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?j ., ? j tl| aj n| r n 1 t r_ ' _ ._ - .?mira *('? ...... - , i ....-.- ^- ... --_.. j--( BY E. B. MURRAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. C., THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 17, 1881. VOLUME X VX-^?l^T LOST ROSIE ; OB, KQTJNTZ TKE_ CONJURER. It was a mad-daubed cabin, but so overgrown ?ruh th? dark green foliage aud crimson, yellow-throated blossoms of the Trumpet vine, that it seemed a part of the wild, beautiful nature around it. Out of its low door stepped a slender girl, with the olive skin, tho black eyes and black-waved bair of the native Louisian ian. Over the luxuriance of tbe bair WJS throwu a red-barred Verchief. and the girl father shaded her ev rs wltb her band as she stood and looked first around the yard, then over into tho fields and across to the grand opon woods that surrounded -- the clearing, all the time calling "liosio," in a shrill but notmiraudcal voice. She stood still a moment;, ?nd then leaping tho low fence as lightly t9 a fawn, ran down to the tiuy rtrMet. ^tt tho foot of tho little rise on which the house stood and searched among the bushes, wLxo greenness betrayed tue water's course. A noisy crow mocked her call overhead, and scattered a haudful of pe can nuts upon ber from tho boughs he was robbing ; an oriole flew ont trom a scarlet haw bush and flashed away, star tled byjber cry of "Rosie," but no pretty treble piped, "'Here I am, sister," in answer to her call. Returning to tho cabin, soo took a horn from over tho door and blew a blast upon it that set half a dozen dogs to yelping, and after the lapse of a few min utes, brought ber brother, a boy of fif teen, 1 om tho field. "Have you seen Hosie?" was ber ques tion as he stood before ber, bis homespun clothes spotted with cotton flakes, and further ornamented by two or three striped catapillars, which were industri ously measuring toe length of bis panta loons. "Seen Rosio? No, not since she brought me my canteen of fresh water this morn ing. Shs came back home, though. I saw hor runnin' a race with Wolfclear up to the turnip patch." "She did come back, but she slipped away awhile ago when I was talking to some ono, und I haven't seen her since." "Talkjn* to Zuniy Karleo, I 'spose. I saw him comin' this way, riding that - mustang like the mad devil be is." "lt's no matter whom I was talking to ; Rosie is gone, and she must be found right away. We must go and hunt her. Take Wolf with you, be will help us find her." "Where is Wolf! He must bo wUh the child. He always follows her, you know. Oh, she is cafe enough : if any thing bad happened to ber, you'd have Wolf back here howling like a pack of bis namesakes." "I cannot trust to that; I fee* as if something wits wrong with ber. .Sire never does go father than hor little grapevine swing thora in the bottom, and alway comes when I call. You remem ber little Pierre Verne, who was missing last year and never found, and tbe couple of little darkies that disappeared the year before and nobody over saw hair or hide of tbtyri after^rdsC'^ "They wont down tho throat of the Black Devil." 5 Jules said, referring to an overgrown alligator that was known to bauut a neighboring bay..u. but whoso scaly hide, mossed and thickened by roany winters,seemed builcit-proof, since frequent, shots from rifle and mus ket had soother effect than to rondei bim more,cunning and more rarely to be ee?n, "But Rosie would never go so tai as the bayou ; more likely she's dropped asleep over ber play under somo pecan tree. ile boy added hastily, seeing the ghastly terror that overspread bis sister'! face ut tho mention of the alligator. In an hour they bad Searched the ops a woods for balfe mile around, makinn them echo with the child's name, ana looking carefully for little tracks, whicb they found io plenty around tho house p. nd in tho patones, but the freshest wert near the bank, of the little stream closo tc the child's .grapevine swing. But thi tiny threads of water was too shallow tc drown even five-year-old Rosie, who of ten waded in it ankle deep. The 'orothc and sister now carefully followed it cou.uo for several hundred yards up am down, but could-not seo no further sigi of the little bare feet they were in searcl of. Tho nearest neighbors lived a mili away, but Malino bad A faint hope tba tho, child had gone to tho house of one o theio-a hope that was disappoints when they reached the drat cabin, wher tho cowa were being milked for the even ing, and tb? children and dogs wer fighting over tho former's supper of clab ber and bread pouted into a cotton-woo tronrh in the yard, to be scooped up wit! wo.ou 'a spoons and dirty palms. Eut if these people nad rough e'xterl ors, their hearts were tender, and the roused nt once with keen.interest' an pity at the story that orphan Ro do wa missing. Remembering their own littl Piurrefwho went out lest year to gatbc dewberries and never waa heard of nftei wari,.tba .Vernes turned.out their who! capable force, malo and female, to hun for the lost child, followed by ? ema! army of dogs, und intending to collec pi .0 knots, as soon as it became dual and continuo the search until tho lo: was found. They went nt onco to thc^ bayou, . an divided so as t? search both its soft, niue dy banks .up und down for foot-prints t othor signs. Zn a little* white they wei joined by other neighbors and forme themselves into a cordon,, searching tl woods In ev?ry direction w11.uiu n idrcu of several miles; around. Koslo's hom No wild beasts other thain hartuless ra coons and opposaums were known to lui in the neighborhood, but the party i searchers stopped long and held: thc flaming torches of resinous prue over tl deep, Dlack. water-hole under a ?tee to h?7e his hiding place. As tho di approached, thettifou gradually da rowed until, as the sun rose, 'hey ?toe before the lost child's cabin mme st! and smokeless, and with nc sign of li about it. Again the wood? rang wi the name they had echoed so often d ring tho night, and Malina wont np the cabin, scarcely daring to hope th the child might have returned during tl night and laid down to sleep in ber OT little bed. . But the bed was untouched, the litt room empty, and Rosie's wooden doll 1 ing on the floor, brought, afresh pang the girl, who had been mothar and stsl to the little odo since tbclr parei died. . The searching party . went to th? homes to refresh tberr selves hastily wi food before setting oo.' ag?iu npon tin hunt. Jules went with them, but Mali shook her head in answer to their invil tion, and was left alone at the cab! Unable to be quiet, shs went again to i tho favorite resorts of Rosie, and ca fully went oV?r every foot ?r>gro?i around her little home. Then, wretch and worn nut with fatigue, sh o thr herself down upoe a log by the rofid-6! ?pring, and listened for a torturing bc for the signal of boms that would c nounce the finding of ber eiste?. L tejed in vain, till at last her be dropped hopelessly apoo ber band, ?nd she eat ia this attitude until the eon nd of quick hoof-atrokes made her look ap to meet the keen blue eye? of young Karlee, the Texan, galloping bv on his wiry mustang. He reined itv when he saw her, and lifted his broad-brimmed som brero. "What's the trouble, little Malino?" be asked the tenderness of ai? voice be lying the aavago aspect, of bis long beard, bia fierce moustache and sword like eye. "Hosie has bean gone since ycrterday noon, and we cannot find her." Then she lifted her bead and euddonly pierced him with a look. "You, Zumy Karine, you know what hns become of my sister," oho cried. His swarthy skin turned livid. "I, Matine? What should I know of your sister? .What bavo - bsd to do with her?" "You cursed her yesterday ; you said but fur 'that brat' that you knew I would marry you and go with you to the iodian Nation, where you meant to make a for tune." "I was angry ; I naid what I did with out a minutes thought. Matine, do you think so mean of me as to suspect I would burta child ? Folks have called mo wild, reckless, outlaw, and all that but I swear none ever slandered me a* bad as this girl that I've asked to be my wife. Good-bye, Matine; if you can think such a thing of me it'B best I never cse your fr.ee again." fie drove the spurs in his horse's sides and dashed on, but at a little distance ho stopped and looked back to say : "I'll find tho child, if she's above ground or beneath it. Don't be fretting yourself to death." An hour alter he left, Malino bad shut up ber little home and wo? on her way to seek supernatural aid in the search for her sister. "I had a dream night before last, sho thought. "It must have meant tome thing, for I waked up scared and wild like, and never slept any more. I dreamed we wera walking on the old log bridge over the bayou, and r>n a Budden I missed Rosie from my side. I looked down aud saw a big black band held up through the fogs. Maybe thnt means a negro will help me, and who bul old Kountz, tho conjurer doctor, that lives down on the bayou? I'll go to him and get him to tell rae where Rosie is. They sny he can find lost things, as well aa take thc charm off of conjured and poi soned people." Hops buoyed her weary steps, ssd she walked rapidly to the conjurer s hut, two miles away. Hid under great live-oak boughs and trailing moss, tho mud hut was scarcely to be discovered. Over the c!os?d door Wita ic5i\/Cii?u ?u viiGTiuG?S stuffed rattlesnake, the mouth wide open and the hooked fangs looking frightfully life-like. Old Kountz waa lung in open I ing the door, and when at last ho drew it I cautiously baok on its wooden hinges and stood before her, Moline shrank at the sight of the hideous apparition. The heavy, equnt figure, partly enveloped in an old torn garment of Bbaggy gray cloth, like the coat of a dog or a wild beast, the legs bare and mangy-looking the great splay feet bare and covered with watty excrences. The head was of tho ape type, with a low forehead, small, dull, red byes, ponderous lower jaw, and a double row of yellow, animal? looking teeth. Hit wooly bair was. however, gray with age, bis face seamed with wrinkles, and bu manners bumble liuu insinuating. Around bis nsck was a string of snake bones and alligator teeth, and a studed bat, with wings extended and grinning teeth, encircled bis head by way of a crown> while from his ear? hung the rattles of tho Bnake. The but wouid havo been of cavernous darkness, but thvugh it was warm weather, there were lighted pine-knots on the yawning mud hearth. Around it Muline Baw two other negroes squatted as if enjoying the heat, a man and woman, who had come to consult the conjurer-master with ref erence to some relative that had been "hurled" by being "pizened" or "con jured." The African wizard put a aquaro bottle iuto their hands as Moline stood waiting, her terror of these disgusting figure .eld in check by tho purpose for which dbe had come "Don' bo gibben dis, now, before I come to-morrow," he said. "When I'm standin' by to gib it its right effeck, il'll bring up de pizen or de conjiire-hurt, arry ono, from do stomach, for all de world like spiders and scorpions. Now, where'i youailber?" The woman fumbled ata greasy ?trina around her neck, untied it and took nfl of it four pieces of ?liver money, black with dirt and constant wear. Tho ape like paw of the conjurer closed over them eagerly. "To-morrow," he ?aid, and waved the visitors out. Then he turned to Malino, the twinkle of his small, red eye, under the gray, shaggy eye brows, making her shiver with dread, but eho al once told the object of her visit. He eyed ber sharply a minute, bis wrinkled face worked and changed, and ho' lit hi: abort, black pipe, stirred the lira and $aJ beforo it smoking and looking-into tin coals. After awhile he rose, took dowr n live screech-owl from a shelf amour, the bottles and boa..-n, and held its hide ou* head to his ear as cao would a watch and sat silent; looking into the embers j Al last he spoke in a gutteral matte ? without turning his ?y?s upon Malino. "Down by the bayou-by do big doubh ash aud de old mill-wheel-look dare Trucks-boot tracks wid Texas spur? Poor petite-poor Rosie 1" and he shool hi? tie?? mm iv na silent. "Is she dead?" Malino cried, starlin] up and coming to his Bide. But not i ?mind would he utter except to repeat hil former words : "Down by de bayou -by de doubt: asl and do old mill wheel. Tracks wid Tex os spurs. Poor child !" Malina turned to run from the hot, bu he laid a black paw op?n lier wrlsl peered into her face, with bis sleepy cunning alligator eye?, and said: "Do silber ; you forgit dat," She thought an instant, thonsnatchc tho gay rings from her- ears, droppe them into hw hand and tied from th norrible den, not stopping until she ba reached the part of the bayou ho ha spoken of, where a double-trnnked as overhang the water, and an old mil Wheel washed away in Borne past freshe lay stranded in mud and drift-wood nea the bank. Far down as was the plan the searching party bad been 'here bt apparently their examination bad nc been thorough; for there,' close to th naked roots of .the old tree/and half bi tn leaves and rand, lay ? tiny pink sut bonnet; that ?.atine tdcogaized an caught up will, a cry of anguish. At other glance showed her no child's trac hot tho print of a man's boot In the mc and the tmpress'of a Texas spur. "Hedid itt" sho'cried, clenching h bands. "Ho drowned her to put her o of the way, thinking I would go wti him if I WAS free of the ch argo n mother left mo on ber death-bed. O i eruct hearted villittn 1 Oh, my darlln tay babyl" Half frantic abe Tran towards thom hugging the tittle bonnet to her brea? but when sho heard tbegallopof a bon ; ?ho ?topped ?tilt and mather TOE&S by with the stern, white face of the accuser. "This is her bouuet. I fouud it et the bayou and your track? by it. You drowned her. Qod'a curses upon you I" "Muline are you crazy? What did you mean? Where did you find that?" "Down at the Bayou, whero you drowned my darline, ny the double ash tree and the old mill-wheel. I ?aw your tracks there." "I fished there two days ago, and waited for the alligator to rise. I've never been there since, I swear, and I've never set eyes on the child si nie, I saw her stauding at your side yesterday. I told you what I ?aid about her was noth ing but idle breath. I didn't mean a word of it. I waa mad because you ro fused to go with me and said your duty was to the children ; but God knowa I wouldn't have burt a bair of tho little one's bead for my own life. Tell me, how came you to go to the big ash just now V" "Black Kountz, the conjurer-master, told me to go there, and that I should find signs." TheaQexan gave a low wbi/itle. "I'll speak to that old rascal myself," he said, and then I'll ride back to where I left the searching party, and bring them to drag the bayou where the bon net was found." Matine shuddered and walked on with out speaking. Karlse rode to tho hut of the conjurer, and, dismounting, 'thundered opon the closed door with bia heavy whip. The shuffling feet of the African were stow to answer the summons, and when he opened tho door his wrinkled features exhibited some sign of perturbation, which the bold, fierce look of tho drover and tho steht of the pistol and bowie knife in lils bett might have welt ex? cused. There was nothing suspicious in the answer he gave to tho keen cross-ques tioning of the Texan. He said, in his broken gutteral, that he bad seen in his dream the bonnet lying by tho ash tree-? the Great Man showed bim things in hts dreams. Karlse left him, after a keen survey ot his wretched hut, with his black-smoked, cob-webbed walls, hung with the Bkius and teeth of vermin ana reptiles, its rag pailet and greasy old cheat and tal le. The bayou was dragged, but without re.? ult. "The alligator," was tho thought that was in the minds of all, though nobody sppko it, out of compassion for the broth er and sister. Night Bet in with gather* iug cinuds, lightning and ibo promise of a uto rm, and tho weary party retraced their steps. Karlse alone lingered. Matine had not told the others her suspicion that he waa Rosie'o murderer, but he knew hy the look she gave bim when she turned away that she harbored it still. He stood by his horse's head in deep thought n moment, then be mounted and rode back towards the conjurer's cabin. Be fore it waa in Bight he stopped in the midst of a dense thicket, get down from his horse and fastened him securely, and then waited while the twilight deepened fast into dark night, the clouds obscuring the sky, the lightning flashing at inter vals, and the rain coming in fitful gusts. "Now for spying the camp," no said. "Awful cautious I shall have to be. That conjuring rascal is a gray old coon. I sholl have to slip up on him like ancak in'upon an old buck at day-break; and first thing to be done, off moste?me these boots." Suiting the action to the word, be pulled off his hoots and deposited them by the tree where bis horse was fastened. Then he set out for Koif?iz's hut, steer ing his course trough the darkness with the judgment of a trained bnckswoodman that .n?most amounts to instinct. No gleam of tight came from the hut to guide him. When he had crept cau tiously close to it, and gono stealthily around it, he saw that there wan no crack through which could be soen the tight nt the fire that was sure to be burning in side. Winter or bummer the fire was never suffered to die out on the African's hearth; but except the smoke from the low chimney, no sign of it WAS to be seen outside the windowless hut, whose smallest crack nod cranny the African hastened to stop with rags or cotton and plaster over with mud. Hid behind the moss-hung limbs of the oak, Karlse saw the negro come to tho door, look out, and mutter to himself. "Black night; good jolly night-rain 'torm, maybe; jolly night." With a sinister chuckle, he closed thc door nnd fastened it, rattling tho heavy chain in which the padlock was hooked Karlso crept around to the rear of thc cabin, anet taking out his knife, knell down and began to cat into the clay thal was chinked between the logs of the wal and was now somewhat softened by thc recent rain. Noteelessly, cautiously hi worked until he bcd out through a sec tion of the clay several inches square This plug he gradually drew mit, uoinj the Utmost care to prevent attracting thi attention of the black doctor. In this h< wau abetted by the noise of the wind tba blew fiercely at intervals, and made th limbs pf the live-oak crack and s wa; against the roof of the cabin. The pluj was removed, and still kneeling, Karls applied his eye to the aperture aud ea\ the wizard smoking his pipo and mutter ing to himself before the fire. Pressenti ho rose, walked to the door, bent dow: and listened attentively. "Wind blowin'. hard-mighty dark torch can't livo aminit-white fools gon home, gone to bed-good, jolly night fe good supper-ugh 1" He chuckled abd smacked his lips then, walking up to the screech-owl, h touched its mnuicd beau,. wLcu, Huilei tng it? feathers with a shivering motio the creature uttered its wierd, ghostly ci whereat the black wizard nodded an laughed hideously, showing his doubl row of teeth. Then, turning round i the greasy old chest, he proceeded I draw it from tts place, and from the pai of the dirt floor whero tt bad stood, 1 turn up a squaro board that seemed to t a trap-door ; for the conjurer let himso down into the hole it bad covered, ar when he again emerged, scrambling v with difficulty wh?t seemed steep, laude like steps, he bad something thrown ov bl? shoulder that made the Texan'? hen leap and his breath come quick. It w the body of a child-tho dead body, Karlse thought nt first, bat when tl negro nlacednis barden on n Beat again tho wall, she sat there propped by h support nod he.?aw that it waa Rosl Ber little, delicate face was white ns th of a corpse, ber eyes wera dilated ai staring like a Bleep-walker's and we fixed, aa if under n spelt, u\on the fa of the negro. "Don't you dar to hollow or speak o word," be said ?thrusting his hideo features clo-o to her. <*Ef you do < .make writ jump right on you and tw hissetf mund yonr neck and bite y right in do eyes. You see htm. eb?" Ae be ?poke he lifted the head of t targe.Btufled rattle-snake that had bu by the door, and wbtch was now coiled a ?toot ia front of the child. Her gaze of fascinated terror turn upon tho horrible reptile, whose ?ci folds and open jaws were horribly lt Uko. "Why you uo eat de pap I carry dows to your' demanded the negro in his gut teral utterance; "nice pap, wid good bog-grease iu it, and carry down light for you, and all. You gwinetoeat now? Come." He took a teacup from tho' shelf and tried to force a spooufui of the soft mess it contained into tho child's mouth. "Eat; it'll be de bess for you. Well you won't and dats de eend of it. Neb bcr'll fatten, Miro. Ef dat been 'possum I cotcb now, an' put in barrel an' feed dat way, be doue fatten pound or two in rlis time ; but white chile too 'tubborn. He won't cat ; get poorer, tiddy futter. Well, ef dey won't eat, dey'll have to be eat all de sooner-dat'? all. Dis ono's iu pretty good order. Lemme see agin." With his great, black claws bo felt of thc child's legs and arms, pinching her so hard that an involuntary exclamation of pain cac nped her lips. "Hush 1" he hissed, with a horrible grimace. "Hab snake round your neck In no time." Onco more bc shuflled to the door stooped and listened. Then, muttering "Yas, yas; good night for good supper, he proceeded to throw more pine-knots ?JU thc Ore, and to bang over it a pot be bad filled with wtor. Then he took a large kuife from the' shelf and began to ibarpen it. Every now and then he turned to glare at the child, who followed bis movements with a stupid stare in ber dilated eyes like that of a bird or squir rel charmed by a snake. He tried the ?dge of the knife, and ncr med satisfied Lhat its was sharp; then, thrusting it in bis bosom, ho took up tho snake, wound it around his neck, and struck up a chant md a shuffling step, with which he moved in a circle before tho child with his eyes Bxed upon ber, and drawing gradually searer until be panned and stretched out 9no band, while with tho other be drew nut tho knife from his brcats. The poor victim sat Uko a charmed bird or a lamb beneath the butcher, ber wide eyes fastened on thnt terriblo face now full of thc carnivorous ferocity and ingernecBof the boast that scents blood. But before the blow descended, the mur lerer was stalled from Lis anticipated feast by a heavy crash upon the door "nun tbe axe that Karlse had caught light of on the ground in a gleam of lightening. Another heavy blow and thc ioor was burst open and thu Texan caped in and darted for the conjurer, ?vho, with his back braced against the ?vail stood, ai bay, the big knife brand ished in bis hand, a dull, deipcrato glare in his reptile eye. Ho sprang at Karlso is the latter advanced upon him, and nada a lunge at his breast ; but the Texan caught the knife by a dexterous novement, and twistiug it from tbe jl.tck's clutch sent it whirling to the nber end ot the hut. Tho next instaut he cannibal felt the cold muzzle of a re solver at his head, mid he dropped ou lia knees gibbering for mercy. With his teeth clenched and breathing bard with disgust and indignation, Karine lrew a stout halter from bis pocket and :icd the wretch securely, fastening hil feet and hands together. When this wai lone, ho turned to the child, who sal ivhere she had been placed rigid anc moveless as a corpse. He took her it bis urmB and kissed her. "Are you hurt anywhere, Rosie?-an you scared out of your wits, poor littl one? You aro safe now; you shall g borne to Jules and Muline." A long shiver passed over tho child she clasped ber deliverer's neck cnn viii jivcly, the burst ont crying and sobbing "Thank God!" exclaimed the Texan for be knew those tears had saved th reason, perhaps tbe lifo of the child. When he had seen her sitting witl dilated eyes and ghastly face, he believe Lhat terror had paralyzed her Bcnses int bopcless idiocy. Still, ns yet she ha aot spoken. He soothed her as tenderl is Mr.line could have done. "The black mau," she whispered t last, as she lay upon his shoulder. "H bAd a knite; lie sharpened it to kill me. "He'll never harm yon now, Rosit Yon Bee where he lies tied on tho (loo He'll never have a chance to lay a fing? jpon yon or any other child-tho blacl inhuman devil !" "And the snake-the dreadful suako, sobbed the child. "It was dead ; it couldn't bite yoi 5ce." He picked up the voodoo symbol froi the floor, and threw its great coils on tl blazing wood coals. '.You want me to take you borne nov tittle Rosie? They'll bo glad to BI you ; they hunted for you everywhere "I beard them," whispered the chili "I heard them once Cii'ling my name, ivas Maline's voice, and I wanted answer, but be said if I did the snal would jump at me and bite mo, and tin bo put me in that black holo in ti ground." "Don't think of it any more. Con let mo carry you borne to Moline, befo sho eries her eyes out. Then I'll cor and attend to that lump of African dev tij here, aud give him a part of 1: deserts." He stooped and carefully exnmin the knots that secured tho cord aroui the wrists and ankles of the co nj un and then, carrying Rosie in bis nrms, made his way with somo little difficu to the thicket where'bis boree was ti? and mounted; pinning the child heft bim. A rising* moou. nearly full, h now begun to struggle with tho clot and shed a faint light on the path ale Which Karlse' wiry mustang went, w bia Ktftndwf rogulsr gallop, that sc brought them to Rosie's home. Matine was walking the little poi unable to be still, or to listen to the wi ?Tic???t con?o'?tioii of ow m ? ur ino ncij bore inside, who bad como back fr their vain search for tho lost child, r stopped with Jules and Maline to cc fort them by their company. She stopped short as Karisa rode i in the dim light she did not seo his b den. "You have no news,- I know," began, then checked herself with a crt, Karies laid her sister in her ams. "It is RosL-warm and living. N< call mea murderer again, Matine." "I will call you my saint-my g angel 1" cried tho girl, seizins bis hi atm pressing it to ber Upi?, while v the other arm she bugged Rosie to breast. "The lost is found!" was the si that went up from the sturdy throat tbe kind-hearted friends kissing Roslo, shaking brr handstill she hid her fae Maline's bosom. Then they turne? Karlso, and their joyful utte-ai changed to exclamations of horror deep threats of vengeance when I beard his story, briefly and graphic told. "Deal with him to-night; nevet him live to see morning; hang hit once," was the verdict. "Burn him at the stake, rather," c tho father of little Pierre Verne, was tbat black devil that murdered child. Come, men, we aro wasting ti AU, with tho exception of the woi started at once for tho conjurer's When within a quarter of a milo of house, they saw that it was on frc. the'drew nearer, they.saw the fl: bunting from the roof, and catching old live oak and .tho long festoons of cnou that waved Jo (he wind like gar* land? of fire. Either the African know ing hi) doom, had managod,to roll near the hearth aud set fire to the house, or else it bad caught.accidentally from the wood that was left burning ia the fire place. Before tho houso waa quito consumed, the flamea were quenched by a heavy talo, and neat morning tho charred logs were rolled aside, and the half-consumed body of old Founts dragged out. The hole in the diit-floor of the hut being ex amined, showed that it led by a short ladder into . kind of cellar ten feet squaro. Here, among other things, was and old barrel, whoso contents hu? un turned on tbe wet .ground, proved to be bumau bones, clean-picked and white-the bones .of little children amorg them three little skulls. The tncu stood and looked at them in speech lesa horror, and the father of Pierre Verne turned livid and staggered against a tree. Tho bones were buried, but the remains of the black conjurer were thrown out to feed the dogs aud vultures. A native of Africa brought to the Louisi ana coast when full grown, the wretch bad retained bia cannibal appetite, and gratified,it when he could at *he risk of bia life. Wading up the stream near Rosie's bouse, he bsd come upon the child swinging in her grape-vine swing near the bank of the stream, and had de coyed her a little woy where the bushes were tbickor with tho promise- of a red bird, when suddenly he threw a sack over her bead, stifled her cries, and ran with her down the ?troam, which washed away his tracks, till ho reached the point where the little rivulet emptied into tho bayou, and whero ho put Rosie into his boat, that was moored there, and carried her to his but. He several times at tempted to tnuke her eat, wishing to fatten her aa ho would an opossum be fore killing and eating her. The dog Wolf, the child's faithful at tendant, who had followed close at the abductor'a heels, growling and threaten ing un attack, Kounlz hud knocked on tho head and sunk in the bayou with a rcck-weight attached to his neck, and ho bad thrown the child's bonnet at tho foot of tho double ash nearly a milo before reaching his cabin, remembering to have Been the Texan standing there fishing the day befc-e, and knowing from his negro coiifrti .s that Karlse was Malina's lover, whom she dod refused because oho did DU? wish to dc3erther lillie sister. That night's good work, thc saving of the child, tho clnsp of her little arms about bia neck han made Rosie so dear tn her deliverer that he would bavo left ber no sooner than Malino would, and when the girl went with him as his wife to the Indian Territory, they wore accompanied by Jules and Rosie, and the child was tho life of tho party, enjoying tho travel and tho camping out, and liked well her new home, where, as a trader. Ko ' e Boon achieved tho fortuno he had bopul for, and returned n com paratively rich man to a more civilized part of the country, where Rosio is now growing up a bright school-girl, with the promise of becoming tho village belle. A Congressman's Hall. A Washington correspondent, describ ing the voluminous mail of the average Congressman, writes: The real curiosities of a Congressman'a correspondence aro to be found in hi? letters, though. Tbeso cover avery con ceivable and many an inconceivable sub ject, and aro tho work of all sorts of peo* f>lo, from ev^ry holo aud corner of the aud. The oddities of one session's cor* responden would make the most amus* ing volume ?ver published, only the readers would to likely to think them not authentic, but made up for the occa sion. People writo for copias of congressional reports, documents and tho Uko publica tions for information about the govern ment, which it would require a whole handbook to convey to them, and for in formation of a personal character, such as "How old were you when you were elected?" "What waa your majority?" "What was your business before you went into politics?" These questions,aa a rule, are but for the purpose of deciding bets. A very common' request from country people is for seeds and cuttings of planta from tho botanical gordons. So also is that for an autograph. Many enthusiastic autograph collectors send their albums to bo written in. Others inclose a slip of paper to bear the cov eted signature. Very common aro the letters of tradesmen, who send presents of all sorts of commodities, from bair pins and pearl powder to pianos, with the request to bo informed now the re cipient likes the gift, the hoped-for an swer to be, of cou rae, used as an adver tisement. These communications go into the waste basket without an exception. The presents are well taken caro of, how ever. ?equests for positions of all .sorts Are of course common. These come not only to Congres-mien from their coastiturmls, but from utter strangers. Women aro heavy correspondents in this line. Many letters give advice of a political sort, some of it very absurd and laughable indeed. Correspondents tend patents of inventions which they want bills intro duced into Congress about, cflVr?sg a prospective share of the profits for the favor. Once I found a request for the introduction of a patent clothes-wringer into the army, with a blank check for my chief to fi!! Out ?a whatever sum ho chose* if he undertook to put it th'ougb. A curi?os feature of cur Congressmen's corie?pondc-nco is that there are peon?a who seem to do nothing else but write letters to them. One man in Boston has become famous Hinco long before tho wat for the liberal ity nf his correspondence w!tb bur law makers. He baa no political bias, writ ing to any one and every one, inspective of party. His bobby is advice as to the conduct of the nation, and he lards it with long quotations from speeches by Webster, Clay, Calhouu ana other de Sarled statesmen. Another lunatic io Tew York city writes io the same exton- j sive way to get a bill into Congress re* | moving the vat of government to that city. A Chicago roan baa invented a balloon for wax and surveying purposes,; and for ten years has been trying to sell the government the solo right to it. I remember one man wno .wrote from Utah, almost dally, for the entire session, to get a bill into Congress to afford him government protection for the working of a mine in that Territory, ho being at Eresent greatly barrassed and annoyed in is labors by what be called bis "onchris tian and disgraceful surrend i cs." An* other had gotten up a gorgeous scheme for the government to assume control of all tho railroads and telegraph Hoes. This genius had over a hundred pages cf printed calculation?, showing tho cost of the scheme, the immense profit to the nation, and the benefit the people would derive from its execution. - A society has been organized at dearborn, Ga., to be known aa tbe "Fint National Non-Carxing "ociety," whose object is to discountenance the practice of profane ?wiring. BIYEBSFUL ?OF MEAT. Th? Finny?<U?nn?'a Destined to rcopl? oar River?-Method* and CapahlUtlt* of th? flerinon/Carp. Atlanta Constitution. NEW YORK, January 20. Hero I come, buck to carp agaiu. Be cause it is und interesting 3tudy~because I seo in it great probabilities of progress and comfort for our peoplo-and because I met in Washington a few days ?ince a gentleman who knew all about tho first carp establishment iu America-that of Mr. Pappe in California. AB a typical experiment in this most importunt matter, the study of Pappe'a farm and farming will be interesting. Sa:-l my informant : "Mr. Pappe was a German, of intelli gence and wealth, who owned a farm about six miles from Sonora, in Califor nia. It is composed of about 700 acres, of which about 250 ucres was considered worthless. It was low, swampy land, aud was full of springs that wero* constant, rather than hold, and kept the placo a perfect m-rsh. Mr. Pnppo had bought the farm to uso as a dairy farm. He put thc arabic land in grosses and grain, and selected a herd of good milk cottle. This occupied the most of bis time until a few years since, be leased it lo a company of Swiss dairymen. He then determined tu utilize tho marah or "tule" land by fit ting up for. tho the culturo of carp-the enormous profits of which he had seen in Germany." "Let us have bis process 1" "It was so simplo that it could hardly be called a process. He had tho fore sight to provide his ponds, however, bo foto he went for his fish. Ho laid oif thc lowest part of the marsh into an area for teven ponds. He thou dug them out to tho depth of about ? feet, each covering about 200 feet. The drift dug from the bottom was used as dara and levee. His place was called, 'Pnlpuli Rancho' from tho number of springs on it, und the pouds soon filled up with water thut.jhun a uniform temperature of about 7 I'do grecs. The wr.tcr is allowed to flow , easily through tho pond pates at inter vals, so as to keep it fresh. The 'ponds succeed each other in falls of a few feet. Besides th cac ponds ho built several small ponds in which to placo the fish that were for sale. The making of the pouds drain /1 the rest of his 250 acres and mado it tho richest land on his place." "HOW did ht? ?on M rn his CSTT?" "Ho went to Germany for tuem. This shows how important ne considered it. H? traveled 3,000 miles across tho conti nent-than took a steamer for England and thence lo Bremen. He looked up a certain miller in Ileinfield, who was reputed to have au excellent quality of carp. He purchased 83 fish selecting them in all sizes-from fish more than two feet in length-and from that size down to the length of a steel pen. He then hurried aboard a steamer and started homo. He placed tho fish in four buckets, placed one higher than the other, and arranged it so thai tho water would flow from .no bucket from the highest to tho lowest bucket and back again. The supply of ico gave out and he soon found that lie could not keep the water cool enough. Tho Ash com menced dying, tbe largest one going fi rat. Mr. Pappe set up night after night watching them, but by the time he reached New York harbor only 20 of the 83 were left. Being detained two days on account of quarantine, twelve more died before ho reached the shore. These he put at once iu small ponds cf Croton water which ho had prepared for them. They were left hero for several days to recuperate and were visited by hundreds of fish men. Mr. Pappe madu the most elaborate preparation** for their conduct across the continent taking half of a spe cial car wbero he could attend to them all tho time. After nine days trip he reached Sonora valley with five tiny Ash, the five smallest of the original 83. These were punny, sh'^gish and almost dead. They represented r>. wover, a three months trip, and over $2,G00 in cash, or about $500 each." "How did they thrive?" 'That is tho interesting part of it, and fortunately I have tho figures to giro the special information. Thc five fish wero scarcely larger than a otcol pen when be put them in tbe pond. This was in August 1877. In the May following, nino months after be had put them in tho pond, tho original five bad f;rown to be over e xteen inches in ongtb, and tho nur ber increased to over 3,000. Tho carp sn' .nin April and May, spawning two or three times instead of continually as other fish do. After this there was no lack of fish, although the demand was immense. At three years old tho threo remiting fish of the original five wore over two feet long and weighed abont fifteen pounds. The average growth of tbs carp was about twelve inches iu twelve months after birth-that is, fish spawned in May will by the next May weigh from four to six fiounds and mensuro from niuo to twelve nebea. Thia is the ascertained result of Mr. Pappe's fish. As ono female will hatch out from 12,0&C tc 20,000 under good conditions, you cai seo thst nu merous results aro obtains*.'!*'. There's no meat-producing record like it. Think of it. A single pair of carp to produr-A In one season 20,000 young tliat by the next season would yield to tue net from ?30,000 to 100,000 pounds of tho most delicious meat food, and this, too, without a dol iera expense for feeding ?r?i??o??ig or attention." "If tbe yield of a single pair is from 12,000 to 20,000 why did Mr. Pappe'a produce only 8,003 the first year?" "Simply hecauso they had spent tbe first three or four months of their lives in traveling and a month, probably, in recuperating. Their spawn was much larger than 8,000, but tho frogs destroyed a large amount of it. The yield was not as large, however, as it was for tho samo five fish the next year." "You sav that it cost nothing for food. What did Mr. Pappe feed his fish ou ?" "Ho fed them mainly on curd from the dairy. He used to say, for he is dead now, that a carp would cat anything a hog would. They ere fond of barley, wheat, or anything of tho kind. They tinda large part of their food in the pond itself, especially if the pond bed bas been sown in wheat or some sort of grain before the water is turned on. I mean by saying that they cost nothing to keep, that they would live and thrive on what is usually the wastage of a farm and what would be thrown away if tbe carp Bond waa not there to empty it into. Irustsof bread, scraps of vegetables, anything almost that comes from tbe labio of a farmer's family." "Did Mr. Pappe find his pond practi cable?" "Immensely so. He bad, however, a .ource of rovenoe that could not be counted on for the ordinary' earp pond. This was the stocking of other ponds, which created a demand for tho young fish. Ho commanded his own price for tbe young fish yearly, and was often 0 (To red $50 a pair for fish ready to spawn. 1 am sore that there are fully 2,000 fish ponds in California and adjoining .tetes to-day there ste stocked with carp from lito five little fi-Ii brought out by ?ir. Pappe. Tbe yield of all these ponds is enormous. Tbe greatest compliment {mid to tho carp, however, was the order br a full supply from the* Sandwich Islands, where a wealthy resident wbo knew tne virtues of tbe fish had pro pared ono of the largest carp farms outside of Germany. The Pappe ponds do not now have the same demand for young fish ns formt r'y, but find ihnt'thev 'yield a fini revenue from thc murket demand for ild> for the table. Carp raising bas become a favorite industry in California, and Mr. Mr. PappeV adventure has added largely* to the wealth of tho state. I do not know of a carp Iiond lb at has bren abandoned, and I do enow that thc presence of one on a placo that is offered tor sale adds handsomely to its valu? and attracts purchasers. "Are tho Pappo ponds devoted entirely to carp?" "All except one pond, and that ?B used for the breeding of gold fish. This is the most profitablo pond of the lot, for gold fith te'l at fancy prices, and are very prosperous. Gola fish are ehipped from this farm all over tho country." So this is thc history of tho first exper iment with carn in this country-and a surpr sing result it is. And yet the re pulla reached are not more surprising than those reported by Professor Palra, of tho fish commission's experiment. From ninetv fish ns a start, tue second crop allowed for tho distribution of 60, 000 fish, besides stocking tho government ponds. Tho third crop of the govern ment ponds nlono will be ever 1,000,000 fl*b, and tho orignal fish *;rn many of them twenty ii ve inches in length and weigh over twelve pounds. These aro the fig urea of two experi ments. I am satisfied that a hundred j similar experiments made in a hundred Georgia ponds would bring tho same reptilia. Some of the experiments would, of course, fall below theso figuren, but to do one-tenth ns well would bo to scoro a profit. I huve seen Professor Baird since I wroto my last lotter, and ho con firms tho estimulo of fish '.hat he .ill be able to furnish next year. I hazard nothing in saying that bo can fur nish a sufficient stock for five hundred ponds in Georgia next summer. I think hs would ngrco with Dr. Caiy, our excel lent fish commissioner, to furnish fish for 1,000 ponds if they were made ready to receive tbem by next sommer. Con gressman Blount called on him last week for 1,000 carp, and I understand got them without any trouble. Thc Ssh will be forthearning if tho ponds aro already made ropdy. Thero is no similar industry for which tho way cnn bo paved with so little trou ble and expenso-which eau bo main tained atsuch small costs, and which will produco such rich results. Leaving out of question the market 2uestion-promising that not a single sh can be sold-it would pay any far mer to establish him a pond. Thero is no healthier food than fish-nono more savory or palatable. Our farmcrn eat too much bacon und liog-meat, aud "died ol n frying pan" has already been ?vrittiti as tho epitaph of many a pale-faced, thin-blood pork eater. I doubt if lhere aro ten counties in Georgia in which a farmer can go oui ami n?i certain of catchings * "tn ess" of fish, even by giving a whole day to the work, and riding sev eral miles to reach water-unie?? he fishes in private ponds. Tho fish have almost gone from our running streams, and is u scarce article in tho bill or fare of our country houses. If carp ponda are generally established, wo shall save tho buying of thousands of pounds annu ally of bacon,shall I: .ve thousands of more chickens to send to market, more veal and mutton to spare from the fermi, every town mid village supplied with the fresh fish nt n low price, our farms made prettier and more picturesauo, and our people hes Uhler, and better fed. I think tho establishment of fifty carp ponds will do Georgia moro good than if we bad elected Hancock. I bad rather see & dozen established than to see Georgia gain a congressman in thu apportionment, and that is why I have written more about fish than politics. Politicians ure usually fishy anyhow, ain't they ? _ H. W. G. Lot Thc Poor Indian t President Hayes has sent a messngo to Congress in regard to tho futuro treat ment, of tho Indiana. He says : "Our general Indian policy for the future should embrace tho following ideas: First, tho Indians should bo pre pared for citizenship by giving to their young of both sexes that industrial and general education which is requisito to enable them to be self-supporting and capable of self-protection in civilized communities. Second, fonds should bo allotted to the Indiana in severalty, in alienable for a certain period. Third, the Indians should have fair compensa tion for their lands not required for indi vidual allotments, tho amount to bo in vested with suitable safeguards for their benefit. Fourth, with these prerequisites secured, the Indians should bo made cit izens and bo invested with tho rights and charged with the responsibilities of citi zenship. It is therefore recommended that legislation be adopted in regard to the Ponen Indians authorizing the Sec retary.of thc Interior to secure to indi vidual members of tho Pooca tribe.in eo vend ty sufficient land for their support, inalienable for n term of years, or until tho restriction on alienation may be re uj??cu h/ tu? p?cs?ue?fc. Amino liuiu and opportunity should bo given to tho members of tho tribo freely to choose their allotments, either on their new or old reservation. Full r.impensation should be made for the lands to be relin quished, and for the lr>*ea to them by Sioux depredations, and by reason of their removal to the Indian Territory, tho amount named in tho declaration of the chiefs made on December 27, 1880. In short, nothing should bo left undone to j Dhow tn the Indians that tbe Government j of tho United States regards their rights as equally sacred with those of its citi zens. The time hus come when the policy should be to place the Indians as rapidly as practicable on the same foot ing with other permanent inhabitants of the country. I do not undertake to ap portion the blame for the injustice dou? to the Poncas. Whether tho Executive or Congress or Ibo public is chiefly in fault is not now a question of pract'eal imporlauce. As the Chief Executive at tho time when the wrong wax consum mated, I am deeply sensible that enough of the responsibility forthst wrong justly attscbes to me to make it my personal duty and earnest desire to do all I can to give to these Indian people that measure of redress which is required alike by jus tice and by humanity." RtmiF.nFOitD B. HAYES. - Ex-Govcrnor 8cott, of Souti Caro lina, who she? zzd ki.?cu Warren urary, at Napoleon, Ohio, in December last, has been indicted for murder in the second degree. - Tho Swiss colony in North Carolina is said to have discovered that the mul berry, treo grows with as much luxuriance as the chorry, and, that tbe soil ?nd eli? mate favor rae production of edik. ?cuera?. Ifen? Snemry. - Thomas Carlyle, the distinguished author, is dead. - A severe earthquake shock was felt in part? of Ne w? York State on the 3d inst. - Eggs sold iu New*York [city^Jast I week aa high ss seventy-five cents ? j dozen. - ''By the way, howjis thatSfund for ex-Presidents gening along ?"-R.^B. Hayes. - The small-poxha worse in Philadcl phia this winter than it has been sir.s the epidemic of 1872. . - Let us pray thal this moy bo*an off year for the potato hug, the - grasshopper and tho fruit tree pedaler. --. Somo of his Philadelphia friends have rauod a purso of one hundred thou sand dollars for General Grant. - A largo number of petitions favor ing woman suffrage have been presented to tho Rhode leland Legislature. ( - A Richmond Va., real catate'agen cy has received 2/>X)0 inquiries for farms in Virginia during tho last sixty days. - An encouraging sign of progress at the South is the 'deposed establishment of a produco exchange at August?., Ga. - It is said tho postal card has do creased the sale of writing paper $12, 000,000 annually in tho United States. - A bill hr' been introduced ia the New York Legislature to compel all tel egraph companies to lay their wires under ground. - Albert P. and Charles E. Talhott, two [brothers, of Macsville, Mo., have been sentenced to bo hung,for thoT.mur der of their father. - Beth Eden BaplUt Church, in'Phil ndelphia, waa deatroyed by fire last week. The church was erected a few years ago at a cost of $150,000. - This is the anniversary of the burn ing of John Rogers S2G years ago. The fire was ono of tbe^brightest lights of the English reformation. - English ladies'of fashion now have shooting suits as much as riding habits. They are made with u pad.for the gua oa - one sida of tho waist. - The party who usunlly naya tho highest compliments to tho Lera, ia his prayer: , usually paya the lowest wages to the people ho han in his employ. - General Grant might be " made Grand High Keeper of the Obelisk, with a salary of $40,000 a year. Tho obelisk ran stand tho weather until 1884.-Cou rier-Jo'urnah - Ida Lewis, 'thej G rice Darling of America, saved two moro men from drowning near Limo Rock Light-House, of which abo is keeper, lost Friday. This makes sixteen lives saved by Miss Lewis. - The oxtension of tho Kentucky Central Railroad to Knoxville hos been ordered, and the work is to be begun at once. Tho Rond is in strong hands, and the probability in, the gap of ill miles will bo speedily filled. - James E. Brown, of Kittening, Penn., who died December 6, bequeaths $25 to every widow in the town, $25 io every wife who shall become a widow, and the same amount to all the girls now living who shall become wives. j - Mr. Gladstone's position on the Irish questiou hos excited so much oppo i nitlon that fears aro entertained for his personal safety. His houso is guarded day and night, and a policeman follows him to tho House nf Commons. - About 100,000 bushels of hemp seed aro annually consumed for bird food ia the United State*). A heap of baby iaik is also wasted on birds'in the course of a year, and if some of it was addressed to the children they would bo better na tured. - So mo of the merchants of Rich mond, Ind., recently published a book containing the names of three thousand persons, who they declared wero not ia the habit of paying their bills. The book was known ss the "Dead Beat DI-, rectory," and its publication occasioned great excitement. I - There are now 1,247 persons em 1 ployed in the census office In Washing ton. GG9 males and 578 females; also 03 messengen and IC watchmen. Tho monthly rent of the census building is $1,838. Tho number of enumerators employed in toking the census was 31,265, under 150 supervisor!. - Grant was educated nt the expense of the government, bas drawn a govern ment salary nearly half his life, has had a house and horses given him, and now $250,000 in cash bas been raised for him. Ia it too much to ask bim to give tho American people a receipt in full for all demands to date ?-Boston Globe. - Blizzards, bitter blasts, blockaded turnpikes and railroads, ships frozen in the frozen harbors, hospitals full of jack frost's victima, avalanches on the moun tains, deep snow drifts in tho valleys, portentous ico gorges, thermometers marking thirty and forty below zero such has been February's record since the month began. - A horrible caso of brutality is ex citing Jacktown, Ohio, where John Cum mings placed tho tongue of bis eight year-old boy between a hickory sapling and then nailed tho sapling to a partition in the barn, beating tue little fellow at intervals for six boors. Tho boy had been sliding down hill in disobedience to his father's orders. Tl... J._ J...JI- a-_ i..lUr.OVv .. ivuvuuikira naiuu uuir as quite a man, very graceful in move ment and courteous in demeanor. A small band and foot. Not spirited dash ing at all, but his manners full of reposo and his voice was som ??u ?V?aivai. nc would st r tko one al first as being slightly effeminate, but he was not so ; he was * hold ?t mn ?^ osj'sblc sss. In conversa tion-till ino last ten years of his life-. he wan brilliant. - The most destrnctivo firo that ever visited Plymouth, N. C., occurred io that town on the night of the 31st ultimo. Its orign is due to the explosion of a kerosene lamp, and from 10 o'clock p. m. until 2 o'clock next morning the flames ritgod, destroying and damaging no less than fifty buildings Sn the business centre of tho place, and property estimated at $135,000, on which there was but little or DO insurance. A New York letter says : "The ten dency of the government toward a cheap rate of interest is gradually having lu effect on real estate, which command? better prices than for a long while, white loans on bond and mortgage (three yean to ran) havo been taken by somo of oui savings banka as low as 4} per cent. This is something unheard of io the present or any other generation. Nor ia tho value of the property reduced by such loans : ratter, on the contrary, ja it increased above what it was rated at six months ago." - Each county in Texas has received tx donation of roar loagues of land to constitute a fund for thosunport of coun ty academies or high schools. Thia pro vision Was made in the early legislation I of the State, and many of the countfe? i now have a fund of from $25,000 tc $60,000, but the interest hf? never been used except to aid ia the support of pub i !ic schools, which was hot tho iotontior of tho endowment. Tho Secretary of th< i State Board of Education now demand that each county establish an academy tv some central point wttb *h!s fcs?. , ' ;:'['