Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-04-02
HOW HAM WAS CURED.
BY JENNIE woopvILLE.

THIS was in slave times 1t was also
Immediately after dinner, and the gentle
men had gone to the cast piazza Nj
Smith was walking back and forth, talk
ing somewhat excitedly for him, while
DIR. Rutherford sat with his feet on the
railing, thoughtfully executing the senti.
mental performance of cutting his nails.
DR.. Rutherford was an old friend of Mr..
o. Smith who had been studying surgery in
Philadelphia, and now, on his way back
to South Carolina, had tarried to make
us a visit.
You see," Mr.. Smith was saying,
about q week ago one of our old
negroes died under the impression that
he was tricked or bewitched, and the
consequence has been that the entire
plantation is demoralized. You never
saw anything like it,
Many time" said DR.. Rutherford,
and calmly cut his nails.
There Is not a negro on the place."
continued Edward, "who does not lie
down at night in terror of the Evil Eye,
and go to his work in the morning
paralyzed by dread of what the day may
bring. Why, there is perfect panic
among them. They are falling about
like set of tenpins, This morning |
sent for Wash (best hand on the place1 to
Ssee about setting out tobacco-plauts, and
behold Wash curled up under a hay
stack getting ready to die. It's enough
to SO, as soon as you came this
morning, plan entered my head for
putting stop to the thing. 1t will be
necessary to acknowledge that two or
three of them are under the spell, and it
is better to select those who really fancy
themselves so. Rosaliem | appeared at
MI Ata nf tha
servants 'witchedS"
Mercy is, said l, "and presume
Nanny is going to be. saw her make
a curtsy to the black cat this morning"
Well, what is your plan?' inquired
DR.. Rutherford.
MIR. Smith seated himself on the piazza
railing, dangling his feet thereagainst,
rounding his shoulders in the most at
tracttye and engaging manner, as you
see men do, and proceeded to develop
his ideas. / was called off at the mo-
ment and did not return for an hour or
Two. As did so heard Dr. Rutherford
say: "All right Blow the horn" and
the overseer down in the yard
Blew blast as loud and shri
AS the wild-bOar heard on Temple Hill
an event which at this unusual hour of
the day produced perfect CONSERVATION
among the already excited negroes.
They no doubt supposed it the musical
exercise set apart for the performance
sot the angel Gabriel on the day of iudg-
sment, and in less than ten minutes all
without exception had come pell-mell,
shelter-skelLer, running to "the house,
The dairymaid loft her churn and the
housemaid put down her broom; the
plows stood still lyand when the horses
turned their heads to see what was the
matter they found they had no drivers
She also who was cooking for the hands
: fied from the path of duty" (no Casa
blanca nonsense for herd, leaving the
Smiddling" to sputter into blackness
and the corn-pones to share its fate
Mothers had gathered up their children
ofboth sexes and grouped them in little,
terrihed companies about the yard and
about the piazza steps.
Edwa' was now among them, en-
deavoriDg to subdue the excitement
and, having 10 some extent succeeded,
he made signal to Dr. Rutherford, who
came forward to address the negroes.
Throwing his shoulders back and look
ingaround with dignity, he exclaimed:
am the great DIR. Rutherford, the
witch-doctor of Boston, was far away
inthe North, hundreds of miles from here
ana saw spot on the sun, and il looked
like the Evil Eyel And l found it was a
great black smoke. Then knew that
wltchfires were burning in the noun.
talns and witches were dancing in the
valleys; and the light of the Eye was
redl am. the great DIR. Rutherford, the
witch doctor Of Boston! / called nv
black cat up and told her to smell for
blood, and she smelled, and she smelled,
and she smcllcdl She smelled, and she
smelled, and she smelledl And present
lY her hair stood up like bristles, and her
eyes shot out sparks of fire, and her tail
was as still as ironp He threw his
shoulders back, looked imposingly
around, and repeated 81 am the great
DIR. Rutherford, the witch-doctor of Bos-
toni My black cat tells me that the
witch Is here-that she has hung the
deadly nightshade at your eabin.doors.
and your blood is turning to water. You
are beginning to wither away. You
shiYer in the sunshine; you don't want
To cat; your hearts are heavy and YOU
don't feel like work; and when you come
from the field you don't take down the
banjo and pat and shuttle and dance, but
you sit down in the corner with your
heads on your hands, and would 90 10
sleep, but you know that as soon as you
shut your eyes she will cast hers on YOU
through the chinks in the cabin-wall.p
bats mep said Mercy" dat certny
Is meiS ir-ef
"Gret day in de mornin', mas witch
doctori How you know2 Is you been
trickedfV inquired Martha, who, having
been reared on the plantation, was un.
acquainted withethe etiquette observed
at lectures -
Kssh groaned heavily, and shook his
head from side TO side In silent commen-
datiQn of fhe: doctors lore
My black cot tells me that the witch
. is here. allrs she is herep Immense
sensation among the children of Ham !
But ,eontinued he, with a majestic
wave " the arm, 81 she can do you,no
harm, for .akse am here, the great DIR.
Rutherlofd, ,tir vi ch-doctor Of Boston. y
= = .-DOolly, "I84Aired Edward in a loud
voice, seen yastf tell who is conlured and
~. 6annel ten unless robOd in the
biandiahmelts OF plagiarism. and the
satellites Of hygienic art as expunged
by the gyrati0ns of nebular hypothesis.
Await yer He and Mr. Smith went in
10 the house.
The negroes were very much impressed.
They have excessive reverence for grand