The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-03-30

threatened 70 return TO Barbados, bu
she was too lazy to make the effort o
again settling herself In life. With al
her longings for the fairy islands o
the West. she was out Of place in thi
northern land. and 80 was Dido.
This latter was q tall and massivel,
framed negro woman, with very littl,
Of the black about her. She looket
rather like priestess, with her sterr
face and stately mien; and, indeed, II
the West Indies. II was known amonl
the negroes that Dido was high IL
power among the votaries of Obi. Sh,
could charm. she could slay by mean
OF vegetable poisons. and she could
as the negroes firmly believed-caus
human being tn dwindle, peak, ant
pine. by means of incantations.
This black Gambia had left terribl
reputation behind her In Barbadoes
Dido was not favorite In the ser
wants part Of The Wigwam," but TO
this unpopularity she cared little. be
Ing devoted to Isabella Dallas. Sh,
adored her nursling. The girl wa
about twenty years of age. tall an,
straight, with dark hair and darke
eyes, with mouth veritabiy like Gu
pid's bow. and a figure matchless II
contour. With her rich southern col
oring and passionate temperament
she was of Irish blood on the paterna
side-Miss Dallas looked more an An
dalusian lady. She had all the lowell
ness of Creole woman. and bloomet
like a rich tropical flower with poison
in Its perfume. amid the roses.
II Mrs. Dallas was q bore-and he
friends said she was-the daughte
was divine. and many young men cam
to THE Wigwam" to be spellbound b,
her beauty. More men than the thre,
who had dined at "Ashantee" were II
love with Isabella.
Upon her Dido exercised a powerful
and 1t must be confessed, a malignan
influence. She had fed the quick braiI
Of the girl with weird tales Of African
witchcraft and fanciful notions of ter
restrial and sidereal influences. lisa
bella's nature was warped by this do
nestle necromancy. and had she con
tinued to dwell in the West Indies, sh,
might almost have become a witcl
herself. Certainly Dido did her bes
to mako her one, and taught her nurs
ling spells and incantations. to whicl
the girl would listen fearfully. half-bs
lieving. half-doubting. But her con
tact with the sunny side OF life saves
her from falling into the terribly abys
Of African superstition; and how ter
rible 1t Is only the initiated can do
clare. It only needed that she shoult
be removed from the bad influence o
the barbaric Sybil to render her natur
healthy and fll her life with pleasure
But Dido was like upas tree. an,
the moral atmosphere with which sh
surrounded Isabella was slowly bu
surely making the girl morbid and up.
natural. Mrs. Dallas-versed in tn
negro character-half- guessed this, bu
she was too indolent to have Dido re
moved. Moreover. strange as It ma,
appear, she was more than q trin
afraid Of the negress and her unhol,
arts.
Maurice had met with. and had fei
itl III iONo Witiis ibdoeiihs hIt0i bno TO
turned his affection with all the ardo
of her passionate nature. His hand
some and frank face. his sunny natur
and optimistic ideas appealed strongl
to the girl who had been environ1'
from 10 earliest infancy by the pes
simism Or Dido.
Maurice saw well how Isabella LA,
deteriorated under the bad influence o
the negress, and he did his best b
counteract her insidious morality an
morbid teachingr. He laughed at lisa
bella's stories and superstitions. an
succeeded in making her ashamed o
her weakness In placing faith In sucl
degraded rubbish. While with him Is
abella was a bright and laughing rili
quite another sort Of being to tn
grave and nervous creature she wa
while in the presence of Dido Sh
felt that IL she married Maurice hi
bright, strong nature would save he
from lamentable and melancholy ex
istence; and as all her affections an
instincts inclined to the young mar
she hoped to become his wife.
Ito be continucd.)