do IL
a n o.