The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-09-12
THE V00DO0 WOMAN.
GROOMING, IN HER CABIN, a STRANGE,
UNCANNY TUNE.

The Mere Anatomy of Woman,
Nearly 100 Years oId-A Young Negro
who ImaGincs lie Has Been Con
jured'-Fee and Prescription.
y mile To the left Of the plantation a littlo
stream runs lazily through the woods The
water is black and uninviting, the whole
place noisomc and damp. On the brink of
this branch "A little hut is perched, a dilapi-
dated log structure with mud and stick chin
ney broken of two feet below the level of
the roof. This is the mansion OF Aunt Polly
the Vopiop woman. rs late as II Is, th,r,, Is
smoke coming out of the chimney, and eager
pufTS of air make weird music ai.luus the
rottinG shingles.
Whatever cooking is being done the aroma
is not very savory, hut like the curious com
mingling Of ward caucus and an cmigraut
car.
y light wool fire is smoldcrinG in the open
fireplace. Over it hangs sooty, greasy L,'t
tie. The perfume comes from that. Crouch
ing over it is Aunt Polly, grooming To herself a
strange, uncanny tune. She is nearly or quite
100 years OLD, the mere anatomy of a woman
but her large, deepest eyes glare with the
lurii fires of malcvuicncc. Her skinny hands
arr clutchcd about her knees as she rocks her
self To- ami fro, or peers into the rank dccuc-
ZION she is cooking. She has but one tooth, a
long fang that prOtrudsS over an inch out Of
her mouth, and her Struggling wool l. long
and very white. In pan 10y her side are
herbs and roots part oil a snake and a rabbits
head.
Coming along the path leading IL the cabin
is a Shutting, trembling figure. Awr-struck
AMI yet raulutc it hats about fifty feet away,
strikes a match and looks at its lJrgr brass
watch. II Is "a young negro from TIA" p!lntI-
ton, who imagmos that h" has boon con
jurcd Tho hands on ms watch point to
$50, which assures him that it Is NOW mid
night, tho time appointed Ion Inn II meet the
voodoo
THREE DOLLARS WORTH.
He strides Lravely forward and knocks at
the door
Come in"
As he cntcrsa large gray owl snaps vicious
Il at HIM from a perch above the door
Aunt Polly glanccs at him savaaeiy, then
in IA sinS-s"nE way commences:
Done k,niu'd, Done kuniU'd, pcy all
come To- Aunt Polly, Aunt Polly Em Kill
Aunt Polly Kin sale! Kuniu'd, an la al
piznncd crsin him" and she gives "a Ions,
cacklmg laugh
Has Yer got tree dolla's, honey
Tho young man gives it to her, she clutches
it in her dirty claw-likc hands, and hohhlng
to little cupboard, She takes ont a rabbit
foot and two bottles, one much smaller than
the other, both filed with a black, thicl,ish
liquid Handing them To him, she s'Iys:
Honey, take dc sina' bottle and berry hit
right in tic IliT ob de nils.,cr what kuniah
you. When hc break it, den dc kuniah gone.
You drink half outcn dc big bottle an isib
half to Il" gal unhclnownst to her. Keep lie
rabbit foot in Yer pocket twcll der spell am
often you, den bum hit am fruw de ashes a:sin
de do Oh dc gals bedroom. Dats Swinctcr
make her luh you mo an You gwinc merry
her fu' de year out. Aunt Polly, She kin kill
she kin sslbc, Dcy all come t. Aunt Polly
now 20 long
ding, hut is Off like the wind, happy ami cX-
Naturalization JAY in The Detroit Free
Press