Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-01-05

could not help admiriDg the pictur-
esqueness Of the tiny, flower deeked
cabins WHICH dotted the hillside mere
and there. and noting that on every We
rapda sat. or reclined, groups OF laugh
ing negroes, said TO my friend.
II feel inclined TO envy these black
noopie when / see bow lightly the frou-
bles of life seem 10 touch them, and to
ask myself ~. after all. they, and not
we. are the favored children OF nature.
1 think, Julia, should like 10 be
neyress Just fer one week, In order 10
experience what it is to reyel In unlim-
itod sunshine, and drink In the delights
OF mere living"
NV practical friend smiled at this out
burst OF sentiment.
"If Providence were To grant your
wish, you would return TO civilization
gadGer aud u wiser woman. During
your transformation you would become
entangled ia the trammels OF such
horribly grotesque superstition that II
Is a question II you could ever after
ward entirely shake 1t of.
TO what do you alludep
'ro the negroes belief In dnpples."
"In wbatT
"Duppies."
pray what are fheyY
"a duppy Is the shadow OF dead
person-the shadow, mind you. of the
body, not OF the soul, this having fled
TO bliss or woe, as the case may be. The
duppy Is brainless; It Is transparent
and animated with silly malice toward
living people. For some unaccounta-
Bile reason It does not appear till the
third day after death. Then, at the
hour when the death took place, 1t
strives 10 enter its former home, and
II has 10 be frightened Off by the way
ing Of white sheet at the doors and
windows OF the cabin. A crowd assem-
bles for this purpose, and some mem
beers Of II are sure to see the duppy.
There 1t ISL they cry. Keep 1t out!
Keep II outr and then there Is ylgor-
Gus Tapping OF cotton cloth, and the
most awful groar. you ever heard. II
tie hut becomes unlnhabltable, hence
the many vacant shantles one comes
across I'm Jamaica. Just how long the
shadow haunts the earth after the body
has returned to its original dust could
never ascertain. Is 1t not terrible TO
think that In this Christian land such
u belief can be so firmly rooted In the
native mlndT'
III Is n most ridiculous superstition"
| answered II never heard of quite
such nonsensical one"
1T does not seem funny for me ut
an" answered Julia Latham with n
very grave face. but simply horrible.
And there Is something about 1t even
worse than what | have told you, for
negroes with unbalanced minds some
times think they have swallowed dup
pies. and endure the most excruclntlng
tortures under the excitement of this
idea"
Here laughed aloud.
"oh, julia" | exclaimed. why do You
so Impose on the credulity of your
10 w WI ilN AiilN NfFl luli
story
Il assure you | am speaking the
truth" she rejolned. These darkles
think the duppies are not only trans
parent but comprcssible. and under the
form OF some small insect or reptile
they glide down n persons throat. But
since | perceive you are still lncredu-
lous. Will take you to see girl who
fancies she has swallowed two of these
evil shadows. Here. Themstocles,"
cried she to Il small ebony figure that
was wandering aimlessly about under
palm tree. come aud hold my horse
while ! visit your mother"
The boy came forward, grlnnlng. and
swaying himself from the hips with
that curious appearance OF dslocation
with which pure negro walks. Half
breeds lose this sinuosity of motion In a
great measure, but negro of pure
blood wallis as II the upper part OF his