Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-12-11
AN ISLAND ROMANCE.

respondent, story writer ana theatrlcdL
manager, has visited nearly every part
Of the globe, in the person of J. Charles
Davis, is now here for the purpose Of
paving the way for J. Cheever Goodwin
and Woolson Morse's musical comedy,
Lost, STayed or Stolen. He thus de-
scribes one of the odd corners of the
world:
Probably the quaintest and most in
teresting island that dots the waters Of
the world is what was known until aft
er the last English victory over the
French as the Isle de France. 1t is Mau-
ritius, French in everything but govern
ment, which is English.
Mauritius is the home of romance and
veritable gold mine for the story teller
and novel writer. 1t is the scene of good
old Father st. Pierre's Paul and Vir-
ginia, and the visitor to Port Louis,
the metropolis and principal seaport,
who would attempt to leave the island
without driving out and visiting the
grave of Paul and Virginia would be
considered an unromantic, unsympa-
thetic heather. 1t is situated in peace
full valley and reached by a short drive
from the capital.
This little island is one of the most
cosmopolitan places in existence.
French, English, German, Spanish.
Italian and few American merchants
are engaged in business in the bazaars
along the water front, while Africans,
Malays, Persians, the natives of NADIA
gascar, coolies from the Malabar coast
Moors from the strait of Gibraltar and
the natives Of upper India elbow each
other i'll the market places, and one
hears the language of every land in a
half dozen blocks
The superstitions of every country
and the weird tales growing out Of the
traditions of all lands have been
brought to the island, taken root and
grown to be observed by the lower
classes Of all nations, and consequently
the island has become the favorite hunt
ing ground of the story teller in search
of genuine novelty, particularly in the
weird and mysterious vein. Besant and
Rice obtained the story of My Little
Girl from Mauritius 1t was here that
the story of the Coco de Mere" had its
birth. Here the legend of the enchanted
caverns yawning for the reception OF
shipwrecked sailors, with their two
gates, one leading to the celestial en-
pire and the other to hades, is repeated
and believed, and those who cross the
island to it's northern and most inhabit-
ed shore can see two great openings,
the bottom of each being below the low
water mark and the top being high
enough to admit the rigging of sail
ing vessel, awaiting for him to choose
which way he viii go, but with nc
guidepost or trademark to assist him
in his choice.
Although the government OF Maurl-
thus is English the official language Is
French, and in order to travel without
inconvenience one must speak it well,
but in order to get at the weird and
mysterious it is necessary to have an
Interpreter who is an East Indian and
who appreciates the value Of getting at
the bottom Of a subject after having
once entered into it. While returning
from a visit to the famous gardens OF
Curpepe | halted at little refreshment
house, and i'll conversation with the
proprietor discovered that he was not
only an Old resident, but man well
versed III the folklore of the island and
one who would talk if allowed to-
1t is needless to say that | allowed
him TO, and while we were enjoying
some really delicious Manila cheroots
under the shade of great banyan tree,
Just back of his house. he told me the
following story:
Shortly after it became impossible
for many members of the old French
nobility to live comfortably III la belle
France a country nobleman, accom-
panied only by the young and beautiful
daughter, left the mother country be
hind and arrived at Port Louis with lit
lie excepting the family jewels, plate
and honor. The father and daughter
brought with them an old priest who
had been Ninettes instructor and al
most constant companion since the
child's dying mother cOntided her while
but a toddling infant to the good old
man S care. With few house servants
the count set up modest establishment
on the northern part Of the island pur
chased "a small plantation and began the
cultivation of sugar cane, which is tbs
princiv.l industry Of the country.
Under the fostering care of her father
the priest and the old family servants
Ninette grew to womanhood without
having often crossed the boundary lines
of the little plantation on which they
lived Her fayorite recreation was read
ing, and she INDUCED this education o.
pastime i'll a bowerlike nook on the very
face of the cliff overhanging the ocean
Here she would spend the delightfully."-
/ balmy afternoons watching the native
craft either going to sea, sailing away
/ into the blue distance until their latter
| sails looked like the wings of a flock O
sea gulls or coming up ont Of the blu'
waters Of the Indian ocean and growing
larger and more distinct until the song
of the native sailors could be distinctly
heard i'll her cliff top nook.
She reached the age of 10 when ont
morning she encountered a young stran
ger in the person of the son of a wealthy