Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-10-10
The Mysterious
Sun Spot
1t Contained an Impor-
tant Message.

On the South Carolina coast stands
one of those imposing colonial ediflces
for which that state is famous. 1t
was built during the times when the
southern settlers, requiring laborers to
work on their tobacco plantations. were
importing large cargoes of African ne
groes, who were held as slaves. 1t Is
Of brick. with large pillars In front.
and, considering its age. Is In a re-
markable state Of preservation. This
is because recent owner has put 1t
In repair.
Like other houses Of its kind dating
back to the seventeenth century, II
was built ont OF the proceeds Of ne
groes captured In Africa and sold as
slaves in America. But the slave trade
and its twin brother. piracy. were
not In that day deprecated as they are,
or, rather, would be, today. He who
| built the house referred to became one
/ Of the most prominent men OF his time.
/ Richard Granville was not his name,
but In bringing out the antecedents of
| his descendants 1t is far safer name
| to use than his own. He began life as
! sailor. visiting every country where
/ there was trading to be done. and
/ few of his older slaves. who were
| house servants and thus enabled the
more readily to become conversant
with his secrets. handed down tradi-
ton that their master started his for
tune in piracy.
Be this as 1t may, up to the middle
of the last century his descendants did
not deny that much Of his money had
been made In the slave trade In his
old age his conscience troubled aim.
and those who were nearest him said
that he desired to make some repars-
ton for his misdeeds. He had a statue
of himself made OF bronze and set II
up on a pedestal In bay window Of
his library. The left hand rests on an
anchor, and the right holds a sextant-
not mock sextant; real one. though
not of brass. but of the same material
as the statue He left orders that no
headstone should marx his grave, and
II was supposed that he intended the
statue as substitute for one. At any
rate, no one now knows where he Is
buried.
Different generations Of his descend
ants discussed the statue and wonder
ed at the within which led their progen-
itor to erect 1t. One thing about 1t ex-
cited special attention. Every morn
ing the sun. shining In upon 1t. strikes
the eyepiece of the sextant and, pass
ing through the tube, casts a solar
image on the opposite wall The track
OF this round spot Of light changes
with the season, traversing a slightly
different path each day. There is an
other thing TINT puzzled the owners Of
the Granville estate The only In
scription on the statue, or. rather. its
pedestal is the date of Richard Gran
ville's birth. And not only is the date
given, but the hour and minute.
OF all topics connected with the
statue probably the giving Of this MI
mute Information was most discussed.
No one who saw 1t could remember
LII ALA 5SCu any AACAkAoA la kA'Ah CiNhCi
the hour and minute Of birth or the
hour and minute Of death. But one
generation after another passed away,
and no plausible reason for either the
statue or its singular inscription was
suggested.
During the owl war Elwood Gran
Vile, the owner Of the estate at that
time, fought for the maintenance OF
the system In the Introduction OF which
his progenitor took so important part
Colonel Granville was religious man
ana one OF those VINO traced authority
Tor slavery from the biple. AFTER the
war Ne returned 10 MS Plantation ana
Deehn 70 run II anew unoer the system
tnat nao been Dorm curing the struggle
| a 10" papers tnAt hao oeioneea 10
the Original uranvhie were nanueo
ooWn tnroc9n LIS descehuAnts- 1ney