The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-13
CORNMEAL CURES BoILs.
Old "rom," Negro Faith Curist, Does
Land ONCE Business

From the New York Journal.
Merry Hill, n. c., Aug. There may be
faith curists and Christian Scientists in
New York, but the cures any of them eff
feet and the number of followers they have
are very small compared with the statistics
that can be put forward by Tom John
son, the champion faith cure doctor of this
state.
lie is perhaps the largest. blacklist, most
robust negro in the community. He has
Keen penetrating eyes, and a very sancu-
monious, pompus appearance
He wears picturesque. long, black fad
ed coat and a silk nat that must have serv-
ed through the war of 1872.
Old Doc johnson, provided with
large valise fun of bottled mysteries and
an old green umbrella, trudges through the
country on foot, looking very much like
something that has escaped from the pages
Of comic paper.
The negroes flock around him and buy
his advice and his drugs, confident that he
can cure any disease of which they may be
afflicted
Not long ago tom" visited the home of
planter named Rose in this town. The
colored help had gathered around him and
were spending their savings on his rene
charging the doctor with wasting their
time, kicked him off his farm.
~ on are a fraud and a humbug," said
Rose, and he used other language not half
so polite.
Tom bundled his bottles and his
charms into his valise and hurried off in
dignantly. Before leaving he made some
! mysterious motion, and pointing his long
black fingers at the planter, exclaimed;
Before long you will be SO that you
/ can't walk and you can't sit down. Then
you will be glad enough to send for Old
Tom, for he is the only one who can
cure YOU"
Mr. Rose laughed at the threat. but his
! cofored work people were impressed by
| it. They looked anxiously at their en-
ployer, expecting every moment to see him
Overtaken by the curse.
A few weeks after this scene Mr. Rose
/ became covered with boils, and the proph-
ecy Of the hoodoo doctor about his not be-
/ ing able to sit down or walk was almost
/ literally fulfilled. His regular physician
could do nothing for him, saying that the
case resisted all treatment anu seemed 10
| be lncurabe
As a last resort Mr.. Rose sent for DR..
Tom who, the negroes told him, was
| practising his profession on a neighborng
| farm. Tom" came in triumph.
His arrival made q great impression
upon the farm hands, who saw with de-
| light a white man bow to a black man 5
power.
Yes, sir" said 'Tom," "I can relieve
you. 1 have cured many afflicted in the
| same way. All 1 ask is that you do as 1
| tell you, and you Will soon be a we'll man."
| Mr. Rose told ''9om" that if he were
restored to health ne would pay him lib
! orally, but Tom said, Il don't charge
| you anything, as you have suffered
enough already through the way you
treated me- When 1 have cured you I
| will Increase my business so much that
shan't lose any money by the transac-
| ton"
Then he told Mr.. Rose to place saucers
| of cornmeal at. various points about the
| house, and, wien he passed Them 10 take
| a pinch of tAe meal and eat it. He was
| also to go to a running stream and place
| his bare feet in the water.
That's rny remedy, sir said TON,
land if yoid follow il those boils will soon
| be gone as sure as L m living"
| The planter thought the treatment would
not do him any harm and he adopted It,
| He had some trouble in getting 10 the
| running stream, as he had to ride his
| horse standing in the stirrups but he
! managed 10 reach it after while and
| place his swollen feet therein.
| Then he went over the house nlbbling
cornme al. In the course Of a week he
was very much better and in a month he
| was atirely well.
The cure startled the community and
| old Tom" Is doing land office business.
| The regular physicians are in despair and
| som e of them are in the bankruptcy court.
| Whenever anyone in the vicinity is sick
| now he places saucers full of cornmeal
about the house and travels from saucer
20 saucer most of the time taking a pinch
| of it.
Old TON threatens to get a circus tent
and a band and extend his sphere of in
( fluence.