Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-12-05
THE BLACK TRICK DOCTOR.
my WALLACE PUTNAM REED.
Copyrighted 1885. |

"
and belonged to the creme de Ia creme Of
colored society in Cottonville. For several
years no had been sort of factotum about
my Office, keeping things in order, running
on errands and doing odd jobs.
It was unnecessary for Jake to inform me
that he was sick. Any one could see at
glance that he Was in bad fix. His ILL
health had lasted for weeks, and be seemed
60 be growing steadily worse. He could
neither eat nor sleep. and it was positively
painful to see the poor fellow drag himself
about as he attended to his light routine
duties.
OF course / had heard of voudooism. /
knew that the negroes of Cottonville were
like the mass of their race all over the South,
but Jake was no common negro. His frank
confession angered as much as it surprised
me-
Now. Jake" / said with an air OF judi
cial severity. ''this sort of thing won't do.
You know that shis voudoo business is all
humbug."
.tYas, Marsea Boss,'' replied Jake, 'I
dessay.''
- " ell, then, what Go you mean?''
'sIell you what, Marse Boss was the
logged answer, Else been tricked, shorely
has. -
-
the whole story"
The victim scratched his head, and rather
shame facedly proceeded to give me q his
tory of his case. The details need not be re-
lated here. 1t is enough to say that Jake
had a rival in the person OF one Black Bob.
The two had come to blows more than once
but the pretty quadroon, who was the cause
of the trouble, showed her good sense by
sticking 20 Jake. Finally there came a
change. When Jake's health failed him his
81 fr,Sff do al
every body in her circle by marrying Black
Bob.
Now, Marse Boss, - said Jake when he
came to this part of his tale, dat makes it
STAN ter reason dat Use been tr!cked. What
fur a spry yaller gal like dat go an take up
wild a regular niggahp'
This was a poser. 1t was us less for me to
discuss the proverbial fckleness Of the sex.
'tAnudder ting" continued Jake, ST
ain'5 got no common misery hold uf me.
Ise tried the doctors. Dey can't tech de
case. keeps agittin' wuss an wuss, an
at night / sees Black Bob in de room ali de
time, but when l strikes match nobody's
dar.n
"Oh, you'n come out all right. You may
go into tine country for month. That will
help you wonderfully
For reply Jake drew from his pocket a
dirty little bag and placed 1t on my desk.
"What do you call thlsf'
AZ gotten hit cutern crack in de wall
back O. my bed"
''It Isl
''De trick bagi" shouted the sufferer.
"Lookl" and he enptied the thing.
just such condensed museum of horrors
/ never saw before, and hope never to see
a similar one. I could not help thinking of
the ingredients Of the witches cauIdron in
Macbeth" Il lizards tail, 'possum's
claws, tuft Of hair from black dog s tail,
a piece of snake-skin, lump of birthstone,
a magnetic rock-these were some of the
r. off, ha hau I tad fo hl0vw Nbor
away, but the dupe of voudooism interposed
and carefully gathered them up again.
Use gwine ter take 'en," he said, ''ter
de trick doctor. -
$40 that old black quack on Yellow
creek?'
''Jesso, Marse Boss. an wants yer ter
go wild me.''
The pl It thickened. began TO be amused.
The black trick doctor was not unknown to
me. He came to town occasionally, aud ehe
mingled fear and Difference with which he
was regarded by the negroes had attracted
my attention. 1t was drive of ten miles TO
Yellow creek, but it was fine morning.
Way not humor Jack and goa
''AIl right, we'll be of in ten minutes
The faithful fellows delight was pleasant
to ses. He hmped out, and In short time
had conveyance at the door.
On grassy hill overlooking Yellow creek
stood double log cabin in the shade OF a
grove of majestic forest oaks. This was the
abode of the black trick doctor.
l went forward confidently, but with
some curiosity; Jake Jagged behind.
Entering the cabin | saw a plainly but
neatly-furnished room, in the center of which
sat the trick doctor. A blaclzer negro I
never saw in my life. His face did not have
that shiny blackness peculiar to many of mis-
race; it resembled charcoal more than eb-
ony.
The doctor rose when we entered, and with
q certain natural dignity said:
lyon are welcome. What can ! do for
you?"
de had the negro twang, but his language
was far better than poor Jake's.
Finding that 1t was out of the question to
get a statement from my follower, who
appeared anxious to get out as he had
once been to get IN, | took the matter in
hand and related ali the circumstances of the
case.
The trick doctor looked gravely at the sick
man. Then he felt his pulse, looked into his
eyes and examined his tongue.
He tells the truth, " ne said, che has besn
tricked.''
''Heah de cunjur' bagP' exclaimed Jake,
producing the cause of all mis- woes.
The doctor examined it seriously. Then
he went to the shelves lining one side of the
room, and after hunting about among the
bottles and bundles of roots and herbs, pro-
duced a small vial of colorless liquid.
''Swallow this. - he commanded.
Jake stepped outside with the vial, saving |
that he wanted,a drink of water after TAX |
ing the medicine. When he returned the |
doctor calmly said:
''Y GU did not take the medicine"
''Fo' de Lawd-" began Jake
''Stop,' said the other, ''don't lie to me- |
You are in my hands now. | am going to |
cure you, but you must obey me-"
Jake's wool displayed Il tendency to stand |
on end.
Another vial was placed in his hand, and |
this time he obediently swallowed the con-
tents without even winking.
''Sit down awhile, - was the next instruc- /
ton.
As the mysterious physician appeared to
have the case off bis mind, for the time
being, l tried to engage him in converse
ton, but without much success. Seeing
table in the room literally covered with
gold and silver coin and bank notes, asked |
the doctor what he would take TO cure
Jake.
Nothing, ~ was the quiet reply.
''Nothingp'
~ mean that I charge nothing. Some
Of my patients MAKE me presents" and
he looked meaningly at the money on the
table.
Are you net afraid of being robbsdf' 1
asked
For the Grst and only time during the visit
this strange being laughed.
"Robbedl" he repeated; mo, there is not
the least danger. / sleep with doors and
windows open, and hundreds of people know
that keep my money on that table. A rob-
Der would IS soon face the devil as enter my
house,
/ tried to lead the conversation to med
zeal subjects, and spoke of the properties
of certain herbs and their effect on ner-
vous diseases The black face showed no
animation no iuterexc bug at last the dontor