The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-04-13
DOCTOR BOB.
How He Freed Aunt Tempe from
the "Kunjer."

about midsummer, in the twelfth year after
Mawse Tom and Mis- Mamie were married,
and settled on place of their own. She
left, among other valuables, Powered
pitcher that was the cause Of quarrel be-
tween Unc' Primus and his sster-in.law,
Aunt Tempe.
Aunt Priscy had left no children but
Unc' Primus had niece to whom he wished
to present the f1owered pitcher, while Nom
Rhody declared that Aunt Priscy had ,oitled
that particular pitcher to her nearest Of kin,
Aunt Tempe.
Backed by Nom Rhody, Aunt Tempe got
possession of the pitcher, but in the strug
gle the spout was broken off, and this small
fragment Unc Primus pocketed vowing
vengeance.
Hits gret pity" said Nom Rhody, un-
easily, "det Primus is sisters sons wife's
nephew ter ole Unc' December over ter
Mawse Goes" and she speedily procured
rabbits left hind-foot for Aunt Tempe to
wear in her BOSOM
Thus panoplied, Aunt Tempe defed Unc'
Primus, who, in less than three months.
took second wife, professed himself at
peace with all the world. and made over to
Aunt Tempe whatever possessions of her
deceased sister he had not already bestowed
upon his niece.
''Dat 'ceitful Primus!" said Nom Rhody
and when, on a day in September, Aunt
Tempe was taken i'll, Nom Rhody declared,
mysteriously, that it was just what she had
expected.
But it was not what any one else would
have expected, for Aunt Tempe was a
robust cheerful woman, brisk and tidy and
frolicsome as a kitten with Mis- Nannie's
children. That Aunt Tempe should be i'll
was incomprehensible, and so strangely i'll
She had no fever, she complained of no
''misery'' anywhere; she simply stopped In
the midst of cutting out the plantation
clothing and announced with solemnity
that 'somethin' ur mother wuz wrong"
AS Nom Rhody stated it:
"Of Friday by noon,
'Cordin' ter change OBJ de moon
Sis Tempe her wuk wuz DONE"
Nom Rhody had gift at oracular jingles
that procured her great esteem on the plan
tation. 1t was not hidden from the negroes
that this old nurse, who had "raised" Mawse
Tom was deep in the lore of the evil one and
oil his works--uot 10 do them, but TO give
warning thereof; for Nom Rhody was II sis
ter in the church that stood in the sandy
bottom beside the creek, u shouting and
fasting member, a leader in 'prah-
as one called to wage perpetual warfare
so she said, against Satan and his imps, and
own day.
"Hukkom know datl' said she. ''De is
signs a-plenty. Doan' ev'ybody see jay-buds
is skaase o. Fridays, long o. totin' sticks
tor mem de fiahs below, When you see mis-
chance happen o. dat day, debbil got han
in dat job by means o. his ministers, sho'ly
mon perticklar effen moon changes"
When it was suggested that the doctor
should be sent for, Nom Rhody shook her
head and said No white mans doctor top
side o. de yeth cou.dn' do Sis Tempe no
good"
MON Rhody did not hesitate to express
this opinion to Mawse Tom himself, seeing
that she had 'raised' him. But Mawse Tom
would not listen to such nonsense, he said,
and as Aunt Tempe had now been lying i'll
some days without improvement, Christie
pher Columbus was dispatched for the fam
lily physician, who felt Aunt Tempes pulse
and looked at her tongue, and asked if she
had any pain.
Aunt Tempe said: "No; only general
gin-out." The doctor thought ut first that
she was "playing 'possum. but day by day
she grew worse, until at last it was indispu-
table that she was very i'll She could not
move, except to turn her poor head upon her
pillow, and roll her eyes bescechingly. The
power OF speech was gone.
81 done told Mawse Tom he gwan fling
away his money on white mans doctorW
grumbled Nom Rhody. "En now tell you,
Mis- Mamie, honey, Sis Tempe is done gin
up ter die, douten Doctor Bob is sent fur"
Doctor Bob should have borne some out
landish, tongue twisting name, for he was
native African, but time out of mind he
had been known as Doctor Bob, healer of
the ''kunjered," and the negroes far and
near regarded him with asentiment border
ing on veneration. He was a slave on old
Major Wheaten's place over in the next
county, but his master never hesitated TO
allow him to lay down the hoe whenever
there came a summons from victim of the
"kunjern
Indeed DR.. Bob's fees were a liberal Off
set to the loss of his labor in the cotton
row, for, between the major and doctor, the
charges amounted TO fifty dollars. more or
less, aud whoever employed Doctor Bob
had the trouble of hauling him and his
paraphernalia back and forth. There was
not very much of Doctor Bob, is is true, but
there was great deal Of the paraplernalia.
Mawse Tom grumbled much ut paying such
price for humbuggery and superstition,
especially as both he and Doctor Henly had
decided that Aunt Tempe's case was hope
less but old Mis- and Mis- Mamie said that
they could not see Aunt Tempe die with
any wish ungratifed. and little Nan, and
Roy and Susy, and even baby Tom, began
now TO clamor for Doctor Bob; therefore,
though Mawse Tom had often declared that
Doctor Bob should never set foot on his
plantation. he was sent for.
Had Doctor Bob refused TO come. the me-
groes OF Tom-in-Luck would have felt them