FOLKLORE

Interviews obtained from:

MRS. EMMALINE HEARD, 239 Cain St. NE

MRS. ROSA MILLEGAN, 231 Chestnut Ave. NE

MR. JASPER MILLEGAN, 231 Chestnut Ave. NE

Atlanta, Ga.

[Date Stamp: MAY 12 1937]

[MRS. EMMALINE HEARD]

Mrs. Emmaline Heard, who resides at 239 Cain St. NE has proved to be a

regular storehouse for conjure and ghost stories. Not only this but she

is a firm believer in the practice of conjure. To back up her belief in

conjure is her appearance. She is a dark brown-skinned woman of medium

height and always wears a dirty towel on her head. The towel which was

at one time white gives her the weird look of an old-time fortune

teller.

Tuesday, December 8, 1936 a visit was made to her home and the following

information was secured:

"There wuz onct a house in McDonough and it wuz owned by the Smiths that

wuz slave owners way back yonder. Now, this is the trufe cause it wuz

told ter me by old Uncle Joe Turner and he 'spirience it. Nobody could

live in this house I don't care how they tried. Dey say this house wuz

hanted and anybody that tried to stay there wuz pulled out of bed by a

hant. Well, sir, they offered the house and $1,000 to anyone who could

stay there over night. Uncle Joe said he decided to try it so sho nuff

he got ready one night and went ter this house to stay. After while,

says he, something come in the room and started over ter the bed, but

fore it got there, he said, "What in the name of the Lord you want with

me." It said, 'follow me. There is a pot of gold buried near the

chimney; go find it and you won't be worried with me no more.' Der next

morning Uncle Joe went out there and begin ter dig and sho nuff he found

the gold; and sides that he got the house. Dis here is the trufe. Uncle

Joe's house is right there in McDonough now and anybody round there will

tell you the same thing cause he wuz well-known. Uncle Joe is dead now.

"Anudder story that happened during slavery time and wuz told ter me by

father wuz this; The master had a old man on his plantation named

Jimson. Well, Jimson's wife wuz sick and had been fer nearly a year. One

day there she wanted some peas, black eyed peas; but old man Harper

didn't have none on his plantation, so Jimson planned ter steal off that

night and go ter old Marse Daniel's farm, which wuz 4 miles from Marse

Harper's farm, and steal a few peas for his wife. Well, between midnight

and day he got a sack and started off down the road. Long after while a

owl started hootin, sho-o-o are-e-e, who-o-o-o-, and it wounded jest lak

someone saying 'who are you.' Jimson got scared, pulled off his cap and

run all the way to old man Daniel's farm. As he run he wuz saying, "Sir,

dis is me, old Jimson" over and over again. Now, when he got near the

farm Old Daniel heard him and got up in the loft ter watch him. Finally

old Jimson got dar and started creeping up in the loft. When he got up

dar, chile, Marse Daniel grabbed his whip and 'most beat Jimson ter

death.

"This here story happened in Mississippi years ago, but den folks that

tell it ter me said it wuz the trufe. 'There wuz a woman that wuz sick;

her name wuz Mary Jones. Well, she lingered and lingered till she

finally died. In them days folks all around would come ter the settin-up

if somebody wuz dead. They done sent some men after the casket. Since

they had ter go 30 miles they wuz a good while getting back, so the

folkses decided ter sing. After while they heard the men come up on the

porch and somebody got up ter let 'em in. Chile, jest as they opened the

door that 'oman set straight up on that bed; and sech another runnin and

getting out of that house you never heard; but some folks realized she

wuzn't dead so they got the casket out der way so she wouldn't see it,

cause they wuz fraid she would pass out sho nuff; jest the same they wuz

fraid of her, too. The man went off and come back with postols, guns,

sticks, and everything; and when this 'oman saw 'em she said, 'don't

run, I won't bother you.' but, chile, they left there in a big hurry,

too. Well, this here Mary went to her sister's house and knocked on the

door, and said: 'Let me in. This is Mary. I want to talk to you and tell

you where I've been.' The sister's husband opened the door and let her

in. This 'oman told 'em that God had brought her to and that she had

been in a trance with the Lord. After that every one wuz always afraid

of that 'oman and they wouldn't even sit next ter her in the church.

They say she is still living.

"This happened right yonder in McDonough years ago. A gal went to a party

with her sweet'art and her ma told her not ter go. Well, she went on

anyhow in a buggy; when they got ter the railroad crossing a train hit

the buggy and killed the gal, but the boy didn't git hurted at all.

Well, while they wuz sittin up with this dead gal, the boy comes long

there in his buggy with anudder gal, and do you know that horse stopped

right in front uv that house and wouldn't budge one inch. No matter how

hard he whip that horse it wouldn't move; instid he rared and kicked and

jumped about and almost turned the buggy over. The gal in the buggy

fainted. Finally a old slavery time man come along and told him to git a

quart of whiskey and pour it around the buggy and the hant would go

away. So they done that and the sperit let 'em pass. If a hant laked

whisky in they lifetime, and you pour it round where they's at, they

will go away."

The following are true conjure stories supposedly witnessed by Mrs.

Heard: "There wuz a Rev. Dennis that lived below the Federal Prison.

Now, he wuz the preacher of the Hardshell Baptist Church in this

community. This man stayed sick about a year and kept gittin different

doctors and none uv them did him any good. Well, his wife kept on at him

till he decided ter go ter see Dr. Geech. His complaint wuz that he felt

something run up his legs ter his thighs. Old Dr. Geech told him that he

had snakes in his body and they wuz put there by the lady he had been

going wid. Dr. Geech give him some medicine ter take and told him that

on the 7th day from then that 'oman would come and take the medicine off

the shelf and throw it away. Course Rev. Dennis didn't believe a thing

he said, so sho nuff she come jest lak Dr. Geech said and took the

medicine away. Dr. Geech told him that he would die when the snakes got

up in his arm, but if he would do lak he told him he would get all

right. Dis 'oman had put this stuff in some whiskey and he drunk it so

the snakes breed in his body. After he quit taking the medicine he got

bad off and had ter stay in the bed; sho nuff the morning he died you

could see the snake in his arm; the print uv it wuz there when he died.

The snake stretched out in his arm and died, too.

"I got a son named Jack Heard. Well, somebody fixed him. I wuz in

Chicago when that happened and my daughter kept writing ter me ter come

home cause Jack wuz acting funny and she thought maybe he wuz losing his

mind. They wuz living in Thomasville then and every day he would go sit

round the store and laugh and talk, but jest as soon as night would come

and he would eat his supper them fits would come on him. He would squeal

jest lak a pig and he would get down on his knees and bark jest lak a

dog. Well, I come home and went ter see a old conjure doctor. He says

ter me, 'that boy is hurt and when you go home you look in the corner of

the mattress and you will find it. 'Sho nuff I went home and looked in

the corner of the mattress and there the package wuz. It wuz a mixture

of his hair and bluestone wrapped up in red flannel with new needles

running all through it. When I went back he says ter me, 'Emmaline, have

you got 8 dimes?' No, I said, but I got a dollar. 'Well, get that dollar

changed into 10 dimes and take 8 of 'em and give 'em ter me. Then he

took Jack in a room, took off his clothes and started ter rubbin him

down with medicine; all at the same time he wuz saying a ceremony over

him; then he took them 8 dimes, put 'em in a bag and tied them around

Jack's chest somewhere so that they would hang over his heart. 'Now,

wear them always,' says he ter Jack. Jack wore them dimes a long time

but he finally drunk 'em up anyway, that doctor cured him cause he sho

would a died."

The following aroma [HW: is a] few facts as related by Mrs. Heard

concerning an old conjure doctor known as Aunt Barkas [TR: Darkas

throughout rest of story].

"Aunt Darkas lived in McDonough, Ga. until a few years ago. She died

when she wuz 128 years old; but, chile, lemme tell you that 'oman knowed

just what ter do fer you. She wuz blind but she could go ter the woods

and pick out any kind of root or herb she wanted. She always said the

Lord told her what roots to get and always fore sun-up you would see her

in the woods with a short handled pick. She said she had ter pick 'em

for sun-up; I don't know why. If you wuz sick all you had ter do wuz go

ter see Aunt Darkas and tell her. She had a well and after listening to

your complaint she would go out there and draw a bucket of water and set

it on the floor, and then she would wave her hand over it and say

something. She called this healing the water. After this she would give

you a drink of water. As she hand it ter you, she would say, 'now drink,

take this and drink.' Honey, I had some of that water myself and blieve

me it goes all over you and makes you feel so good. Old Aunt Darkas

would give you a supply of water and tell you ter come back fer more

when that wuz gone. Old Aunt Darkas said the Lord gave her power and

vision, and she used to fast for a week at a time. When she died there

wuz a piece in the paper bout her.

"This here is sho the trufe, and if you don't believe it, go out ter

Southview Cemetery and see Sid Heard, my oldest son; he been out there

over 20 years as sexton and bookkeeper. Yessir, he tole it ter me and I

believe it. This happen long ago, 10 or 15 years. There wuz a couple

that lived in Macon, Ga., but their home wuz in Atlanta and they had a

lot out ter Southview. Well, they had a young baby that tuck sick and

died so they had the baby's funeral there in Macon; then they put the

coffin in the box, placed the label on the box, then brought it ter

Atlanta. Folkes are always buried so that they head faces the east. They

say when Judgment Day come and Gabriel blow that trumpet everybody will

rise up facing the east. Well, as I wuz saying, they came here. Sid

Heard met 'em out yonder and instructed his men fer arrangements fer the

grave and everything. A few weeks later the 'oman called Sid Heard up

long distance. She said, 'Mr. Heard.' Yesmam, he said. 'I call you ter

tell you me and my husband can't rest at all.' 'Why?' he asked. 'Because

we can hear our baby crying every night and it is worrying us ter death.

Our neighbors next door say our baby must be buried wrong.' Sid Heard

said, Well, I buried the baby according ter the way you got the box

labeled. 'I am not blaming you, Mr. Heard, but if I pay you will you

take my baby up?' Yesmam, I will if you want me to; jest let me know the

day you will be here and I'll have everything ready. Alright, said she.

'Well,' said Sid Heard, 'the day she wuz ter come she wuz sick and

instead sent a car load of her friends. The men got busy and started

digging till they got ter the box; when they took it up sho nuff after

they opened it, they found the baby had been buried wrong; the head was

facing the west instead of the east. They turned the box around and

covered it up. The folks then went on back to Macon. A week later the

'omen called up again. 'Mr. Heard,' she says. Yesmam, says he. 'Well, I

haven't heard my baby cry at all in the past week. I wuzn't there but I

know the exact date you took my baby up, cause I never heard it cry no

more.'

[MRS. ROSA MILLEGAN AND MR. JASPER MILLEGAN]

On December 10, 1936 Mr. and Mrs. Millegan who reside at 231 Chestnut

Ave. NE. were interviewed on the subject of superstitions, signs,

conjure, etc. Mrs. Rosa Millegan studied awhile after the facts of the

interview were made clear to her. Finally she said; "I kin tell you more

bout conjure; that's all I know bout cause I done been hurted myself and

every word of it is the trufe.

"Well, it happen lak this. I wuz suffering with rheumatism in my arm and

a old man in the neighborhood came ter me and gave me some medicine that

he said would help me. Well, I done suffered so I thought mebbe it might

help me a little. Chile honey, 'after I done tuck some of that stuff I

nearly went crazy. I couldn't talk; couldn't hardly move and my head

look lak it bust open. I didn't know what ter do. I called medical

doctors and they jest didn't do me no good. Let me tell you right here,

when you done been conjured, medical doctors can't do you no good; you

got ter get a nudder conjur doctor ter get it off you. Well, one day I

says to my daughter, "I'm through wid medical doctors. I'm gwine ter Sam

Durham. They say he is good and I go find out. Chile, folks done give me

up ter die. I use ter lay in bed and hear 'em say, she won't never get

up. Well, I went ter Sam Durham and he looked at me and said: 'You is

hurt in the mouth.' He carried me in a small room, put some medicine

around my face, and told me ter sit down a while. After while my mouth

and face begin ter feel lak it wuz paralyzed, and he begin ter talk.

'That man that give you that medicine is mad wid you about his wife and

he fixed you. Now do what I tell you and you will overcome it. He is

coming ter your door and is gwine want ter shake your hand. Don't let

him touch you, but speak ter him in the name of the Lord and throw your

hands over your head; by doing this you will overcome him and the

devil.' Anudder thing he says; 'This man is coming from around the back

of your house.' Then he give me 5 vials of different lengths and a half

cup of pills, and told me ter take all that medicine. He told me too ter

get a rooster and let him stay on my porch all the time and he couldn't

get ter me no more. Sho nuff, that nigger come jest lak he said he wuz

going ter do, but I fixed him. Later on this same man tried ter fix his

wife cause he thought she had anudder man. Do you know that oman

couldn't drink water in her house? and when he died he wuz nearly crazy;

they had ter strap him in the bed; all the while he wuz cussin God and

raving."

The next stories were told to the writer by Mr. Jasper Millegan:

"My uncle wuz poisoned. Yes, sir, somebody fixed him in coffee. He

lingered and lingered and finally got so he wuz confined ter bed fer

good. Somebody put scorpions in him and whenever they would crawl under

his skin he would nearly go crazy, and it looked lak his eyes would jest

pop out. He waited so long ter go ter the conjure doctors they couldn't

do him any good. And the medical doctors ain't no good fer nothing lak

that. Yes, sir, them snakes would start in his feet and run up his leg.

He nebber did get any better and he died.

"A long time ago I saw a lady that wuz conjured in her feet; somebody

put something down fer her ter walk over. Well, anyway she got down with

her feet and couldn't travel from her bed ter a chair. Well, she got a

old conjure doctor ter come treat her and he rubbed her feet with

medicine and after he done that a while he told her that something wuz

coming out of her feet. Sho nuff, I see'd them maggots with my own eyes

when they come out of her feet; but she got well."

The following are preventatives to use against conjure; also a few home

treatments for different sickness.

"Ter keep from being conjured, always use plenty salt and pepper. Always

get up soon in the morning so nobody can see you and sprinkle salt and

pepper around your door and they sho can't git at you.

"If you think you done been poisoned or conjured, take a bitter gourd

and remove the seeds, then beat 'em up and make a tea. You sho will

heave all of it up.

"Ef you think you will have a stroke, go to running water and get four

flint rocks; heat 'em and lay on all of them, and believe me, it will

start your blood circulating and prevent the stroke. Another way to

start your blood circulating; heat a brick and (lay) lie on it.

"To get rid of corns, bathe your feet in salt water and take a little

salt and put it 'tween your toes."

Mrs. Millegan closed her interview by telling the writer that every

morning found her sprinkling her salt and pepper, cause she knows what

it means ter be fixed. As the writer started out the door she noticed a

horse shoe hanging over the door.

FOLKLORE

(Negro)

Minnie B. Ross

[MRS. CAMILLA JACKSON]

On November 24, 1936 Mrs. Camilla Jackson was interviewed concerning

superstitions, signs, etc. Mrs. Jackson, an ex-slave, is about 80 years

of age and although advanced in years she is unusually intelligent in

her speech and thoughts. The writer was well acquainted with her having

previously interviewed her concerning life as a slave.

Mrs. Jackson related to the writer the following signs and incidents:

If a tree is standing in your yard or near your house and an owl lights

in it and begins to hoot, some one in the family will die.

If, during the illness of a person, a cat comes in the room, or the

house, and whines, the person will die.

Another sure sign of death and one that has been experienced by Mrs.

Jackson is as follows: Listen child if a bird flies in your house some

one is going to die. My daughter and I were ironing one day and a bird

flew in the window right over her head. She looked up and said, "mama

that bird came after me or you, but I believe it came for me." One month

later my daughter took sick with pneumonia and died.

My mother said before the Civil War ended her mistress owned an old

slave woman 100 years old. This old woman was very wicked and the old

miss used to visit her cabin and read the Bible to her. Well sir, she

died and do you know the horses balked and would go every way but the

right way to the grave. They rared and kicked and would turn straight

around in the road 'cause the evil spirits were frightening them. It was

a long time before they could get the body to the grave.

Mrs. Jackson before relating the following experiences emphatically

stated her belief in seeing the dead but only believes that you can see

them in a dream.

"Many a night my sister has come to me all dressed in white. I have

heard her call me too; but I have never answered. No longer than one

night last week old Mr. and Mrs. Tanner came to me in a dream. The old

lady came in my room and stood over my bed. Her hair was done up on the

top of her head just like she always wore it. She was distressed and

spoke about some one being after her. Old Mr. Tanner came and led her

away. They really were in my room, you see both of them died in this

house years ago."

Mrs. Jackson could not relate any stories of conjuring; but did mention

the fact that she had often heard of people wearing money around their

legs to keep from being conjured. She also spoke of people keeping a

horseshoe over the door for good luck.

During slavery and since that time, if you should go out doors on a

drizzling night for any thing, before you could get back Jack O'lantern

would grab you and carry you to the swamps. If you hollowed and some one

bring a torch to the door the Jack O'lantern would turn you aloose.

Another way to get rid of them is to turn your pockets wrong side out.

One day a man came here selling roots called "John the Conqueror" and

sister Blakely there, paid him 10¢ for one of the plants, but she never

did plant it. He said the plant would bring good luck.

[MRS. ANNA GRANT]

On the same day Mrs. Jackson was interviewed, Mrs. Anna Grant told the

writer that if she didn't mind she would relate to her a ghost story

that was supposed to be true. In her own words the writer gives the

following story:

Onst a 'oman, her husband and two chillun wuz travelin'. This 'oman wuz

a preacher and only wanted to stop over night. Now this 'oman's husban'

wuz a sinner, but she wuz a christian. Well she saw an old empty house

setting in a field but when she went ter inquire 'bout it she wuz told

that it wuz hanted and no one had ebber been able ter stay there over

night. De lady dat owned de house offered her pillows, bed clothes,

sheets, etc., if she intended to stay, and even told her that she would

give her de house if she could stay there. The woman that owned the

house told her butler to go and make a fire for the family and carry the

pillows, sheets, etc. Well, they all got there the 'oman built a fire,

cooked supper and fed 'em all. Her husband and children went ter bed.

The husband wanted to know why his wife wanted him to go to bed and she

wanted ter stay up. The wife didn't say nothin', just told him ter go to

bed, then she laid the Bible on the table bottom side up and kept

looking behind her. The house wuz two story and after while something

came ter the top steps and said, "Can I throw down," she said "throw

down in the name of the father, son and Holy Ghost." Two thighs and a

foot came down. Later the same voice sed, "Can I throw down," and she

said, "throw down in the name of the father, son and the Holy Ghost,"

and then a whole body came down. The husband woke up when he heard the

noise and ran away from the house. The ghost told the 'oman ter follow

her, and she picked up her Bible and kept on reading and went on behind

the ghost. The ghost showed her where some money was buried near a big

oak tree and then vanished. The next morning the 'oman dug and found der

money, but the 'oman of the house wouldn't take a penny, said she didn't

want it, sides that she gave her the house. They said this wuz a true

story and der reason dat house wus hanted wuz 'cause der family dat used

to live there got killed about money. Mrs. Grant ended by saying "Deres

a horseshoe over my door right now for luck."

[MRS. EMMALINE HEARD]

Mrs. Emmaline Heard lives on Cain St. between Fort and Butler Sts. She

is an ex-slave and on a previous occasion had given the writer an

interesting account of slavery as she knew it. When the writer

approached her concerning superstitious signs, ghost tales, conjure

etc., Mrs. Heard's face became lit with interest and quickly assured the

writer that she believed in conjuring, ghosts, and signs. It was not

long before our interview began. Mrs. Heard, although seventy or

seventy-five years old, is very intelligent in her expression of her

different thoughts. This interview, as nearly as possible, was taken in

the exact words of the person interviewed.

"If you are eating with a mouthful of food and sneeze, that sho is a

true sign of death. I know that 'cause years ago I wuz havin' breakfast

with my son Wylie and one other boy and Wylie sneezed and said "Mama I'm

so sorry I jist coundn't help it the sneeze came on me so quick." I jist

sat there and looked at him and began ter wonder. Two weeks later my

brother rode up and announced my mother's death. That is one sign thats

true, yes sir.

If a picture falls off the wall some one in the family will die.

If you dream about teeth, if one falls out thats another sign of death.

Another sign of death jest as sho as you live is ter dream of a person

naked. I dreamed my son was naked but his body was covered with hair.

Three months later he died. Yes sir, that sho is a true sign.

Jest as sho as your left hand itches you will receive money. If fire

pops on you from the stove, or fire place, you will get a letter.

If the left side of your nose itches a man is coming to the house. If it

itches on the tip, he will come riding.

If the right side of your nose itches a woman is coming to the house.

Following are stories told to Mrs. Heard by her parents, which took

place during the period of slavery. They are supposed to be true as they

were experienced by the persons who told them.

"My mother told me a story that happened when she was a slave. When her

mistress whipped her she would run away ter the woods; but at night she

would sneak back to nurse her babies. The plantation was on old

McDonough road, so ter get ter the plantation she had ter come by a

cemetery and you could see the white stones shining in the moonlight.

This cemetery was near a cut in the road that people said was hanted and

they still say old McDonough road is hanted. One night, mama said she

was on her way to the plantation walking on the middle of the road and

the moon was shining very bright. When she reached this cut she heard a

noise, Clack! Clack! Clack!, and this noise reminded a person of a lot

of machines moving. All at once a big thing as large as a house came

down the side of the road. She said it looked like a lot of chains,

wheels, posts all mangled together, and it seemed that there were more

wheels and chains than anything else. It kept on by making that noise,

clack! clack! clack!. She stood right still till it passed and came on

ter the farm. On her way back she say she didn't see it any more, but

right till ter day that spot is hanted. I have knowed horses to run away

right there with people and hurt them. Then sometimes they have rared

and kicked and turned to go in the other direction. You see, horses can

see hants sometimes when folks can't. Now the reason fer this cut being

hanted was because old Dave Copeland used to whip his slaves to death

and bury them along there."

The next story was told to Mrs. Heard by her father, who experienced it,

as a slave boy.

"My father sed when he wuz a boy him and two more boys run away from the

master 'cause the master whipped 'em. They set out and walked till it

got dark, and they saw a big old empty house settin' back from der road.

Now this house was 3 or 4 miles from any other house. So they went in

and made a fire, and laid down 'cause they wuz tired from running from

the Pader rollers. Soon they heard something say tap! tap! tap!, down

the stairs it came, a loud noise and then "Oh Lordy Master, I aint goin'

do it no more; let me off this time." After a while they heard this same

noise like a house falling in and the same words "Oh Lordy Master, I ant

goin' do it no more. Let me off this time." By this time they had got

good and scared, so my pa sed he and his friends looked at each other

and got up and ran away from that house jest as fast as they could go.

Nobody knowed why this old house wuz hanted; but they believed that some

slaves had been killed in it."

The next is a story of the Jack O'lantern as told by Mrs. Heard.

"Old South River on' the Jonesboro road is jest full of swampy land and

on a rainy drizzly night Jack O'lanterns will lead you. One night my

uncle started out ter see his girl end he had ter go through the woods

and the swamps. When he got in der swamp land he had ter cross a branch

and the night wuz dark and drizzly, so dark you could hardly see your

hand before your face. Way up the creek he saw a little bright light, so

he followed it thinking he wuz on his way. All night long he sed he

followed this light up and down the swamp, but never got near ter it.

When day came he was still in the creek and had not gone any distance at

all. He went home and told the folks and they went back ter the swamps

and saw his tracks up and down in the mud. Later a group of 'em set out

to find the Jack O'lantern and way down the creek they found it on a

bush. It looked like soot hanging down from a bush, burnt out. My uncle

went ter bed 'cause he wuz sleepy and tired down from walking all

night."

The following three stories related by Mrs. Heard deals with practices

of conjure. She definitely states that they are true stories; and backs

up this statement by saying she is a firm believer in conjure.

"As I told you before, my daddy came from Virginia. He wuz bought there

by Old Harper and brought ter McDonough as a slave boy. Well as the

speculator drove along south, he learned who the different slaves were.

When he got here he wuz told by the master to live with old uncle Ned

'cause he wuz the only bachelor on the plantation. The master said ter

old Ned, "Well Ned, I have bought me a fine young plow boy. I want him

ter stay with you and you treat him right." Every night uncle Ned would

make a pallet on the floor for daddy and make him go to bed. When he got

in bed he (uncle Ned) would watch him out of the corner of his eye, but

daddy would pretend he wuz asleep and watch old uncle Ned to see what he

wuz going ter do. After a while uncle Ned would take a broom and sweep

the fireplace clean, then he would get a basket and take out of it a

whole lot of little bundles wrapped in white cloth. As he lay out a

package he would say "grass hoppers," "spiders", "scorpian," "snake

heads", etc., then he, would take the tongs and turn 'em around before

the blaze so that they would parch. Night after night he would do this

same thing until they had parched enough, then he would beat all of it

together and make a powder; then put it up in little bags. My daddy wuz

afraid ter ask old uncle Ned what he did with these bags, but heard he

conjured folks with 'em. In fact he did conjure a gal 'cause she

wouldn't pay him any attention. This gal wuz very young and preferred

talking to the younger men, but uncle Ned always tried ter hang around

her and help hoe, but she would always tell him to go do his own work

'cause she could do hers. One day he said ter her "All right madam, I'll

see you later, you wont notice me now but you'll wish you had. When the

dinner came, and they left the field they left their hoes standing so

they would know jest where ter start when they got back. When that gal

went back ter the field the minute she touched that hoe she fell dead.

Some folks say they saw uncle Ned dressing that hoe with conjure.

"My sister Lizzie sho did get fixed, honey, and it took a old conjurer

ter get the spell off of her. It wuz like this: Sister Lizzie had a

pretty peachtree and one limb spreaded out over the walk and jest as

soon as she would walk under this limb, she would stay sick all the

time. The funny part 'bout it wuz that while she wuz at other folks

house she would feel all right, but the minute she passed under this

limb, she would begin ter feel bad. One day she sent fer a conjurer, and

he looked under the house, and sho nuff, he found it stuck in the sill.

It looked like a bundle of rags, red flannel all stuck up with needles

and every thing else. This old conjurer told her that the tree had been

dressed for her an t'would be best fer her ter cut it down. It wuz a

pretty tree and she sho did hate to cut it down, but she did like he

told her. Yes child, I don't know whither I've ever been conjured or

not, but sometimes my head hurts and I wonder."

Mrs. Heard asked the writer to return at a later date and she would

probably be able to relate more interesting incidents.

FOLKLORE

(Negro)

Edwin Driscoll

[MRS. JULIA RUSH, MR. GEORGE LEONARD, MR. HENRY HOLMES, MR. ELLIS

STRICKLAND, MR. SAM STEVENS, JOE (a boy)]

The Negro folklore as recounted below was secured from the following

persons: Mrs. Julia Rush (an ex-slave) who lives at 878 Coleman Street,

S.W.; Mr. George Leonard (a very intelligent elderly person) whose

address is 148 Chestnut Avenue N.E.; and Mr. Henry Holmes (an ex-slave);

Mr. Ellis Strickland; Mr. Sam Stevens and a young boy known only as Joe.

The latter named people can be found at the address of 257 Old Wheat

Street, N.E. According to these people this lore represents the sort of

thing that their parents and grandparents believed in and at various

times they have been heard to tell about these beliefs.