The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-29

u,
by heavy fall of rain, which came up
very suddenly, and which was Immediately
claimed by Pap Kilder to have been the
result OF his magical arts. This restored
the wavering faith of his followers, al
though the old man thought it the wiser
plan to take to the woods for the remainder
Oh the seven days and nights.
CURSED HIS ENEMY WITH vERMIN.
AT the end of that time he returned, an
nouncing that he had laid a curse on Uncle
Ho, whereby his rival was to be plagued
with vermin of every sort for a week
During that period Uncle Bo was visited
by crowds from all over the parish and
adjacent ones, who found the old man seated
before his fire enveloped in mosquito net
ung and surrounded by line of hot ashes,
which he kept constantly replenished,
while his cabin swarmed with snakes, il
sects, bats and lizards. These ran around
and around the boundary of ashes, kissing
AMI buzzing as if in baffled rage.
The snakes would advance with uplifted
heads, essaying repeatedly to cross the
line, and baff1ed would then turn to
menace any person attempting to enter the
cabin. Even Aunt Rosa, Uncle Hos
spouse, had been driven away, but man
aged by an Ingenious contriYance to supply
her prlestly husband with food and what
was even more essential, fuel to feed his
hre that supplied the necessary ashes.
Thus intrenched Uncle Ho defied the
plague Pap Kilder sent upon him, though
ne suffered great inconvenience from fleas
and other insects, the diminutive size of
which permitted of their reaching him
through the intersties of his covering of
netting.
BRIsTLEs GREW ALL OVER HIM,
Learning that his enemy laughed at him,
Pap kilder bestirred himself and swore By
this and that mighty oath to afflict Uncle
no so grleVously as to make him curse the
DAY OF his birth. The snakes and yermin
disappeared as rapidly and suddenly as they
mad come, but during the night Uncle Ho
awoke declaring himself in agony from en-
lGcnlng, burning sensation ali over his body
A light was brought, when it was found
that his skin was of deep brck-dust red.
as II lnf1amed, and literally covered with a
growth of coarse white hair like the bris-
ties OF pig, though not so quill-like.
This singular growth caused him to pre-
sent most horrible unearthly appearance.
and was accompanied by an inexpressbly
annoying sensation, which the afflicted old
man described as that of lying in an ant
bed. His brlstling covering continued to
grow until the hairs were nearly three
inches long, and the old scamp resent Ied a
monstrous porcupine. He was scared out
VI LIS WIS, DuI between MS groanS made
dire threats of vengeance against Pap
kidder, who was gloating in triumph over
the success of his spells. 1t was some DAYS
before Uncle Hos hirsute ornament
disappeared but when 1t iualy commenced
to go it vanished in less than an hour. He is
said to be now occupied in preparing a
plague of unheard of malignity which will
settle Pap kidder's claim to be the greatest
magician of these parts once and for all.
These stories of what the two have
brought about may seem incredible. but
are vouched for by citizens whose integ
rity and claims to be intelligent are not to
be aspersed. The singular part of these
mysterious performances is that all
through the contest Uncle Ho and Pap
h1lder have never laid eyes on each other.
1t is believed by the skeptical that the
two are in collision, and arranged these
marvels for the purpose of impressing
their followers. who have of late shown
signs of throwing off the religion OF WOO
dooism for that of the Christian, through
the efforts of a circuit rider, who has re-
Gently accomplished an evangelistic tour
this section. But the means by
which the witch doctors performed their
remains profound mystery.