Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-03-27

Jump. 70 GWad, paw, oats gOO0 leap
fer gahlin' ter make Jes' soon what
he say dat, de two conjerers STAN in de
wahtah fawty mile frum home n de ober-
seer n he son was sleepin' in de house.
Corjerers dassant ter speak der name of
Gawd (God) y'khow. Mex mawnin'
oberseer an boy wake up pow'ful tired,
an imagine dat witches ben ridin' 'em.
Old conjerer an his son kim eneekin' in
bout sun down clean tuckered. 'Dow'd
dey'd cen stoled out de quantalis in de
night. Oberseer had 'spicions bout dat,
go he des string 'em up by de thumbs
an an lay it onter dey backs wild ror-
hide. He lam it onter dem twen dey
'fess ter de wichery, an de mex week he
done sell 'em ter Mai's'ippi cane plan
tah."
While Jim was talking we had reached
the station, and fifteen minutes later were
in Kansas City. In the evening went
over 10 Wyandotte, on the Kansas side OF
the state line, and procuring asaddle horse
took the road for White Church. Two
miles back of Wyandotte, on the edge OF
the prairie, stood an old stone house
erected by John Splitlog, Wyandotte
chief who became civilized. 1t was
averred by the old settlers that the
''spirit" of the departed Splitlog, attired
in the ancestral paint and feathers, wan
pun and government blanket, did re-
turn to his former limestone wigwam to
hold nightly vigil. Be that as it may,
the wrath of the translated John seemed
to trouble very little the eighteen OF
twenty negroes, who. finding the habita-
ton to all physical purposes untenanted,
had upon their arrival from the swamp
lands taken up their residence therein.
AS I approached the house observed
few darkeys outside, peering through
the windows, the openings being occa-
sionally lighted with the Pickering glare
from spasmodic fire inside. Upon q
shake-down in corner of the apartment
lay the old woman said to have been
''witched." An indisposed colored per-
sen is the noisiest creature that ever
raised complaint, and this particular
old lady seemed to be an infrmary fo1
all the ills that flesh is heir to. Her
voice had increased in an inverse proper
ton to the reduction Of her physical
tone. While she moaned the doctor was
preparing his cure A fire occupied the
middle of the room upon the earthern
floor. At either side was crotched post.
the two supporting bar, from which de-
pended an iron pot. In it the swarthy
Esculapius cast from time to time the
various components of the decoction
which was to remove the charm, stirring
the contents the while. It was a modern
incarnation scene with a Louisiana
''coon" in overalls and an army blanket
as Hecate.
It is customary when devil is to be
charmed from patient to bar out all un-
believers, but in this instance the usual
formality was not observed; either be-
cause the numbers of scoffers who had
gathered as spectators was SO great as
to make the attempt to enforce the rule
a proceeding fraught with possibilities
for woe, or because doctor" Curtis, the
chief operator, had so much confidence
in his ability as to be careless of the
presence of outsiders. For full hour
he continued his task, his face often illu-
mined by fash from the fire. He main
tanned a profound Indifference to the
subdued comments of on lockers, and
kept up a monotonous semi-refrain.
There was nothing particularly quaint or
weired about it. AS nearly as I can re-
member it varied but slightly through
the hundred or more stanzas, and was
somewhat as follows:
"a lame ole woman layin' on de bed
Oar she go, dar she go. bilin' in de pot.
Whaffer she lay dar eff she don wanter get dead,
Hits boun' to fetch her, hits suah to fetch her,
A-bilin' in de pot.'
The concluding stir to the pot was given,
the remaining ingredient dropped in, and
the ghostly cadence of Curtis's material
monstrosity was borne upward with the
smoke. More cottonwood was thrown
upon the fire, and as the blaze grew
twelve or fourteen of the dusky believers
in the efficacy of the charm-cure, joined
hands about the fire. Curtis procured
an emaciated grass snake, that gave out
ward evidence of broken spirit, and en-
tering the circle cast the squirming SER
pent into the fire. The conjurer then
joined hands with the rest, and they be-
gan dolorous chant, moving about the
fire to the rhythm of the song. The
dance at first was measured and solemn,
but grew faster and wider. The circle
was broken, but the dance continued.
Their frightful contortions and amazing
leaps would have made Dervish i'll with
envy. The patient, Mrs. Green, who
still lay on the shake-down, became an
interested spectator and forgetting her
miseries, supported herself
upon her elbows to watch the inspired
capers of her friends. With perspiration
from every pore, and eyes
from their heads with the vio-
lence of their exertions, the dancers con-
tinued. The spectacle was neither edifying
nor agreeable, but determination to sit
the entertainment out if it lasted all night,
made me fixture to the window casing,
which I occupied jointly with deeply
Senegambian. There was a
certain distasteful fascination about the
scene. The only light in the apartment
was that which emanated from the cot
tonwood fire, and the grotesque and hor-
rible antics Of the "hoodoos" lent an adj
ditonal fendishness.
Several of the dancers fell exhausted,
and the old woman sank back too weak
to wall forth her woe.
sit am done fer" announced Curtis;
ode witch hab done TUX its hand offum
Chahluft. Bettah take her hum"