The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-06-27
THE wTcHcRAFT INDUSTRY.
People who Prey Upon the Superstition
OF Poor COIored Women.

The old colored woman in the yellow
shawl and bandana turban stopped ut
the third gate on the right of the alley
and gave three knocks. says the Wash
iugton Star. When the portal was
opened a crack by thin and nervous
female of mulatto complexion the yisi-
tor inserted her foot unobtrusively into
the gap, so rs to effectively prevent the
shutting of the door. if il had been at
tempted. and said:
Honey. didn't some myster Gus sign
tell YOU dat a stranger would come
yisitin' YOU to-tiay?
Oar was sumpin' queer-lookin' in de
coffee grounds dis mornin; but | done
thought de long row of backbiIds
meant muffin but de funeral on de mex
square. replied the woman inside the
gate.
mo. honey; dem blaekbirds was mis-
fortunes comm. You se had a deal er
trouble in yo' life; You can't keep it hid
from me. cas- Is witch an knows
ebberyting. A deal er trouble YOU
had
Yes. indeedy dat's a fac" ad-
mitted the other, somewhat awestruck.
What a wise woman you is, to be
sho"
sc dN lttt " aSc iltiitN~ anu AOi- AitO
troubles and misfortunes am comm on.
You'se got an enemy"
'.Me?n
Yes. an awful bad one You nebber
saw her. but she's got a spite against
YOU cause her grandpa was hoodooed
by an aunt oh yourn on time, so dat de
ole mans wool all came out an he swole
up like a balloon. Don'tyon hab misery
in de I'ints off an onP'7
My Lawd, yes!'
II know'd YOU had. Once in while
AK YOU Gueshun. SOS to see if YOU
tell me de trufe. Now Eli tell you de
reason for dem pains. Dis enemy of
yourn is berry wicked; she is berry tall,
an has pop ewes an freckles. Once in
while when she's bakiu', maybe, she
makes leetle image out Ob de dough
an bakes it in de oven, not berry crus-
tv. De image is YOU. An, when she
has time, she takes de image and sticks
pins into it; den, oh course, you feel
pains and aches"
..Sakes alive! What's po' critter
like me to do?'
Oats what / came to tell you,
Didn't say was a witch, honey? III
show you how TO fix yo' enemy. SOS she
can't do you no hurt no mo-, but it'll
cost YOU sumpin."
Use only got so cents"
well dat'H do. Give it to me,
chile. You'se sho' it's a good silver
piecep Now listen: When YOU are
bakin' next take bit OBJ dough an
make an image oh de wicked woman.
just make it long an thin an itll do.
Den set it to raise wild lie udder bread
after twin piece oh thread round its
neck pretty tight. When it's done
raised de thread will hab de neck
mos cut in two; bake it careful dat
way, berry crusty, an put it away on
de pantry shelf in a tin box. De wick
ed woman will be so choked dat she
can't do YOU any hurt for a year; den
you can make anudder image in de
same way"
lis dat alp"
mo; derc's sumpin' else awful SER
ious; but it costs more money to know
it."
"But amt got no MOI
Not two hits? Desc are hard times
in de wi.chery business"
Not a nickel"
"Well, I'll come again. Dere's a
pusson | know of dat's laid sumpin
down 'gainst you, an, if l don't tell
you how to fix it, it'll bring all sorts er
bad luck. Good day. honey and if YOU
kin git any ole clo'es from yo' missus,
dey'll go leng way wild me, stead ey
money"
A person who knows about such
things told a star reporter that there
were good many shrewd negro wo-
men in Washington who made an eX-
cellent living by preying in this way
upon the superstitious fears of the low
Ell class among the colored population.