*Patsy Moses, 74, was born in Fort Bend Co., Texas, a slave of the
Armstrong family. She tells of charms and "conjure," many learned from
ex-slaves. Patsy lives at Mart, Texas.*
"I was born in Fort Bend County, about de year 1863. My daddy's old
master by name of Armstrong brung my folks from Tennessee. My own daddy
and mammy was named Preston and Lucy Armstrong. Mammy's grand-dad was
Uncle Ned Butler, and he 'longed to Col. Butler, in Knoxville, in
Tennessee. Old master sold he plantation and come to Texas jes' befo'
freedom, 'cause nobody thunk dey'd have to free de slaves in Texas.
"My great grand-dad fit in de Rev'lutionary War and my own daddy fit in
de war for freedom, with he master, for bodyguard. He had some fingers
shot off in de battle and was tooken pris'ner by dem Yankees, but he run
'way and come back to he master and he master was wounded and come home.
Den he moved to Texas befo' I's born.
"My old grand-dad done told me all 'bout conjure and voodoo and luck
charms and signs. To dream of clear water lets you know you is on de
right side of Gawd. De old voodoo doctors was dem what had de most
power, it seem, over de nigger befo' and after de war. Dey has meetin'
places in secret and a voodoo kettle and nobody know what am put in it,
maybe snakes and spiders and human blood, no tellin' what. Folks all
come in de dark of de moon, old doctor wave he arms and de folks crowd
up close. Dem what in de voodoo strips to de waist and commence to dance
while de drums beats. Dey dances faster and faster and chant and pray
till dey falls down in a heap.
"De armour bearers hold de candles high and when dey sways and chants
dey seize with power what sends dem leapin' and whirlin'. Den de time
dat old doctor work he spell on dem he wants to conjure. Many am de
spell he casts dem days. Iffen he couldn't work it one way, he work it
'nother, and when he die, do he stay buried? No, sir! He walks de street
and many seed he ghost wavin' he arms.
"De conjure doctor, old Dr. Jones, walk 'bout in de black coat like a
preacher, and wear sideburns and used roots and sich for he medicine. He
larnt 'bout dem in de piney woods from he old granny. He didn't cast
spells like de voodoo doctor, but uses roots for smallpox, and rind of
bacon for mumps and sheep-wool tea for whoopin' cough and for snake bite
he used alum and saltpeter and bluestone mix with brandy or whiskey.
"He could break conjure spells with broth. He take he kettle and put in
splinters of pine or hickory, jes' so dey has bark on dem, covers dem
with water and puts in de conjure salt.
"A good charm bag am make of red flannel with frog bones and a piece of
snakeskin and some horse hairs and a spoonful of ashes. Dat bag pertect
you from you enemy. Iffen dat bag left by de doorstep it make all kind
misfortune and sicknesses and blindness and fits.
"De big, black nigger in de corn field mos' allus had three charms round
he neck, to make him fort'nate in love, and to keep him well and one for
Lady Luck at dice to be with him. Den if you has indigestion, wear a
penny round de neck.
"De power of de rabbit foot am great. One nigger used it to run away
with. His old granny done told him to try it and he did. He conjures
hisself by takin' a good, soapy bath so de dogs can't smell him and den
say a hoodoo over he rabbit foot, and go to de creek and git a start by
wadin'. Dey didn't miss him till he clear gone and dat show what de
rabbit foot done for him.
"'O, Molly Cottontail,
Be sho' not to fail,
Give me you right hind foot,
My luck won't be for sale.'
"De graveyard rabbit am de best, kilt by a cross-eyed pusson. De niggers
all 'lieved Gen. Lee carried a rabbit foot with him. To keep de rabbit
foot's luck workin', it good to pour some whiskey on it once in a while.
[Illustration: _Patsy Moses_]
"If you has a horseshoe over you door, be sho' it from de left, hind
foot of a white hoss, but a gray hoss am better'n none.
"Conjures am sot with de dark or light of de moon, to make things waste
or grow. Iffen a hen crow, it best to wring her neck and bake her with
cranberry sauce and gravy and forgit 'bout her crowin'. Everybody know
dat.
"I larnt all dem spells from my daddy and mammy and de old folks, and
most of dem things works iffen you tries dem."