Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-03

Although no longer rich, the Sttle town has never
forgotten ancient traditions of hospitality
When ship comes in today native orchestra plays
hotel the pretty women come out in their
best dresses, but wicked St. Thomas cocktail
flows and visitors entertained just gadly, II
not so sumptuously. as in the days Of many ships.
The passing of the sailing vessel the greatest
blow to the prestige of st. Thomas as port Of call
and surer steamers had no such pressing
need of a halfway harbor But the Hamburg-Amer-
Leyland lines, together with tramps. still sent
several hundred ships Charlotte Amalie, and
large part of all the goods shipped to the West Indies
passed through the port Hence the little town was
able keep busy and make show Of modest
prosperity until the European broke out The last
years have been time Of financial stress for the
and Of actual for the working people
The names Of nearly all great figures that made
the of the Spanish Main associated with
the story of Charlotte Amahe Drake and Morgan and
Captain Kidd, and other famous pirate and
privateer the harbor of St. Thomas and legends
of buried treasure are as common around here as
runors a political convention. On a hill north OF
there is a high tower supposed to have been
built by a pirate known as Blackboard and the
another known Is Bluebeards tower Both Of these
thoroughly ransacked for buried
doubloons and pieces Of eight without finding but
them. In connection with the BIuebeard castle there
story which be sort OF ST. Thomas
of the Oriental Bluebeard legend and ought to
be Of peculiar interest TO students OF folk lore.
According this yarn Bluebeard a handsome
pirate, with remarkable aptitude for winning ths
with pretty Creole girl named Meroeda-
ried her and took her to his tower TO live. Afcer
short honeymoon. he sailed away Q freebootans
expedition, leaving Mercedita 10 keep tower alone He
entrusted with a certain caskea which she
account to open
Needless say Mercedtta opened casket soon
Bfuebeard out Of the harbor She thsrein
tender missives addressed to her husband by less
than other pretty young Creoles Of her
acquaintance. revealing the shocking fact that
Bluebeard terms Of intimacy with them an
n this emergency there nothing for MercedseA
but Obeah woman It ia said that Obeah
are still consulted about love affairs IN BIT.
Thomas. At any rate. this Obeah gave Msroe-
dita powder which be administered other
in order to put end 10 their love for
Bluebeard That afternoon Mercedita had party.
invited rivals and them all the Obeah
dope their Thereupon they all went home. lay
upon their several beds. and most Economically
expired.
Mercedtta tried for wttchcraft and murder and
sentenced be burned the beach. While
being tied the stake and the faggots piled
her Bluebeard returned, made a landing,
distributed his in the crowd. When penal
chased the populace home. whipped police
carried Merced1ta triumphantly aboard his soop.
said that she subsequently divorced him.
The island full legends most Of them
fancdful doubt rejecting past high romance
and vivid real visitor by the unspoded
quaIntness Of the place and the people.