Many years ago I contracted an intimacy with a Mr. William Legrand. He was of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once been wealthy; but a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid the mortification consequent upon his disasters, he left New Orleans, the city of his forefathers, and took up his residence 10 at Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, South Carolina.

This island is a very singular one. It consists of little else than the sea sand, and is about three miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds a quarter of a mile. It is separated from the mainland by a scarcely perceptible creek, oozing its way through a wilderness of reeds and slime, a 20 favorite resort of the marsh-hen. The vegetation, as might be supposed, is scant, or at least dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted during summer by the

3. Huguenot, one of the French Protestants of the 16th and 17th centuries. Under persecution many Huguenots emigrated to America.

fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole is- 30 land, with the exception of this western point, and a line of hard white beach on the seacoast, is covered with a dense undergrowth of the sweet myrtle, so much prized by the horticulturists of England. The shrub here often attains the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and forms an almost impenetrable coppice, burdening the air with its fragrance.

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In the utmost recesses of this coppice, not far from the eastern or more remote end of the island, Legrand had built himself a small hut, which he occupied when I first, by mere accident, made his acquaintance. This soon ripened into friendship-for there was much in the recluse to excite interest and esteem. I found him well educated, with unusual 50 powers of mind, but infected with misanthropy, and subject to perverse moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy. He had with him many books, but rarely employed them. His chief amusements were gunning and fishing, or sauntering along the beach and through the myrtles in quest of shells or entomological specimens-his collection of the latter 60

might have been envied by a Swammerdamm. In these excursions he was usually accompanied by an old negro called Jupiter, who had been manumitted before the reverses of the family, but who could be induced, neither by threats nor by promises, to abandon what he considered his right of attendance upon the footsteps 10 of his young "Massa Will." It is not improbable that the relatives of Legrand, conceiving him to be somewhat unsettled in intellect, had contrived to instill this obstinacy into Jupiter, with a view to the supervision and guardianship of the wanderer.

The winters in the latitude of Sullivan's Island are seldom very severe, and in the fall of the year it 20 is a rare event indeed when a fire is considered necessary. About the middle of October, 18-, there occurred, however, a day of remarkable chilliness. Just before sunset I scrambled my way through the evergreens to the hut of my friend, whom I had not visited for several weeks-my residence being at that time in Charleston, a distance of nine miles from the 30 island, while the facilities of passage and repassage were very far behind those of the present day. Upon reaching the hut I rapped, as was my custom, and, getting no reply, sought for the key where I knew it was secreted, unlocked the door, and went in. A fine fire was blazing upon the hearth. It was a novelty, and by no means an ungrateful one. I threw 40 off an overcoat, took an armchair by the crackling logs, and awaited patiently the arrival of my hosts.

Soon after dark they arrived, and gave me a most cordial welcome. Jupiter, grinning from ear to ear, bustled about to prepare some marshhens for supper. Legrand was in one

"Ah, if I had only known you were here!" said Legrand; "but it's so long since I saw you; and how could I foresee that you would pay me a visit this very night, of all others? As I was coming home I met Lieutenant G-, from the fort, and, very foolishly, I lent him the bug; so it will be impossible for you to see it until the morning. Stay here to- 70 night, and I will send Jup down for it at sunrise. It is the loveliest thing in creation!"

"What? Sunrise?"

"Nonsense! No! The bug. It is of a brilliant gold color-about the size of a large hickory nut-with two jet-black spots near one extremity of the back, and another, somewhat longer, at the other. The antennæ so are "

"Day aint no tin in him, Massa Will, I keep a tellin on you," here interrupted Jupiter; "de bug is a goole bug, solid, ebery bit of him, inside and all, sep him wing-neber feel half so hebby a bug in my life."

"Well, suppose it is, Jup," replied Legrand, somewhat more earnestly, it seemed to me, than the case de- 90 manded, "is that any reason for your letting the birds burn? The color"here he turned to me "is really almost enough to warrant Jupiter's idea. You never saw a more brilliant metallic luster than the scales emit

but of this you cannot judge till tomorrow. In the meantime I can give you some idea of the shape." Saying this, he seated himself at a small table, on which were a pen and ink, but no paper. He looked for some in a drawer, but found none.

"Never mind," said he at length, "this will answer"; and he drew from 10 his waistcoat pocket a scrap of what I took to be very dirty foolscap, and made upon it a rough drawing with the pen. While he did this, I retained my seat by the fire, for I was still chilly. When the design was complete, he handed it to me without rising. As I received it, a low growl was heard, succeeded by a scratching at the door. Jupiter opened it, and a large New20 foundland, belonging to Legrand, rushed in, leaped upon my shoulders, and loaded me with caresses; for I had shown him much attention during previous visits. When his gambols were over, I looked at the paper, and, to speak the truth, found myself not a little puzzled at what my friend had depicted.

"Well!" I said, after contemplating 30 it for some minutes, "this is a strange scarabæus, I must confess; new to me; never saw anything like it before unless it was a skull, or a death's-head, which it more nearly resembles than anything else that has come under my observation."

"A death's-head!" echoed Legrand -"oh-yes-well, it has something of that appearance upon paper, no doubt. 40 The two upper black spots look like eyes, eh? and the longer one at the bottom like a mouth-and then the shape of the whole is oval."

"Perhaps so," said I; "but, Legrand, I fear you are no artist. I must wait until I see the beetle itself, if I am to form any idea of its personal appearance."

"Well, I don't know," said he, a

little nettled, "I draw tolerably— 50 should do it at least-have had good masters, and flatter myself that I am not quite a blockhead."

"But, my dear fellow, you are joking then," said I; "this is a very passable skull-indeed, I may say that it is a very excellent skull, according to the vulgar notions about such specimens of physiology-and your scarabæus must be the queerest 60 scarabæus in the world if it resembles it. Why, we may get up a very thrilling bit of superstition upon this hint. I presume you will call the bug Scarabæus Caput Hominis, or something of that kind-there are many similar titles in the Natural Histories. But where are the antennæ you spoke of?"

"The antennæ!" said Legrand, who 70 seemed to be getting unaccountably warm upon the subject; "I am sure you must see the antennæ. I made them as distinct as they are in the original insect, and I presume that is sufficient."

"Well, well," I said, "perhaps you have still I don't see them"; and I handed him the paper without additional remark, not wishing to ruffle his 80 temper; but I was much surprised at the turn affairs had taken; his ill humor puzzled me and as for the drawing of the beetle, there were positively no antennæ visible, and the whole did bear a very close resemblance to the ordinary cuts of a death's-head.

He received the paper very peevishly, and was about to crumple it, apparently to throw it in the fire, 90 when a casual glance at the design seemed suddenly to rivet his attention. In an instant his face grew violently red-in another as excessively pale. For some minutes he continued to scrutinize the drawing

65. Scarabæus Caput Hominis, man's head beetle.

now

minutely where he sat. At length he arose, took a candle from the table, and proceeded to seat himself upon a sea-chest in the farthest corner of the room. Here again he made an anxious examination of the paper, turning it in all directions. He said nothing, however, and his conduct greatly astonished me; yet I thought it prudent not 10 to exacerbate the growing moodiness of his temper by any comment. Presently he took from his coat pocket a wallet, placed the paper carefully in it, and deposited both in a writingdesk, which he locked. He grew more composed in his demeanor; but his original air of enthusiasm had quite disappeared. Yet he seemed not so much sulky as abstracted. As 20 the evening wore away he became more and more absorbed in reverie, from which no sallies of mine could arouse him. It had been my intention to pass the night at the hut, as I had frequently done before, but, seeing my host in this mood, I deemed it proper to take leave. He did not press me to remain, but, as I departed, he shook my hand with even more 30 than his usual cordiality.

It was about a month after this (and during the interval I had seen nothing of Legrand) when I received a visit, at Charleston, from his man, Jupiter. I had never seen the good old negro look so dispirited, and I feared that some serious disaster had befallen my friend.

"Well, Jup," said I, "what is the 40 matter now? How is your master?" "Why, to speak de troof, massa, him not so berry well as mought be.' "Not well! I am truly sorry to hear it. What does he complain of?"

"Dar, dat's it! Him neber plain of notin-but him berry sick for all dat."

"Very sick, Jupiter! Why didn't you say so at once? Is he confined to bed?"

"No, dat he ain't! He ain't find 50 nowhar-dat's just whar de shoe pinch-my mind is got to be berry hebby bout poor Massa Will.”

"Jupiter, I should like to understand what it is you are talking about. You say your master is sick. Hasn't he told you what ails him?"

"Why, massa, 'tain't worf while for to git mad bout de matter. Massa Will say noffin at all ain't de matter 60 wid him-but den what make him go bout looking dis here way, wid he head down and he soldiers up, and as white as a gose? And den he keeps a syphon all de time-"

"Keeps a what, Jupiter?"

"Keeps a syphon wid de figgurs on de slate de queerest figgurs I ebber did see. I'se gittin to be skeered, I tell you. Hab for to keep mighty 70 tight eye pon him noovers. Todder day he gib me slip fore de sun up and was gone de whole ob de blessed day. I had a big stick ready cut for to gib him d-d good beating when he did come but I'se sich a fool dat I hadn't de heart arter all-he look so berry poorly."

"Eh?-what? Ah, yes! Upon the whole I think you had better not be so too severe with the poor fellow. Don't flog him, Jupiter he can't very well stand it. But can you form no idea of what has occasioned this illness, or rather this change of conduct? Has anything unpleasant happened since I saw you?"

"No, massa, dey ain't bin noffin onpleasant since den. 'Twas fore den I'm feared-'twas de berry day you 90 was dare."

"How? What do you mean?” "Why, massa, I mean de bug-dare now."

"The what?"

"De bug-I'm berry sartain dat Massa Will bin bit somewhere bout de head by dat goole bug."

for such a supposition?"

"Claws enuff, massa, and mouff too. I nebber did see sich a d-d bug. He kick and he bite eberyting what cum near him. Massa Will cotch him fuss, but had for to let him go gin mighty quick, I tell you. Den was de time he must ha got de bite. I didn't 10 like de look ob de bug mouff, myself, nohow, so I wouldn't take hold ob him wid my finger, but I cotch him wid a piece ob paper dat I found. I rap him up in de paper and stuff piece ob it in de mouff-dat was de way."

"And you think, then, that your master was really bitten by the beetle, and that the bite made him sick?" 20 "I don't tink noffin about it-I nose it. What make him dream bout de goole so much, if 'tain't cause he bit by de goole bug? I'se heerd bout dem goole bugs fore dis."

"But how do you know he dreams about gold?"

"How I know? Why, cause he talk about it in he sleep-dat's how I nose."

"Well, Jup, perhaps you are right; 30 but to what fortunate circumstances am I to attribute the honor of a visit from you today?"

"What de matter, massa?"

"Did you bring any message from Mr. Legrand?"

"No, massa, I bring dis here pissel"; and here Jupiter handed me a note which ran thus:

My dear -: Why have I not seen 40 you for so long a time? I hope you have not been so foolish as to take offense at any little brusquerie of mine; but no, that is improbable.

Since I saw you I have had great cause for anxiety. I have something to tell you, yet scarcely know how to tell it, or whether I should tell it at all.

I have not been quite well for some days past, and poor old Jup annoys me, almost 42. brusquerie, rudeness.

attentions. Would you believe it--he had prepared a huge stick, the other day, with which to chastise me for giving him the slip, and spending the day, solus, among the hills on the mainland. I verily believe that my ill looks alone saved me a flogging. since we met. If you can, in any way, I have made no addition to my cabinet make it convenient, come over with Jupiter. Do come. I wish to see you tonight, 60 upon business of importance. I assure you that it is of the highest importance. Ever yours,

William Legrand

There was something in the tone of this note which gave me great uneasiness. Its whole style differed materially from that of Legrand. What could he be dreaming of? What new crotchet possessed his excitable 70 brain? What "business of the highest importance" could he possibly have to transact? Jupiter's account of him boded no good. I dreaded lest the continued pressure of misfortune had, at length, fairly unsettled the reason of my friend. Without a moment's hesitation, therefore, I prepared to accompany the negro.

Upon reaching the wharf, I no- so ticed a scythe and three spades, all apparently new, lying in the bottom of the boat in which we were to embark.

"What is the meaning of all this, Jup?" I inquired.

"Him syfe, massa, and spade." "Very true; but what are they doing here?"

"Him de syfe and de spade what 90 Massa Will sis pon my buying for him in de town, and de debbil's own lot of money I had to gib for em."

"But what, in the name of all that is mysterious, is your 'Massa Will' going to do with scythes and spades?"

"Dat's more dan I know, and debbil take me if I don't believe 'tis more dan he know, too. But it's all cum ob de bug."

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