The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-12
Herbs and Their vlrtues.

The old colored woman was almost
 asleep. But now and then her pipe
 gave signs that she was yet conscious
 and ready to become wakefuI immedi- ately at the approach of a customer
 Her stall, which consisted of plank laid across two boxes on the sunny side
 of the market-house, bore a varied as-
 sortment of vegetable merchandise,
 with dozen or two of eggs in dilapi-
 dated basket. The day was raw, and
 close by her feet small fire was burn
 ing brightly in four-quart tin pail of
 unquestionable antiquity. the fuel con
 sisting of broken bits of barrel hoops and slaves.
 "Yassir," she said, blinking at the Star reporter. Dis am de time ob de var when de cullud folks collect yarhs an plants for medicines. Oar Is mo sale fer 'em in de spring-time dan at any udder season, but we keep em all de var round fer people as wants 'em Dey is just as good dried as dey is fresh
 "Dar's sassafras. It's good fo' de blood. P'raps you git up in de mornin about dis time ob de var an you feel all swolled up. Dat means yo' blood's too thick. Sassafras tea'll fix dat all right, only yo' mustn't take, too much De bark ob de sassafras ain't any good above de ground. To must dig down fer de root.
 "Anudder valuable medicine am de May-apple root. It's equal to anyt'ing ever I knew fer trouble wid de stum- mick. De plant grows In low places in de woods. De leaves am fer all worl just like omberellas, wid stalks like omberella-handles.
 "Here am wild-cherry bark It am de inner bark of de tree; de outer bark am scraped off. Oars muffin like 1t fer colds an to gib a pusson an appetite To just put a few pieces ob 1t into bottle ob good liquor--whiskey ob c'ose I mean-an' take a wine-glassful ebery 
 But dar ain't no medicine dat beats catnip, specially fer an infant baby. Yo' take a little baby dat's just born, an de fust ting yo' wanter gib it, afo' it has a bit O food, am some catnip tea. Some sweetenin' yo' put In, but not too much. It's just-rate fer cramps, too.
 "Sassyparilla am de fav'rite spring tonic, to be sure. Fer coughs yo' had better take some ob dis mullen. De leaves, yo' see, sah, look sumpin' like as if dey was made of flannel. Folks make tea wid 'em. De mullen 1t grows wild, an so does de life everlastin',' which am also fust-rate fer colds. Life averlastin' am a bush, covered Wid whitish flowers.
 ''If dar am anyt'ing as good as May apple root fer de .stummick it am de l root ob de gall-o'-earth. To can tell de by de sort O three-pronged oud it has at dis season ob de var. De oes' plan am to boil de root wid de root lb de May-apple. Dat am combina- ion dat no case ob dyspeps can resis'. I
 Tt am an awful good ting fer de cul- ud folks dat desc plants grows wild, | jo's to save doctorin'. An ole lady ob | ny 'quaintance kin cure anyt'ing from | its to measles wid muffin but few | yarbs It's all in de know-how. It's | lot only de black people dat buys yarbs | In udder medicine plants. Oars lots J white folks dat uses 'em. Oh, dey's | powerful good.
 At dis season ob de var de cullud la lies about de market gadder wild flow ITS fer to sell, an just now de spring am comin' in. Here am dat grows wild in de corn lelds on de lowlands In de summer it las a yaller flower and de seeds wat re scattered fetch up de crap in de ext spring. So it costs muffin but de rouble ob gadderin' it. Oar am a sale ust now fer turnip salad-turnip reens, dat is. Yo' boil dem in meat