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The Half Pint Flask
A man’s obsession with rare glass leads him to commit an unforgivable act. The price he pays will be beyond anything he ever imagined.
When Barksdale, an ambitious but ignorant collector, arrives on Ediwander Island in the heart of South Carolina’s Gullah country, he sees the local customs as nothing more than relics of a primitive past. A rare, antique glass flask resting atop a grave catches his eye—a piece so unique that it would complete his collection. Ignoring the warnings of his host, the writer Mr. Courtney, Barksdale seizes the flask, believing that superstition holds no power over him. But the spirits of the island do not forgive so easily.
That night, an unsettling energy fills the air—haunting rhythms of unseen drums, whispered chants on the wind, and an oppressive force that seems to invade his very soul. The legends of the Gullah people speak of Plat-eye, a vengeful spirit that lures its victims to their doom, and as Barksdale’s paranoia grows, the line between myth and reality begins to blur. His dreams become nightmares, his mind unravels, and the presence of something unseen—but undeniably real—tightens its grip.
DuBose Heyward, renowned for his deep respect for the Gullah culture, crafts a masterful blend of folklore, supernatural horror, and Southern Gothic atmosphere in The Half Pint Flask. A chilling cautionary tale of greed, cultural arrogance, and the power of the unseen, this novella lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. For those who dare to step into its world, be some things are best left undisturbed.
When Barksdale, an ambitious but ignorant collector, arrives on Ediwander Island in the heart of South Carolina’s Gullah country, he sees the local customs as nothing more than relics of a primitive past. A rare, antique glass flask resting atop a grave catches his eye—a piece so unique that it would complete his collection. Ignoring the warnings of his host, the writer Mr. Courtney, Barksdale seizes the flask, believing that superstition holds no power over him. But the spirits of the island do not forgive so easily.
That night, an unsettling energy fills the air—haunting rhythms of unseen drums, whispered chants on the wind, and an oppressive force that seems to invade his very soul. The legends of the Gullah people speak of Plat-eye, a vengeful spirit that lures its victims to their doom, and as Barksdale’s paranoia grows, the line between myth and reality begins to blur. His dreams become nightmares, his mind unravels, and the presence of something unseen—but undeniably real—tightens its grip.
DuBose Heyward, renowned for his deep respect for the Gullah culture, crafts a masterful blend of folklore, supernatural horror, and Southern Gothic atmosphere in The Half Pint Flask. A chilling cautionary tale of greed, cultural arrogance, and the power of the unseen, this novella lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. For those who dare to step into its world, be some things are best left undisturbed.
98 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1929
15 people want to read
About the author
DuBose Heyward
88 books20 followersDramatization in 1927 of
Porgy
(1925), novel of American writer Edwin DuBose Heyward based
Porgy and Bess
, folk opera of George Gershwin.
This best known work of this white author based the namesake play, which he co-authored with his wife Dorothy Heyward, and in turn this music.
Thomas Heyward, Jr., his ancestor, signed Declaration of Independence of the United States and served as a representative of South Carolina. As a child and young man, frequently ill Heyward also caught polio at eighteen years of age, then contracted typhoid fever at twenty years of age, and fell ill with pleurisy in the following year. He described as "a miserable student," uninterested in learning and dropped high school in his first year at fourteen years of age despite a lifelong and serious interest in literature; writing verses and stories, he passed the time in his sickbed.
In 1913, Heyward wrote a one-act play, An Artistic Triumph , produced in a local theater. This minor success on derivative work reportedly showed little promise but encouraged him to pursue a literary career. In 1917, he, convalescing from his illnesses, began to devote seriously to fiction and poetry. In 1918, his first published short story, "The Brute," appeared in Pagan, a Magazine for Eudaemonists. In the next year, he met Hervey Allen, then teaching at the nearby Porter military academy. They became close friends and formed the Poetry Society of South Carolina, which helped spark a revival of southern literature; Heyward edited the society's yearbooks until 1924 and contributed much of their content. His poetry was well received, earning him a Contemporary Verse award in 1921. In 1922 he and Allen jointly published a collection, Carolina Chansons: Legends of the Low Country and they jointly edited a southern issue of Poetry magazine. During this period Heyward and a friend, Henry T. O'Neill, had operated a successful insurance and real estate company and by 1924 Heyward had achieved a measure of financial independence, allowing him to give up business and devote himself full time to literature. Between stints of writing he supplemented his income by lecturing on southern literature at colleges.[3]
The poet and playwright Langston Hughes said Heyward was one who saw "with his white eyes, wonderful, poetic qualities in the inhabitants of Catfish Row that makes them come alive."[4] Biographer James M. Hutchisson characterizes Porgy as "the first major southern novel to portray blacks without condescension" and states that the libretto to Porgy and Bess was largely Heyward's work.[citation needed] Many critics have believed that Heyward was sympathetic in his portrayal of the Southern black. Others, however, have noted that the characters in Porgy, though viewed sympathetically, are still viewed for the most part as stereotypes.[citation needed]
Heyward and his wife Dorothy, whom he met at the MacDowell Colony in 1922, spent many years in Charleston, where he taught at the Porter Military Academy, while observing and thinking deeply about the lives of blacks of that area. His mother participated in an amateur Southern singing society performing Gullah songs, and he sometimes joined her. It was open to anyone whose family had lived on a plantation, whether as owner or slave.[citation needed] In Charleston, Heyward found inspiration for his book, including what would become the setting (Catfish Row) and the main character (a disabled man named Porgy). Literary critics cast Heyward as an authority on Southern literature, later writing, "Heyward's attention to detail and reality of the Southern black's lifestyle was not only sympathetic but something that no one had ever seen done before."[citation needed]
Opening on Broadway in 1927, the non-musical play "Porgy" was a considerable success, more so than the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess e
This best known work of this white author based the namesake play, which he co-authored with his wife Dorothy Heyward, and in turn this music.
Thomas Heyward, Jr., his ancestor, signed Declaration of Independence of the United States and served as a representative of South Carolina. As a child and young man, frequently ill Heyward also caught polio at eighteen years of age, then contracted typhoid fever at twenty years of age, and fell ill with pleurisy in the following year. He described as "a miserable student," uninterested in learning and dropped high school in his first year at fourteen years of age despite a lifelong and serious interest in literature; writing verses and stories, he passed the time in his sickbed.
In 1913, Heyward wrote a one-act play, An Artistic Triumph , produced in a local theater. This minor success on derivative work reportedly showed little promise but encouraged him to pursue a literary career. In 1917, he, convalescing from his illnesses, began to devote seriously to fiction and poetry. In 1918, his first published short story, "The Brute," appeared in Pagan, a Magazine for Eudaemonists. In the next year, he met Hervey Allen, then teaching at the nearby Porter military academy. They became close friends and formed the Poetry Society of South Carolina, which helped spark a revival of southern literature; Heyward edited the society's yearbooks until 1924 and contributed much of their content. His poetry was well received, earning him a Contemporary Verse award in 1921. In 1922 he and Allen jointly published a collection, Carolina Chansons: Legends of the Low Country and they jointly edited a southern issue of Poetry magazine. During this period Heyward and a friend, Henry T. O'Neill, had operated a successful insurance and real estate company and by 1924 Heyward had achieved a measure of financial independence, allowing him to give up business and devote himself full time to literature. Between stints of writing he supplemented his income by lecturing on southern literature at colleges.[3]
The poet and playwright Langston Hughes said Heyward was one who saw "with his white eyes, wonderful, poetic qualities in the inhabitants of Catfish Row that makes them come alive."[4] Biographer James M. Hutchisson characterizes Porgy as "the first major southern novel to portray blacks without condescension" and states that the libretto to Porgy and Bess was largely Heyward's work.[citation needed] Many critics have believed that Heyward was sympathetic in his portrayal of the Southern black. Others, however, have noted that the characters in Porgy, though viewed sympathetically, are still viewed for the most part as stereotypes.[citation needed]
Heyward and his wife Dorothy, whom he met at the MacDowell Colony in 1922, spent many years in Charleston, where he taught at the Porter Military Academy, while observing and thinking deeply about the lives of blacks of that area. His mother participated in an amateur Southern singing society performing Gullah songs, and he sometimes joined her. It was open to anyone whose family had lived on a plantation, whether as owner or slave.[citation needed] In Charleston, Heyward found inspiration for his book, including what would become the setting (Catfish Row) and the main character (a disabled man named Porgy). Literary critics cast Heyward as an authority on Southern literature, later writing, "Heyward's attention to detail and reality of the Southern black's lifestyle was not only sympathetic but something that no one had ever seen done before."[citation needed]
Opening on Broadway in 1927, the non-musical play "Porgy" was a considerable success, more so than the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess e
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 22, 2020
A surprisingly bold, refreshingly heartfelt indictment of ethnocentricity and colonialism, as well as a rousing appeal for dignity and respect which was light years ahead of its time of original publication.
Deftly relates and explores no shortage of pressing themes and concerns, centered around redressing age-old wrongdoings and their contemporary ramifications - which are no less relevant in our present day.
The plot is pleasantly reminiscent of the best EC horror comics during their heyday. It's a shame Heyward did not dabble more in this genre, he might truly have produced some memorable masterpieces!
Deftly relates and explores no shortage of pressing themes and concerns, centered around redressing age-old wrongdoings and their contemporary ramifications - which are no less relevant in our present day.
The plot is pleasantly reminiscent of the best EC horror comics during their heyday. It's a shame Heyward did not dabble more in this genre, he might truly have produced some memorable masterpieces!
October 18, 2024
1927. In the United States, Jim Crow segregation and the color line, lynch law and the n-word.
"The Half-Pint Flask" takes place on an island turned over to big business (rice) agriculture in South Carolina.
A visitor to the island transgresses, and the cost is exacted.
"The Half-Pint Flask" takes place on an island turned over to big business (rice) agriculture in South Carolina.
A visitor to the island transgresses, and the cost is exacted.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews