Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-09-29


mandine- But you being close to the
intimate source Of the events must
know ALL"
II know nothing direct from Mr. Cal
hOun, your honor" she said, but only
through his servant, Michael Clones,
who is a friend of my Darius BOland,
and they have met often since the first
outbreak. You know, of course, what
happened at Port LOuise-hOw the
slaves and MarOons seized and muir
dered the garrison, how families were
butchered when they armed first, how
barbarism broke loose and made all
men combine to fight the rebels. Even
before Mr. Calhoun came they had had
record Of sack of human ears, cut
from the dead rebel-slaves, when they
had been killed by faithful slaves, and
good progress was made. But the re-
VOTERS fixed their camps on high
rocks, and by blowing of shells brought
many fresh recruits to the struggle.
with his hounds that anything decis-
i've was done. For the rebels-Maroons
and slaves-were hid, well entrenched
and cautious, and the danger was be-
coming greater every day. On Mr..
Calhoun's arrival he set the hounds to
work and the rebellion in that dis
trict was soon over"
ut was gathering strength with in
creasing tragedy elsewhere" remarked
the governor. "Some took refuge in
hidden places, and came out only to
steal, rob and murder-and worse.
There is but one way to deal with
these people. No gaming or drinking
among slaves must be allowed, blow
ing Of shells or beating of drums must
be forbidden, and every free negro
or mulatto must wear on his arm a
sign-perhaps a cross in blue or red"
Slavery is doomed" said Sheila
firmly. ITS end is not far off"
well, they still keep slaves in the
land of Washington and Alexander
Hamilton. They are better off here
at any rate than in their own country
where they were like animals among
whom they lived. Here they are safe
from poverty, cared for in sickness,
and have no fear of being handed over
to the keepers of CarriOn, or being the
food of the gauinasO. They can feed
their fill on friCasseeS of macaca
worms and steal without punishment
teal or ring-tailed pigeons and black
crabs from the massa."
But they are not free. They are
atoms in heaps of dust. They have
no rights-no liberties"
Sheila was agitated, but she showed
no excitement. She seemed, save for
her dark searching eyes, like one who
had gone through experience which
| had disciplined her to control. Only
her hands were demOnStrative-yet
| quietly so. Any one watching her
! closely would have seen that her hands
were sensitive, expressed even more
markedly than her eyes or lips what
were her feelings. Her tragedy had
| altered her in one sense. She was
| paler and thinner than ever she had
been, but there was enough of her
and that deliCately made, which gave
| the governor a thrill of desire to make
her his own for the rest of his life
or hers. He had also gone through
much since they had last met, and he
had seen his own position in the bal
ance-unCertain, troubled, insecure.
He realized that he had lost reputa-
ton, which had scarcely been regained
by his consent to the use of the hounds
and giving DyCk Calhoun a free hand,
as temporary head of the militia. He
could not put him over the regular
troops, but as the general command
ing was, in effect, the slave of Dyck
Calhoun, there was no need for anxi-
ETY..
Dyck Calhoun had smashed the
rebellion, had quoted the island, had
risen above all the dark disturbances
of revolt like a master. He had estab-
lished barracks and forts at many
points in the island, and had stationed
troops in them; he had cowed and sub
dued MaroOns and slaves by the
hounds. Yet he had punished only the
chief of those who had been in actual
rebellion, and had repressed the vio-
lent punishments of the earlier part
of the conflict.
Dyck had built up for himself a rep
utation as no one in all the history
Of the island had been able to do. He
commanded by more than official aU.
thority-by personality and achieve.
ment. There was no one in the island
but knew they had been saved by his
prudence, foresight and skill. 1t Was
to their minds stupendous and roman,
tic. Fortunately they showed nc
strong feeling against Lord Mallow
By placing Kings house at disposal
as hospital, and by gifts Of food and
money to wives and children of sol
diers and civilians, the governor had
a little eradicated his record of neg.
lect.
Lord Mallow had way with him
when he chose to use it. He was not
without the gift for popularity, and
he saw now that he could best attain
it by treating Dyck Calhoun well. He
saw trOODS come and 90. he listened