The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-10-14
A vOUDOU CASE.
Is a Devil Out of a white Man.

Drix IS Devil Out of White Man.
1t Z curious to listen to the singular
incidfnts related as growing out of vou-
douizW in its various characteristics.
Its sa elhtes claim 10 be able to entail
misfdG)un or avert threatened evil-to
cure tleo diseased or bring upon the
scof8the worst possible miseries. SO
prevalent Is this idea among the color
ed people that they ascribe every good
and evil fortune to this source. II any
one i sick he is hou-doo-ed.r II he
gets Well, the evil influence has been
exOrcBed and the horrible enchautment
removed. Not great while since o
respectable merchant living in the up
per part of the city was afflicted with
a sort of nervous paralysis which az
fected bis brain, and at times OCCASION
ed temporary mental alteration. At
these lines he would grow wild, and
his ff1ntic actions, excited and uncon-
trollahle, might well give rise to the
Impression among the Ignorant negroes
that he was possessed Of devil. While
suffering from one of the severest at
tacks he was seen by an old colored
woman, upon whose mind his condi-
ton made a profound impression.
"Missus, yer husbands hoohooed,"
she said, addressing his wife.
!" How doyo know, aunty ?" inquir-
ed the lady, willing to humor the &c
centric idea of the woman.
"Know it is, missus-been tIar my
self.n
"And how did you get cured:n
My old man cured inches doc
tor.r
The earnest manner of the old wo.
man, and an unreasonable wish to try
anything that would alleviate her hus-
bands malady, induced the lady to ar
range an interview with the voudou
doctor. He ~as confident in the belief
that her husband was voudoued. He
went through some cabalistic signs in
his presence, and then prepared bot
tie Of medicine. 1t was q dark LIQUID,
but apparently free from impurIty.
This vas to be taken i'm prescribed
quantities. until the bottle was empty,
and then to be filled up with water and
taken again. In the meantime O silver
piece was to be worn i'm the mouth be-
tween the teeth and cheek. It would
gradually turn black the doctor said,
and In this way indicate the progress
made In relieving the patient of his
malady.
Now comes the curious part of the
story. Before the bottle OF medicine
was exhausted, there began to appear
init asingular substance. 1t assumed
the appearance Of snake, a spider, q
leaf and a root; each distinct and perfect
in appearance. The attention Of the
old doctor" was called to these things,
and he ut once characterized them as
the cause of the mans disease. He
said he would get well now, but must
take the remainder of the prescription
to relieve him of the effects Of medicine
ne had previously taken. This was
persevered in with the happiest results.
The man got well AMI he has now no
fndication Of physical or mental dis
ease. OF course himself and family as
cribe hb strange recovery to the voudou
doct0rs But the question recurs, how
came the curious objects in the bottle,
vese they put in there by the doctor at
first or afterward2- The lady whose
husband was so miraeulously cured
scouts both ideas as impossible. She
Is firmly IMPRESSED with the belief that
they grew there from the effects of the
old Doctors entertainments. At all
events Il Is singular circumstance and
reveals weird trait i'm the superstition
Of these people, who may truly say
there b more mystery in heaven and
earth than was ever dreamed of by our
philosophy.-M q. Hcayaac.