Browse:BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS (Volume 1, entries 2398–2735)/Part 4
BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS
Volume 1, entries 2398–2735. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2638
If you was bootleggin' - you'd sit around, look like nobody much didn't come dere. So you kin take your old shoe, take you some onions and peel 'em and take de peelin' - dese dry hulls off de onions and put 'em in dat shoe. Take you a little sugar and put it in dat shoe, and a little salt and put in dere, and walk to de stove and take de heel part and turn it right up over de toe like dat, and put it bottomside upwards into de stove [upside down rite] and let it burn dere. In ten or fifteen minutes you have more people in your house den you kin wait on.
Entry 2639
Dat's fo' luck. Well, on Mondays an' Fridays yo' supposed tuh burn red onions. Yo' git a man's left shoe an' yo' put a piece of garlic an' yo' put some of de hull of a red onion an' yo' put some sulphur an' yo' put some sugah an' yo' put some Hearts Cologne in de heel of that man's shoe. Well, yo' put all de rest of that - some of everything yo' put in de heel - on top of de stove at twelve a'clock an' yo' burn it.
(What will that do?)
Dat's supposed tuh be lucky - jes' whatevah yo' want, jes' lak if yo' want luck in de home, or yo' tryin' tuh ketch de policy, or yo' tryin' tuh git some money or somepin lak dat. Yo'll burn dat Fridays an' Mondays.
(You burn that shoe on top of the stove, too?)
Yo' burn de shoe in de stove, an' den put de rest of de stuff on top of de stove an' let dat go through de house, an' let de othah whut's in de heel go out in de ash.
Entry 2640
Well, dat supposed to bring luck in business - to bring luck in busi- ness an' yo' know tuh drive any evil spirit away, de cops. Well, now, yo' do this on a Friday at twelve a'clock. Yo' take sugah an' sulphur an' salt an' yo' sprinkle it on some ole shoes, an' den when de whistle is blowin' fo' twelve, why yo' have a good while to lay it on, put it in there an' yo' burn it an' let de smoke go out. See, de smoke, well it will go out de chimley an' it will light up good. Why den yo' lift it out in a shovel or somethin' an' yo' carry it roun' in yore place of business an' let dat smoke circulate aroun'. An' den yo' take an' put it back in de stove an' let it finish burnin' up. Do dat each Friday. Well, dat's all to dat fo' good luck. (That is for luck in business - to bring in customers and also keep the police away?) Bring customer an' keep policemen 'way.
Entry 2641
Take a man's left-foot shoe - dat's luck, see, in de gamblin'. Yo' take a man's left-foot shoe an' yo' go tuh town an' yo' buy yo' five cents worth of brown sugah an' yo' buy yo' five cents worth of white sugah, an' yo' take that sugah an' yo' put a tablespoon of sugah in yore left shoe - of de brown sugah, an' yo' put a tablespoon of the white sugah in de othah shoe. Then yo put em in de heater. See, that's why yo' gamblin'. Yo' turn one this way an' yo' turn de othah one this way.
(Here are the two shoes. Now, how do you turn them?)
All right [demonstrates], yo' put a tablespoon of brown sugah in this left- foot shoe. Yo' turn this one this way, see; an' yo' take the othah one an' turn it ovah [not upside down] that way. (Make a cross with the two shoes. They are standing up though.) [I comment on demonstration. Remember, these are old battered shoes being crossed.] Yessuh, make a cross. An' yo' burn that. Let that burn grad'lly in de house. Dat's fo' gamblin'. Dat jes' brings people - dat's luck.
(But the sugar must be in the heels of the shoes?)
Yassiree, must be in de heels of 'em, a tablespoon of sugah in each one.
Entry 2642
I've been in that condition myself. A ole man charged me five dollahs one time. He tole me - I gave the five dollahs [first] - he says, "Want choo git twenty-one ole shoes, I want ever' one to be a lef' shoe, an' seven [rubber] boots." He said, "I don't care whurther yore boots are lef' or right or not. Put 'em into a can, a lard can, close the top up. [Years ago meat packers packed hog lard in very large cans for butcher shops.] Go into yore back yard an' burn that can an' everything in there concern. Take that dust an' scatter it all over yore house an' sweep it north an' south, east an' west, four diff'rent way, an' go ahead an' sell yore whiskey." I did it an' I declare the law didn't never run down on me.
Entry 2643
If yo' is sellin' whiskey an' wanta keep de law away, heah whut ah always do. Keep one yore ole shoes, yo' burn it, burn yore shoe up an' git de ashes. An' de police come to yore house, when he go out yo' jes' sprinkle dat ashes behin' where he go out an' sweep it. An' every mawnin' yo' jes' sprinkle a little sulphur around in de corner of yore house an' yo' won't have no trouble atall.
Entry 2644
Then yo' kin take shoes an' scrape 'em off at de bottom. Take that an' put it in a papah an' git some lodestone an' mix wit it, mash it up wit it, an' yo' read a verse in Psalms - yo' read de 27th verse of Psalms. An' yo' put that togethah an' yo' take dat an' put it down at chure do' or up ovah yore do' where dey has tuh pass in an' out. That's fo' gainin' fren's.
(Bringing in trade.)
Yes, an' fo' lawful business an' all lak dat. An' yo' kin burn incense 'bout three time a week. That's when yo' in busi- ness - lak a sto' or any kind of shop or anything. Yo' burn de incense three time a week. Yo' burn it Monday, Wednesday an' Friday. Dat's in yore business - dat's drawin' mo' customers.
Entry 2645
Tuh keep de police away yo' git de salt, keep de salt - git dis heah Bluebird Salt an' jes' sprinkle it good roun' yore do', an' keep yore flo's scrubbed wit lye. Scrub every Friday mawnin' wit concentrated lye. An' it's a silver sand dat chew use - yo' know, silver sand. Well, yo' git dat sand an' yo' sprinkle dat roun' yore do'steps. If yo' wants tuh make a place be bad or if a man is got a place tuh rent an' if yo'wanta keep him from havin' much success, yo' gits some parsley seed an' throw em out roun' de do'. Dere won't nobody hardly go dere tuh stay.
Entry 2646
Yo' kin take Sloan's linament an' turpentine an' mix a proportion of it together an' bury it down up undah de house where de bootleggah is an' dat will - dat supposed tuh keep de law away. It will fo' a while. There ain't nuthin dat's goin' keep dem police 'way all de time, but dey'll visit yo lesser den dey would without any help at all.
Entry 2647
Well, I couldn't tell you but I know I worked in the [red- light] district thirteen years and around sporting women, you know I know plenty. (Well, suppose you tell us about that. What do they do for good luck or bad luck around those houses? Those sporting houses?) Good luck? Oh, there's plenty of things. There's essence of geranium.
(How would they use that?)
They would scrub in it. Banquette [scrubbed with it].
(What was it supposed to do?)
Well, it draw plenty of men so they can turn tricks - turn the trick.
(That is all they would use?)
Sell plenty of beer.
(Well, what else would they do around those sporting houses?)
They smoke 'em. They get incense and brown sugar and they put it on a shovel and they light it, and you let 'em take and step over it.
(Keep stepping back and forth across it?)
Step over it nine times - each one, each woman.
(Without any clothes on or does she?)
She don't fust let it touch her clothes, she just pull her dress up when she step over it. But now they wear the dresses so short they don't need to hold 'em up.
(Who did that? These white women did that?)
White women Colored women burns it 'cause I used to burn it for them. They paid me for it.
(What was the sign for bad luck? What wouldn't they let you do around there?)
If you eat peanuts, the hulls is bad luck [see p.710]. Pecan hulls is bad luck - crossed to the house, crossed to the house, and the landlady put you out when she find out that you eat plenty of that, 'cause she. ain't going to have you there 'cause you are bad luck to yourself and everybody else around there. Scrub the banquettes - wash theirself - bathe theirself round a little - take a little Japanese Honeysuckle Cologne and put it in the water and bathe theirself off with it.
(What is that supposed to do?)
That will make 'em be lucky, make 'em catch tricks. They always have one they love - they give him money.
(What do they call him? What is he called?)
Called "Daddy," "Honey," and all kind of pet names.
(What would they do to hold him?)
Oh he's - he going to stay there because they giving him money.
(I see. White men?)
White men. He going to stay 'cause he getting by. He ain't working, he ain't doing nothing for a living and they taking care of him - getting his eat- ing and getting his sleeping price. (The same things where they have colored women? Do they do these same sorts of things?) Say where they have colored women?
(Colored sporting houses.)
Oh, yeah - all of 'em does. Oh, yes.
Entry 2648
I had a saloon and there is another fellow had a saloon, and he was doing more business than I was and I want the business to come to my place. All right. I go get me some water, some perfume called lucky, lucky perfume you know, and I take some clear water and I put it in a bottle and I shake it up. [Water will make the perfume spread farther.] I do this 'fore day in the morning 'fore anybody sees me doing what I got to do. I go to this place that is in the same block my place is. I go to the corner, see, and I come back and when I get before his door I sprinkle. I go to my place of business and go inside and sprinkle. And I take and go to the next corner, not the same corner, and I sprinkle - behind my back, never look behind, and I sprinkle all along that street. And I go to my place and I go in again. And I go back to that [first] corner, the same corner that is left [left from my door], understand, and sprinkle the same way. Sprinkle before his door and go in my place and come out, see. Then I go to the next [second or right] corner. Do that three times you see, each way. [Informant on coming out his front door turns left and walks past competitor's house to first or left corner (= crossroad of city streets). Here he starts to sprinkle his watered down lucky perfume, turns back home, sprinkling past compet- itor's house and into his own home. Immediately leaving home again, he turns and walks right to the second or right corner (= crossroad of city streets). Here he starts to sprinkle his lucky perfume, turns back, again sprinkling into his own home. This sprinkling from the two corners into his own home is repeated three times. We must assume the cork in the bottle has a small hole through which the liquid slowly drips; the word sprinkle being somewhat generous.] After that, I go in my place and I take some sugar and I sprinkle it on my floor, some plain white granulated sugar. I take some sawdust and I put it over that stuff and I go and I get me this lump incense, see. Can I stand up and show you how I come? [I must have nodded yes.] See, I get some lump incense and I burn it. I burn it, take a lamp, light it and burn, put it in a saucer, this lump incense. Then I take my clothes and smoke my clothes, understand. And after I smoke my clothes, I make my wish [demonstrates].
(You fold your hands across your breast.)
Yes sir, and make my wishes. I make my wish and I be saying, "Lord, I hope I be lucky enough to be successful in all my enemies and all my income." I say that three times. And after that I take my pants this Way and I get my pants smoked good with that incense, open it up this way and let the smoke go up - smoke up my pants leg. Then I turn round and I open my door, after that smoke is got settled in my house. While it is burning in my house, there is nobody in the house but myself. While the incense is burning, if it sparks like a match throw sparks, you know what I mean, well, that will tell that's luck. And if the smoke spreads, that's luck; if the smoke goes straight up, the incense ain't much good to you. After you do that, you put that behind your counter - put that in- cense behind the counter. And you have sprinkled the sugar already. Then you open the door. Then you can talk. You cannot talk while you are doing your business, no sir. (Now when you first make the smoke, you have to take off your pants, then you put them back on - the first time?) Yes sir. [Perhaps I should say, informant did not take off pants during demonstration.]
Entry 2649
Git chew some dragon's blood, frankincense, violet incense [three ingredients] an' beat all of that up together an' git chew - put it in a pan an' set it afiah. Take this much - a good bunch, an' light it an' set there. Set down an' smoke yo'self good [demonstrates].
(All over your hands and your face.)
Sho'[sure], yo'self.
(Rub your arms.)
Jis' let it smoke yo' good. An' while it burnin' yo' know, make yore wish - when yo' goin' tuh dis place - whatevah yo' goin' tuh do. Not only tuh git a job or anything, but yo' Jis' wanta change dere mind, yo' burn dat an' make yore wish, an' don't stop until yo' git where yore goin' an' ask fo' whut chew want. Dat'll change dere mind an' yo'll git it.
Entry 2650
There's a root they call High John de Conker root. You take this and you puts it in your mouth. And they got what you call flaxseeds. You put nine of them in your mouth before you walks up to him, and you spit nine times, and you have this root in your lips - this way - just talking to him. Then, before leaving your home you get up before sunrise. Get frankincense, morris [myrrh] and flaxseed [three ingredients], and you makes a smoke with that and you stand over that, and you smoke yourself over good before the sun rise. And then you go over and out on the job there, and you have this root in your mouth and you going to talk to this foreman.
Entry 2651
They can take a little Van-van or sugar and put it in the four corners of your house and give your house a good scrubbing out with lye. Set a lump up on that side and set a lump on that side and a lump on each corner. And quite natural be the ants'll get to it. (Lump of what?) Sugar. And the sugar will make for drawing - make for them ants going and com- ing, that just ehe same way as a person. You see, them ants could go all day and they wouldn't bother the people. And that - by the end of that, you sweep that out. And just like that sugar in that house will draw that whole crowd, that crowd will come just like them ants do. As you put sugar in there, the ants going to find it and you'll find a crowd in there unknownst to you - they'll just have a crowd with them.
Entry 2652
Take de cow manure an' yo' boil it. Yo' boil dat cow manure an' yo' put chew some Jockey Club Perfume in it, Hearts Cologne [three ingredients] an' yo' start tuh scrubbin' at chure front. Start tuh scrubbing at chure front - from yore front to yore back, all in yore house. An' when yo' git through scrub- bin', yo' git chew some sugah an' yo' start back in dis corner [demonstrates].
(The right-hand back corner as you come into the house.)
Yo' sprinkle yore sugah in that corner, then yo' sprinkle it in that, an' yo' sprinkle it in this one, then yo' go an' sprinkle it ovah in that corner. (As you are going into the house, you sprinkle first at the back right-hand corner, then you sprinkle it at the left-hand back corner. Then you come in and sprinkle it at the right-hand front corner as you are coming into the house.) Yessuh, then yo' sprinkle this corner.
(Then you sprinkle the last corner.)
De last corner right to de do', see. Then yo' take yo' some sugah an' yo' jes' drop a few grains, yo' see, all aroun' ovah de flo'. Dat's tuh make 'em cam [calm] an' easy, an' dat fo' luck yo' see in gamblin'.
(That is, if you are running a house, that keeps down all disturbance.)
That keeps eve'ything cam an' easy when dey come in. Yo' see, dey gotta be, yo' know. No suh, dey won't quarrel at all.
Entry 2653
When you sweep, sweep your trash to your business and burn the sulphur with it. Don't never sweep it away from your door; sweep it to your door every morning and burns the sulphur in it. That just draws them to you - that will cause the luck to come to you. (I see. That's to bring in business.) Yes.
Entry 2654
Take de same thing whut ah was tellin' yo' 'bout - dis Hawthorm Cologne [= Hearts Cologne]. An' yo' put dat Hawthorn Cologne, sprinkle it on de floor - puts wit sulphur yo' know where it kill dat odor of sulphur. An' all yo' do, prob'bly befo' de night when yo' clean up, yo' sweeps - start at de front do' like dis. Heah's de front do' where de entrance is. Come in. Yo' sweep all to de back an' don't sweep dis way, yo' see. Den yo' take dis Hawthorn Cologne an put it in a can or somethin', any kind of little container or somethin', an'po' de cologne on dat. Jest a little bit - not to wet it. Den stick a match to it an' burn dat. Ah'll guarantee dey will come in dere after dat. Den close up fo dat night - see, jes' close up. (That is to bring in trade. What do you put in that can to burn?) [I wanted the word sounding like hawthorne repronounced.] A little bit of pure medical sulphur an' Hawthorn Cologne.
(I see, you put this cologne on it.)
Jest a drop or two. Yo' don't need not enough to wet it - jest a drop or two.
Entry 2655
Well, de way dat would be done, de first thing you should do tuh bring in trade - yo' kin use whut we call a sprinkle. An' yo' could take yo' a little sulphur an' a little salt an' a little peppah an' sprinkle dat round. Den yo kin burn a little sulphur. Yo' burn sulphur on Fridays an' sprinkle a little, then sweep a little round on de flo'. That's very prosperous to bring trade.
Entry 2656
Sulphur and sugar draws trade if you are bootleggin'.
(I see. Well, how do they use that?)
Oh, you burns it on de stove.
Entry 2657
Well, yo' kin git chew some garlic an' git chew some sulphur an' git chew some sugar. An' turn yore pan jis' befo' de sun rise - set it in yore do', set it afiah. Close all yore do's while it's burnin'. Yo' go out. Den when yo' git it blue wit smoke, open all yore do's an' de people will run ovah heah. Ah don't ca' whut chure doin', dey'll run ovah heah, comin' tuh see whut yo' got tuh drink. It'll draw 'em.
Entry 2658
Yo' git chew some sulphur an' sugah, because sugah sweetens every- thing - sugah or either honey an' sulphur. Yo' git that an' yo' mix it together an' yo' git chew some Frank's incense [frankincense] an' yo' burn it fo' de fo'th mawnin', representin' de fo'th trial - representin' de fo' gospels. Ah knew ah'd git it right. Dere so many things on mah mind. An' yo' burn it fo' de fo'th mawnin' an' yore business place will be jes' lak that.
Entry 2659
Yo' burn de sulphur one time in de mawnin' an' burn it twelve a'clock in de day an' six a'clock in de night.
(What time do you burn that sulphur in the morning?)
Six a'clock, twelve a'clock in de day an' six a'clock in de night for luck, yo' know, on yore business, money - rooms lak. Ah had roomers.[ Waycross, Ga.,
(1103), 1777:9.]
Entry 2660
Yo' kin burn sulphur an' Hearts Cologne, put a little sugah in it. Burn them an' have a wish. Ah've tried these things mahself, dat's de reason why ah kin say dat. An' have'a wish that - make yore wish like on Friday. Yo' start to burn 'em though like a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday night. So Friday yo' make yore wish.
(What time on Friday?)
Well, any time dat day is all right - after midnight Thursday night make yore last burnin'.
(What would you wish?)
Yo' make wish to make $40 or $50 or a $100, or yo' know.
(Any kind of wish in gambling.)
Any kind of wish in gamblin'.
(Well, don't you do anything with this stuff that you burn?)
No sir, jes' burn it in yore room.
Entry 2661
Well, yo' kin keep de law away from yore house wit sulphur, an' yo' kin have de luck to sell. Everybody come in yore house if yo's a whiskey seller, anything. Yo' git up ever' Sati'day mawnin' soon an' git chew a tray an' use some sulphur. Clean yore house out an' burn yo' some sulphur. Den everybody comin' in dere goin' spend somepin if dey got anything. Jes' burn dat sulphur an' let it perfume de house all ovah, everybody come in goin' spend something.
Entry 2662
If you think anyone wanta get cha now, dat dis party come to you and give you any money, a dime or anything like that, fer you jis' rub some sulphur on your hand before you takes the money, and they say if there anything on de money, it can't hurt cha. Yes, sir. Well, you see I was so scary I was like that.
Entry 2663
For luck I burn sulphah ev'ry mornin' for luck - sulphah, cinnamon. I burn cinnamon an' sulphah. (You burn the cinnamon by itself or with the sulphur?) With sulphur an' sugar in it. Three ingredients togethah. When I want trade [informant a woman bootlegger] I wash up mah house with urine - when I want trade, wash it to me. Now, in New York [lived in New York City eight years] I could have trade. I had a plenty trade. I could draw my own trade, but here in Richmond I can't do it 'cus the people notice you too much. I had too much trade a few days ago, then I took mah sign down 'cus too many people was comin' in the house. [I can appreciate this woman's trouble. I, too, had too many people coming into the house or hotel where I worked.]
(Do you burn it at any special time?)
You suppose to burn it in the mornin' an' you read de 23rd chapter of Psalms in the Bible: The Lord is my shepherd. You suppose to burn it aroun' seven o'clock in the mornin'.
Entry 2664
Yo' take coffee grounds, codfish an' wintergreen oil. Any kinda stuff dat's put down in front of yore do' an' aftah yo' picks it up, yo' gits a clear bucket of watah an' yo' puts dat coffee grounds in dere an' yo' puts dat codfish an' dat wintergreen oil an' yo' scrubs with it. Jes' dem three 'gredients in de watah, an' yo' scrub with it an' when yo' git ready tuh wash de sidewalk, yo' git chew nine bucket of watah an' yo' stan' from de gutter - from de street an'yo po's it back towards de steps an' leave it run down [into the gutter]. An' den have yo' some of dat codfish watah - yo' need nine bucket of watah, an' de last nine bucket [ninth bucket] of watah, use dat codfish, coffee grounds an' winter- green oil an' yo' scrub. Any kinda hoodoo or anything lak that, dat's put down fo'yo', scrub dat up wit it.
Entry 2665
You get you some cinnamon and some sugar and Three Kings Oil [three magi: Gaspar, Melchior, Balthasar]. You put that cinnamon, sugar and that oil those three things, in the water and you start scrubbing your house from the front. You scrub before the door first and scrub your house back to the back. And after you get through scrubbing your house, then you come out on the banquette [sidewalk] and makes the same. Use only three buckets of water [three buckets is unusual - one for each king] - two for the house and one for the banquette. That's draws 'em - that's to draw in. That's if you want a roomer in your house. [For another example of Three Kings, see Nos. 2669-2670, p.729.]
Entry 2666
You burn brimstone. Yo' use brimstone, bluestone, sulphur, rattlesnake marster, an' yo' git lowbush mercury[?] [myrtle?] - lowbush[?] - dat's a bush dat grows out. in de woods dey call it lowbush[?]. Well, yo' burn dat Sunday mornings three a'clock. Yo' burn that Wednesday night, Wednesday as the clock strike twelve. Yo' burn dat Wednesday. (Twelve o'clock night or noon?) At night. Three a'clock in de morning [Sunday], twelve a'clock at night [Wednesday], an' three a'clock Friday morning. Yo' burns dat in de middle of yore house. Yo' have yo' a pan dat chew use regu'ly [regularly]. Yo' use de brimstone, sulphur, bluestone an' dis lowbush[?]. Yo' burn dose things together. Yo' do dat fo' at least three munts. Den yo' skip an' de next three munts ketch it. [This is skip or staggered magic.] But if you are running a house, why yo' do that ev'ry week. Ev'ry week if yo' runnin' a house, if yo' have gambling, so on, don't chew see. Yo' runnin' yo' house, yo' do that ev'ry week.
(What is that supposed to do? Bring luck or what?)
Yeah, bring luck an' keeps ev'rything goin' smooth. Yeah, bring yo' plenty luck. Yo' have no trouble if yo' sellin' likker, anything lak dat. Yo' have nc trouble a-t a-l-l.
Entry 2667
That kind of woman scrubs her house with oil of bergamine [bergamot], oil of cinnamon, and oil of cloves - the three combined. Three little small bottles, all three of them poured into a pail of water and sugar and scrub with that and scrub her steps going down. But she doesn't scrub them going out, she scrubs them coming in. She starts at the bottom of the steps and come up and scrub all the way back to the back of the house. That brings trade in - men.
Entry 2668
(Can you tell me what you do?) Well, ah go to the drug sto' and buy oil. (What kind of oil do you buy?) Why ah usu'lly jes' put it in de watah an' wash de flo' off.
(That's for luck in bringing in customers.)
The interviewer characterizes the floor washing as luck in attracting customers. This entry prints no following informant affirmation; the result remains unverified.
Entry 2669
Yo' could take dis same perfume stuff - de Three Jacks an' Three Kings [see p.728] an' Three S's [three different perfumes]. Yo' kin take it jis' alone - ah say alone in a way, but chew could git othah things tuh go with it. Take sugah an' yo' git dat brown sugah, or any kind, but de brown sugah is much bettah an' yo' urinate in it an' yo' scrub yore place, if yo' wants tuh git yore business line up. Scrub yore place out thor'ly [thoroughly]. Dat's de right way [with brown sugar and urine]. Yo' take an' clean it out with othah watah, yo' know, jis' clear watah good - scrub it out good. Den yo' take this othah stuff an' sprinkle it lak wit a mop or somethin', an' yo' put it in de fo' corners of yore house. Sprinkle it in de fo' corners of yore house, de same watah, an' scrub with it. All dat'll keep, keep confusin' down - whatevah business yo' got an' keep de law from yore house. Everybody will come to yore house beside de law.
(What do you sprinkle down? Just the sugar and this urine?)
No, wit de Three Jacks an' diff'rent othah perfumes. Yo' know whut ah mean - yeah, de Three Jacks, de Three Kings an' de Three S's. [ssS is a brand name.] (After you cleaned my house, then you put all that other stuff [perfume] to- gether and then sprinkle around the house?) Yessuh, but yo' have tuh git the first dirt out [dirt out first].
Entry 2670
There's diff'rent kinds of perfume that you can get to wear on you and if you - it's the Three Jacks and the Three Kings and Jack of Clubs. You go to the drug store and you get two bits [25c] of that and have it mixed all together. Don't wear it on your clothes. If you go into a clubroom and sit down to gamble, you'll always have it handy where nobody kin detect you puttin' some on the floor in the clubroom. And then you take this incense, luck incense, you know, and a shoe, a old shoe, if you got a clubroom and you want your clubroom to be - to bring money and to bring plenty people there to gamble to make money. You scrub your place out just as I told you and use those nine buckets of water. And you put that old shoe with some sugar and cinnamon and burn that incense in there. Close the house up and that's luck for gambling. No, don't use lye here - just the nine buckets of water - clear water - and burn the old shoe. Let the last bucket, the ninth bucket be with sugar in it.
(You can do that for bootlegging too?)
Yeah, because I bootlegged several years. Sure.
Entry 2671
Well, now, if yo' wanta rent that house, yo' kin dress that house or yo' kin use de Psalms - dere two ways yo' kin use that. (Tell me how to dress the house first.) Well, now, tuh dress that house yo' go tuh work an' yo' git chew a little salt an' a little sulphur an' yo' git chew some alum [three ingredients] an' pound it up together - mix it together. An' then yo' git chew some seeds. Git those gourd seeds or either any kinda seeds that grows on a vine - kin git pumpkin seed or gourd seed or watermelon seed. An' yo' git chew three of those seeds an' yo' take those three seeds an' yo' put them in a little box or a little can. Bury 'em jest like yo' would a little flower, an' when yo bury those seeds yo' say, "Hope, success an' friends." Yo' bury those seeds. An' that ingredient that chew mix, yo' take an' yo' sprinkle that around that house - a little bit at the back an' a little bit at the front. Yo' sprinkle that. Then on the inside of the house - yo' take that house an' yo' git chew some potash. Take yo' a little potash an' yo' jes' take that potash - ah jest drop a little bit around in that house. That's good fo' good luck.
(That's to rent the house?)
Yes sir.
[Now he tells how to unrent the house.]
They kin do that.
(Dress the house so they move out? Do you know what they do?)
They kin do that tuh where yo' can't rent that house. Yo' kin take a one-cent piece an' go to a wicked grave - it gotta be a wicked grave though - an' git some dirt from de head of that wicked person an' pay them with one-cent. Then yo' kin take that dirt an' mix that dirt with sulphur an' mix it with a little - see, it's three pods not - three pods of peppah. See, ah tole yo' nine pods - nine seeds wit de other but dis is three pods. Yo' git chew three pods of red peppah an' mix that together an' sprinkle that anywhere around that place. Nobody kin stay in there to save their life.
(That will make them move out of the house?)
Yes sir, but it's gotta be a wicked grave.
Entry 2672
Yo' go tuh de drug sto' an' yo' git some Duke's Mixture an' yo' come back wit de Duke's Mixture an' yo' take it an' sprinkle it on that graveyard dust that chew have [sprinkled]. An' when yo' got a place of business dat chew want customers, in de mawnin' yo' git up an' yo' sweep out clean, jes' fer as out aroun' yore do' dere, an' befo' night come or befo' de day gone anyway, yo' goin' have mo' people in dere den yo' kin shake a stick at. Dey be comin' tuh look an' see whut othah people's seein'. Now dere in de club- room ah done dat mahself right heah.
Entry 2673
A woman, if she wan'a bring in some men customers, there's things she do. She git her some saltpeter and she bathe in this saltpeter [see No. 2408f. p.670] and git her some incent [incense] powder and bairns [burns] about a table- spoon into about a teaspoonful of sugar. And she bairns that and then she git her some sulphur, about a half teaspoonful, snuff and sugah, and she keeps that Wrapped up in a hand'chief. And when she be talkin' to him, she lookin' in his eyes, an' throwin' [the handkerchief about] from the foiy [foyer]. Come right on down to his eyes and jis', you know, still lookin' into his eyes, and whatever she asks he'll agree to do it and come on inside.
Entry 2674
You know, that's a special way they do that. It's this. You take one woman - she can walk right before us right now. Now, if you don't believe that, you ask people have done tried it and done it. You can take one woman right now and let her walk downstairs and there be fifteen men - she don't necessarily have to be the prettiest woman round here. You all [the southern you all] see this stuff that they call snuff? Take that same stuff, that snuff, but it must be burned. And sit on a man and drink with him and drop it in his drink, and from time to time get up to each one she can and drop it in the drink. And then she get her house advertised from them, them same men that she get, ev'ry time a cus- tomer come in her house. After she drop the snuff in that building, she can just continue from cup to cup, and they say they'll always come back to her house. Only use nothing but ordinary snuff, that people use in the form of tobacco. (Well, she just drops that. But you say she had to burn that first. The snuff should be burnt?) She has to burn it first. The snuff should be burnt.
(And she uses the ashes?)
Use the ashes. You just burn it and use the ashes.
Entry 2675
[This is a fuller version of No. 1947, p.570.]
You git choo one pound of red beans an' git choo a portion of guinea pepper seeds. Well, they call that [the latter], they call for - it's off the tree of paradise, an' you throw it up under each side of the steps, you see. No, no, put them beans up under that step - one pound of red beans - an' throw the guinea pepper seeds up under the side de steps. An' then you kin take eight buckets of water, you see, an' throw aroun' the door, an' the nin'bucket, choo throw it up, you see. An' then that keeps officers away, too, that nine buckets of water, if the officers all aroun' your door. But choo put blueing water in de eight' bucket an' de nin' bucket be loaf sugar, you throw it up jis' the same. [Tree of paradise I do not know. It and guinea pepper seeds are unrelated except in hoodoo. However, two trees are called paradise tree: Simarouba glauca of tropical North America, and Melia azedarach (China tree) of Asia, the latter being grown as an ornamental tree in U. S. A., and known by many names, chinaberry, Indian or Persian lilac, holy tree, etc.]
Entry 2676
Well, you could take - you go to the grocery store. You buy you a two- pound box of sugar. You get you a five-cents can of cinnamon. Now, before you start to scrubbing in this house, you sweep this home. Don't ever sweep the dirt out; you sweep the dirt in. And after you pick up the dirt and throw it into the garbage can, then you take this cinnamon and sugar and you burn it. See, you gotta use it three ways. You must burn and you must sprinkle it on your floor [and scrub with it?], and in the next two or three days this house gotta be rented.
(You burn that sugar and the cinnamon - you burn it, don't you?)
You burn it.
(Then what do you do?)
After you burn it?
(Yes.)
Then you scrub this place. You see, you got this into a little powder or something like that, but it must be burned with white paper - not newspaper or no brown paper, or no other kind of paper.
(Well...after that's burned...what do you do with that?)
The powder, the paper that's left? You kin always throw that out, you don't have any special use [for it].
(Now, wait - just a minute.)
That cinnamon and sugar?
(Yes.)
Well, you don't have to do anything with it partic'larly - you know what I mean. You just - after you finish burning it, then you kin throw that right into the garbage can, too. And after you finish, then you turn your mop upside down right at the door, as you going out.
(Well...you haven't done any mopping yet. When you going to do the mopping?)
Well, I told you, you mop already.
(Oh, you mop first?)
Yes. You mop first. You see, you get you a - you got to mop this place - get you a bottle of ammonia, bottle of blueing, see. And then you get - you go to any drug store and you get you some Logger's Oil or Miner's Oil, or any of those oils, you understand, to scrub with. See, that's to rent the place. See, that's to rent the place.
(Well...do you scrub...before you burn the sugar or after?)
You have to scrub before you burn the sugar, you see. You see, the place is thoroughly clean. (Oh, I see. And what kind of oil? Any kind of oil. All right. Burn the sugar and cinnamon, don't you?) That's right.
(Then after you burn that, you throw it out?)
Yes, sir.
(Then you get this oil and stuff and scrub the place?)
Yes, sir.
(Then you set your mop behind the door upside down?)
That's right - mop and broom.
(And broom. And then you rent your house?)
Yes, sir.
(All right. I want to get those things in the right order.)
[I was trying to solve the problem of using sugar and cinnamon informant's three ways.] That's right.
Entry 2677
Ah know jes' lak if a person sellin' whiskey an' if he wants luck to his house, why ah know a lady she used tuh - ev'ry mornin' she'd git up yo' know an' she'd jis' sprinkle right round wit chamber lye - sprinkle round de corners of de house on de inside. Said dat would hold yore luck wit de laws an' bring customers.
Entry 2678
They takes de chamber lye and salt and mix it together and dey takes that, if they have a collector or anything comin' yo' know, dey kin scatter that every morning in front of they do'steps an' back steps, that'll keep them away - won't have no collectors.
Entry 2679
Jest take a little urinate, your urinate, and a little pot salt and dis little ground peppah - hot cayenne peppah. [Three ingredients.] " You carry a certain distance from your house, see, and you sprinkle, you know. Jest like de road come up to your house or de street, why you jest sprinkle it across, you understand. Why dey couldn't come no farther than that. Every time dey git dere why dey jest change dere mind and turn back.
(That keeps the law away.)
Entry 2680
Things will work mighty easy wit him [policeman], if the law wus comin' there perhaps tuh raid joo out [and] yo' didn't have any money. Then yo' could take some of yore fast chamber lye.
(What do you mean by fast chamber lye?)
Well, that aftah a night yo' lay down an' git up in de mawnin', then yo' use that - that's fast, that'll work right now. Well, yo' put three pinches of sugah in there an' make yore wishes whatevah - yo' know, yo' don't wanta be raid out or put out dis mawnin'. Den yo' take it to yore front steps an' yo' throw it an don't look which way yo' throw it - jes' throw it out. Yo' made yore wish an' yo' jes' go on. He'll come in jes' as calm, "It's all right if yo' haven't got any money. Can't chew give me some?" [Some what? Money in the future or liquor now?] [Memphis, Tenn., (1542), 2790:9.}
Entry 2681
When yo' git up in the morning if you is worried with the polices or most anything like that, you'd git up early before de sun rise and scrub yo' porch wit chamber lye and dey not supposed to worry yuh.
Entry 2682
Take the chamber lye, that is yore own chamber lye an' let it set up three days, an' a little salt in it an' wash yore house good, an' that will bring luck to the house.
Entry 2683
If it's a lucky person, say yo' takes a sample of their watah. Yassuh, if it's a lucky person; yo' know, jes' lak if it's a woman an' she could git mens. An' yo' take it an' scrub down yore front do step with it. An' de first person dat [enters] shut de do' after yo' go back in - if it's a woman, don't let her come in de front, let her go roun' to de back; if it's a man, make him give yo a nickel or dime befo' he come in. An' yo' kin take dat nickel or dime an' put it behin' dat do' an' let it stay dere dat day. Ah bet chew five dollahs by all dis time yore house would be so full, yo' wanta git rid of some of 'em. (That's new. I never heard that before. You take this chamber lye from the lucky woman.)
Entry 2684
Well, you have to dress the house. Now, that chamber lye which you was speaking about a few minutes ago - if you bootlegging or selling something, you takes that chamber lye which you were speaking about. All right. You takes it soon in the morning, no one around, you take that chamber lye and you wash from your door - porch-step on back. Never, never sweep out your trash out on the outside; always sweep back, going back in the house. Sprinkle that chamber lye every morning for seven mornings and you will have so many people at your place until you just won't have seats for 'em.
Entry 2685
Dey take dere urinate an' fo' nine mornings an' sweep off de back steps wit it.
(How do they sweep?)
Yo' know wit a broom. Po' it on dere step and sweep it, yo' know, jest lak yo' sweeping off de step. (I mean how do you sweep it. Sweep it away from the house or toward the house?) Sweep toward de house.
(You sweep toward the house. Why do you do that?)
That to bring luck to bring people in. (It must be done at the back steps though. You do that when you are selling whiskey.)
Entry 2686
If yo' sellin' whiskey, to keep de law from yore house, yo' take an' where yo' takes a leak an' throw it out right - jes' throw it out in de front every night fo' nine nights an' in de mawnin's, too. An' throw it out dere fo' nine nights or nine mawnin's. Do it that night an' that mawnin', yo' understan'. Well, dat will keep the law from comin' in yore house. (What do you mean where you take a leak, on the ground? You mean where you do it on the ground or in the pot or what?) Where yo' do it in a can, don't chew see. [Informant has a night can.]
Entry 2687
Yo' kin take chamber lye - fresh chgmber lye. Jes' lak yo' is runnin' a business, a whiskey place or whutnot, an' tuh gain influence of people an' de laws. Yo' kin take yo' chamber lye in de mawnin', not mixed wit no one else, an' make a weesh [wish] whut chew desire tuh do an' how yo' desire yo' business tuh come out - tuh improve. Yo' kin take hit an' sprinkle it ovah de place fo' nine mawnin's. An' den take de leavin's of it an' throw it to de front an' make yo' weesh - yo' know how yo' want chure business - an' yo' do dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' de laws or whutnot will come tuh be yore friends 'stead of enemies. An' dey will boost yo' business. People will come dere an' den buy, trade wit yo' mo' den evah befo'.
Entry 2688
Dirt dauber nest is awful lucky tuh women (see p.432). Women kin take dirt dauber nest an' dey kin take it an' Hearts Cologne an' alum, an' dey kin use dat in de mornin' at dey front. Dey use chamber lye wit it too. An' use dat at dey front an' back do' an' dat place - women [do] dat, spo'tin' women dat way - plenty men will come round dere an' give it to 'em, have plenty friends.
Entry 2689
You kin mop early in the morning 'fore the sunrise. You kin mop with oil of cinnamon and garlic, beat it up real fine, and your urinate overnight. Mix it with water and mop from the - start from the front steps and go back in your house and don't say nothing to nobody till you get done mopping. Jest hold your peace - don't say nothing to nobody - fore the sunrise....
(And mop it back?)
Yes, sir.
(That brings you trade - brings you customers if you are bootlegging?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 2690
Dat good to make a linament out of it - anything of garlic lak dat. Git six red onions an' she kin boil all dat up some day when dere ain't nobody dere, an' git a bunch of cedar [branches] an' mop yore flo's wit it; keep it secret yo' know from anybody. Mop up flo's an' dat's luck - make her have hustlin' luck - customers, anything she wants - sellin' whiskey or anything.
(Now what would she boil up together, you say?)
Cedar, garlic - one dose little burr of garlic, an' git a nickel worth of red onion an' jes' chop it up, an' chamber lye - git a whole quart of chamber lye. Mop dat flo' wit it. Don't mop outside an' don't sweep de dirt out de room out- side - take it up on a dustpan an' burn on de flo'. Always go backwards wit de mop. Don't mop out. Yo' know a lotta people mop out. Dat's yore luck goin' outdo's - mop back.
Entry 2691
If you want to have good luck, you kin take your chamber lye and yo' sprinkle it - burn incense and put it in there, the ashes, and sprinkle it every morning before you speak a word, out in front of your door, and that will give yo' good luck and bring people to your house.
(Bring trade to you, if you are selling something?)
Yes, sir.
(I see, if I were bootlegging or something of that sort.)
Yes, or running a rooming house - renting a few of the rooms.
Entry 2692
Take yo' some Red Seal Lye, brand-new box, an' yo' git some Hearts Perfume, git a ten-cent bottle of Hearts Perfume, and dere something in de drug store yo' call dragon's blood. Yo' put that in yo' scrub water and yo' scrub it on back. See, yo' scrub yo' floors and when yo' git through, yo' po' it all around yore gate. And yo' take a box of lye and bury it at chure steps. Bury dat lye at chure steps an' sprinkle an' po' dat scrubbing water an' scrub wit dat every morning, fresh yo' know, and put a little yore urine in it, in dat water an' yo' scrub yo' floors from yore steps backwards - on back every morning. When yo' git through, yo' po' it all around yore gate an' den from yore steps an' all. An' bury dat box of lye at de bottom of yore steps and he [the law] won't cross over it. If dey come dey will pass on by.
Entry 2693
In the morning get you a can of Red Devil Lye and you wash that front porch off with it every morning, with that Red Devil Lye. And jest like you had a chamber [pot] in your house, you would put that Red Devil Lye into that chamber and wash that front porch off with it. Then rinse that front porch off [with clean water] and that would draw the customers into your house.
(If you are bootlegging or something like that?)
Yes.
Entry 2694
Well, just like if you thought someone was doing you something - trying to harm your house or your home or something - you pour that [urine] around your house and also this here consecrated [concentrated] lye with the hog on it. [Hog roots out things.]
(With the hog on it? Or a pig?)
Uh-huh.
(With the hog on it or the pig, you mean?)
[This was new to me. I wanted to be certain.]
You seen consecrated lye got a hog on a can, a pig. (I haven't seen the hog on the can but I know what the lye is. They have to have a hog on that can?) Yes. That's the best - it's got a big old fat pig on it. Well, you sprinkle that round your house and that'll keep people from harming you.
(You sprinkle it all over with that chamber lye?)
You don't have to mix it - just either one of them's supposed to cure any kind of harm. Another thing that you kin do - just like women you know have lots of men they can get money from. They call it tricky [tricking] you know. Well, on Monday morning and Friday morning you get up, sweep and scrub your house with this lye what I'm talking about now.
(This hog - this concentrated lye.)
That's got the hog on the side of the can. And you mix it with sugar and yo' urinate in it - use chamber lye. And you'll be successful.
(That's to bring in trade.)
Yes.
Entry 2695
A can of lye.
(You take a can of lye. All right.)
Yes. You urinate in a bucket. You take that lye and you put it in there with this urine of yours. Then you fust go from one corner of that house to the other just in a circle [circumambulate exterior of house], you know, and dress that banquette [sidewalk] and the ground, and call his name when you start.
(Call whose name?)
Anybody you suspicion is going in there - and call his name when you get to it. When you start, the point is this: maybe you may figure it's Ralph Johnson and you call his name when you start. When you empty the bucket you just say, "Ralph Johnson."
(He won't come there then while you are gone.)
Entry 2696
Yo' kin take a person's chamber lye an' put sugah in it an' lye an' oil of anise, an' sprinkle dat an' make yore wish. Sweep yore po'ch back to yore house an' that brings good luck to yo'. Do dat fo' hustlin' people - bring money in yore house.
Entry 2697
Ah worked once in a woman's sportin' house in South Ca'lina in Sumter, South Ca'lina, de name of Annie H. In her house wus where ah worked, an' she said tuh me, she said, "Ah like yo' heah." She wus de houselady. Ah says, "Yes mam." She says, "An' aftah ah like yo', ah'm trustin' mahself. Luck been bad an' ah reckon dat ah'll let chew make me some." Ah didn't know whut tuh say, yes or no, cus ah didn't understand whut she meant. She first went in de house an' she brought out a - yo' know dis Red Devil Lye, she brought out a box of dat. Ah didn't ask her no questions. Yo' know asafetidy. A package of asafetidy is about de size of dat, an' it's a nickel. She took dat an' she chipped it up right fine. She took jes' about dat much watah an' she put it in a little bit of a pot an' she took about a tablespoonful of Red Devil Lye an' she took three bottles of Hearts Own Cologne an' she come tuh me an' she said, "Mamie?" "Yes mam." She said, "Yo' gotta go an' git us some dirt out de grave." Yo' know ah wus scared. Ah thought ah had done something. Ah didn't know whut in de worl' wus de mattah, whut ah done. An' she 'solve [dissolved] dis an' melt, an' aftah she melt it she made a lather out it. An' den when she made dat lather she po'ed it into a bucket - one of dese buckets whut chew might call a watah bucket. It's de size of a watah bucket but it nearly - dat wus de size of a watah bucket but - yet an' still aftah she made it up she po'ed dem in it - but dey had dat ring on de side an' a lock. Well, at dat time ah could use both mah han's. Now ah has three stiff fingahs - dey call it stiff-j'int rheumatism. An' ah said, "Miss Annie, whut mus' ah do?" She says, "Well, by God," she says, "scrub." Ah says, "Yes'm, ah don't min' scrubbin'." An' ah didn't bring no insult [retaliate] ~ no hard feelin's. Ah wanted tuh be nice endurin' dat house. She says, "All right, Mamie?" Says, "Yes mam." She said, "Did you know it's fo' a'clock now?" Ah said, "No'm, ah didn't. But it's all right. If it's all right wit chew, it's all right wit me." An' she said, "When de sun rises ah want dem beddin' rooms in de clear, so de company will be jes' de same as any day - if we havin' any company." Ah went roun' tuh every bedroom an' emptied every one of de chambers dat had de watah in it or anythin' - not de othah but jes' dat, an' ah scrubbed wit dat.
(What did you do with that water from the chambers?)
In that lye watah.
(Put it in that tub?)
Yes. An' ah scrubbed wit it an' brothah, ah wouldn't tell yo' one lie. Ah didn't git bit further den de front po ch, an' the hall clean up, an' ah started in anothah lady's room round de walls - jes' tuh wipe roun' dem. Ah couldn't do it. She says, "Mamie, yo'll have tuh set away dat till she git ovah." Ah says, "All right."
(Why couldn't you do it?)
Cause de room wus so fulla mens wantin' tuh go tuh bed wit dem wimmins till ah couldn't have chance tuh do dat. An' it jes' smelt so good an' wonderful, ah says tuh mahself, "If dis de way dey does, ah'm goin' tell ever'body." An' ah declare to goodness when time fo' me tuh go home, ah didn't think no mo' 'bout it. Now, ah 'sure yo', ah didn't know why ah wanted to. Dat wus mah aim to tell mah folks at home 'bout it an' some othah people ah know, but ah nevah thought a word about it. Ah told nobody. Ah don't think ah told nobody till ah'm tellin' yo' now. An' it had done left me. Ah nevah even thought about it no mo'. It jes' - she had up befo' sunrise. She had me clean all de rooms out befo' sunrise an' 'fore fo' a'clock struck. She said fo' me tuh be through an' be down to de kitchen tuh ketch all dese people goin' out. But ah didn't git no further den de second woman's bedroom. Some of de ladies in dere had friends with 'em by den. Dey called 'em de Catbone Wishers, an' ah waited on de three of dem ladies privately. An' so ah really know dat.
(These were white women, weren't they?)
Ever'one of 'em.
(And the madam was white?)
Ever'one of 'em. Ever'one of 'em in dat home an' all. Dere weren't nobody dere colored but me an' de cook. [I am unable to explain either bucket ring and lock or Catbone Wishers. Since I do not ask a question about the latter, I must have assumed the women each had or shared a black-cat lucky bone. Whether catbone wisher was then or now pro- fessional argot for anything else, I do not know.]
Entry 2698
You can take cinnamon and sugar and clear water and oil of verbena. See, like this is your front - well you start ascrubbing from the front, back in but not out. See, and sweep it back in. You see. Then you get what you call dragon's powder [dragon's blood]. See. You smoke the four corners up with that. [See margin-title Smoke 'em, p.723; also Incense, p.700.] Natch'ly you'll be successful in a business.
Entry 2699
Ah would use urinate an' concentrated lye an' yo' know soon in de mawnin'. Monday mawnin' an' Friday mawnin' ah'd always mop all de way through befo' anybody would enter - see, that would be roun' six a'clock in de mawnin'. An' aftah ah'd git through mopping ah'd throw de watah down de front steps, yo see. Den ah'd come back in an' burn mah incense befo' ah'd speak to anybody, see, an' make a wish.
(What would that do then?)
That would keep de law away.
Entry 2700
Ah have used - ah used tuh do this. Ah would wash mah house out on a Wednesday an' Friday with brown sugar an' lye an' urinate. [Three ingredients.] But ah would mop twice a week. Wednesday an' Friday would be mah days.
(At any particular time of the day?)
Yessuh. De first, early in de mawnin' when ah first git up, 'fore anybody would start tuh comin' around, ah would do that.
(That is to bring any kind of customers in?)
Yessuh. An' den fo' luck, ah would then take an' wash mahself an' ah would use Jockey Club Perfume an' oil of bergamine [bergamot]. Oil mahself good, yo' know, up undah mah arms an' back of mah ear lak that. Dat would be fo' mah luck then, yo' know, fo' havin' dealin's with diff'rent men.
Entry 2701
Fo' luck yo' take de chamber lye an' yo' put chew some oil of bergamot dey call it - yo' but it at de drug sto', oil of bergamot. Put dat in de chamber lye an' put chew some sugah in it an' yo' put chew some bluein'. An' yo' take that an' yo' scrub yore house all out good wit it, see. An' aftah yo' scrub yore house with it, then yo' take an' drop three drops in each corner an' make a wish. That's success fo' yore house.
(You mean for bringing in customers to buy from you?)
Yes.
Entry 2702
In de mawnin' when yo' wake up lak dat - if yo' livin' a hustlin' Zife, git up early of a mawnin' an' take yore urinate an' don't let nobody else urinate in dat bucket an' scrub de po'ch with it. An' den on Fridays, well yo' kin git dis same stuff whut ah wus tellin' yo' 'bout - dis oil of bergamine [bergamot] an' put 'bout two or three drops of it in a bucket of hot watah an' mop de house on Friday with it, an' dat draws luck fo' bootleggin' and hustlin', too, but yo' mustn't speak to nobody until twelve a'clock. Don't have nuthin tuh say to no- body when yo' git up an' mop yore house. An' on Monday mawnin's don't let women folks come in yore house because it's bad luck to yo.
Entry 2703
She kin go and git brown sugar, coated tacum [talcum] - coated face Powder - and she'd mix 'em together. Then you git oyster shells and then they pound it together. And when they pound it together, well then if they do ketch a trick, well ev'rytime they ketch a trick, they [the woman] urine, they put 3 drops in this little vial where this brown sugar and this coated powder and the oyster shell. If they can they kin jes' urine in a glass, and take a eye dropper and you know and drop 3 drops in when [until] they get to 9 drops. An' then, after they do that, why then they git their own luck. And then after they get the 9 men - why then after the 9 men go, then you [the woman] take a dropper whenever you wanta get a date - you see you take the same eye dropper - and jis' take one drop out [the vial], jis' drop it on the bed. Of co'se when they out [the vial is empty] they still got that powder, but when they urine over, they kin do the same thing over again.
Entry 2704
(These fellows that are bootlegging, what do they do to bring the law away?) They buys some sulphur an' po' it in yore bucket, yore night bucket, an' let it set. Let it set in dere an' den dey po' some of it every morning fo' nine mornings. Dey dig a hole an' po' some of it right in front of de do - in de front an' den dey po' some of it in de back, for nine mornings.
(Out of this same bucket - the same water with this sulphur in it.)
The same water that had the sulphur in it for nine mornings - den dey po' it in dere. Den dey sprinkle it [dry] iest all around yore house - ah mean dat sulphur den. All yo' ever do every morning befo' yo' git up befo' day. Ah've had dat done - sprinkle dat sulphur.
Entry 2705
You use Hearts Perfume an' chamber lye - sprinkle it all around in yore place fo' sunrise in de morning. Yo' git up an' yo' sprinkle dat around in yore place. An' then yo' use salt - sprinkle salt around in yore place. If yo' have any rug, anything dat chew kin put dat salt undah, it is very lucky. An' dat chamber lye an' dis Hearts Perfume it's very, very lucky to bring in customers. If yo' use dat chamber lye an' dat Hearts Perfume, an' if yo' will burn some sulphur - if yo'll burn some sulphur into yore place in a pan, right in de middle of de flo', an' use yore Hearts Perfume an' yore chamber lye, why yo'll bring in yore peoples.
Entry 2706
A bucket of pee. Dey puts Van-van in dis pee an' dey throws dat on de banquette an' dey take a bucket of watah an' dey rinses dat - dat urine an' dat van-van all ovah de banquette. Dat keeps de banquette damp. Ever' now an' den dey'll come out an' throw fresh watah on dat tuh keep it freshened up, so when yo' pass or anybody pass, well yore feet will get dampened by dat dere - walkin' in dat damp spot. Well, dat'll draw yore attention into dis place. If yo' go home an' yo' need anything, yo' won't go to de othah places tuh git any- thing. Yo'll go tuh dis place where yo' undah de influence of dat van-van. See, dat puts yo' undah de influence of spendin' yore money in dis place. Dat keeps de man's place packed an' jammed wit dis urine an' dis van-van.
Entry 2707
You use saltpeter, blood root, chamber lye, salt, pepper and alum. You mix it all altogether and you boil dis. You boil it in your own water MondayS, Wednesdays and Fridays and after you have boiled it down, you take the bottom of it - let it boil dry - de bottom will be a powder and you jest put it to de front door. Throw it out and rub it on yore door, and dey [officers of the law] won't come. Dey'll pass by and go to next house.
Entry 2708
A fellah told me that he wus at a place drinkin' somewheres an' he says, "One man says, "Ah dunno why ah come heah an' git mah whiskey, but ah does it," he says, "it's not because it's so nice an' clean, ' says, "but ah do come heah an' git it," he says. [Man who told my informant asks] "Well, why'd yo' reckon it wus go good?'[The drinker answer] "Well, ah don't know. But do you know, anothah fellah tole me dat she pees in it." [Cf. Menses, p.708.]
The whiskey reference is quoted dialogue within a reported account; the later contents allegation remains hearsay.
Entry 2709
Jes' like yore customer yo' want tuh come to yo', yo' selling whiskey, yo' kin take a little of yore chamber lye an' put in dat whiskey an' dey always come back dere.
Entry 2710
Know whut dey do wit chure whiskey an' make 'em pull dat - course dat's a dissipated thing. Well, yo' eat chamber lye an' yo' kin git 'em an' dey jes be crowdin' in dere - yo' can't wait on 'em fast enough.
(You put chamber lye in the whiskey.)
Entry 2711
Take yore urinate an' put sugah in it an' wash from face an' yore haid, down on down, an' give yo' all de luck in de worl'. Everywhere yo' go yo' kin sell anything or jes' git money jes' lak dat [snapping the fingers). [Comment by transcriber who heard fingers snap. So do I hear them.]
Entry 2712
You ever heard of vanilla? (Vanilla? Yes.) Vanilla that you makes cakes with. Well, you get you some vanilla, but that stick vanilla [vanilla pod?]. I don't mean this cheap vanilla - gotta be good, and you take that vanilla and you get up soon in the morning and you mop all in front of that door, and you have aplenty customers - more customers then you want.
Entry 2713
(What did you say about those men down your way?) Mens dat running or starting up a little business, de first thing dey do, dey git dem some of dis Van-van and dey scrub with it 'cause it's got a pleasant odor. And yo' scrub with dat - steps, front porch, everything.
Entry 2714
Yo' ain't gotta take nuthin but dis Van-van. Yo' git it at de drug sto'. Take van-van. You git about dat much fo' a dime, ah think it is. Yo' take about dat much an' mix it up in a quart of watah aftah yo' sweep, scrub. Sweep up [first]. Yo' sprinkle dat aroun' in dere [after you scrub]. Take de bottle an' sprinkle all around in dere, an' de customers comin'.
The informant names a bottle in the sprinkling instruction. Product details and the claimed customers remain source descriptions, without a bottle subtype or verified result.
Entry 2715
Take a little sulphur and burn in yore business place in de morning of nine mornings. Open your business place and burn that sulphur. And burn that and say a little wish - wish for your money or success in there before anybody enters. And that brings you luck, that brings your trade. But burn this every morning for nine mornings. Then you take a little van-van - keep a little mop - that draw de customers. Jest mop your floor once or twice a week - Wednesdays and Fridays. That brings you trade.
(What do you mop it with?)
Van-van. That's little thin-like stuff from de drug store. Jest put little drops in yore water and mop - jest a few drops to wipe de floor Wednesday morning and Fridays.
(Do you have to mop the floor in any particular manner?)
Jest bring it in though - all in, don't carry it out. You jest come inside - starts from de stair and come inside and then you bringing your luck in. See, to draw de persons to come tuh yo'. That sulphur you burn fo' nine mornings, that keeps your luck always. But burn it nine mornings - a tablespoon or much as you want - in de place befo' anybody cross your doorstep. Don't allow nobody to come in before you get that sulphur burn.
Entry 2716
To make people come buy from you now, if you'd scrub your house out. You just would get you - just like I told you this before, if you wanta keep from getting hurt. Just get you some lye, man, and some linsin soap and put in that water.
(What kind of soap?)
Linseed[?]. That's that heavy coarse soap, but it's brownish-like. Cracker- iack Drug Store got all that right there - sell you that any time you calls for it and show you the same thing. And you put that in that water and it going to be dissolved in the water - just let it dissolve there you understand. And take that and scrub your place every morning - just about five a'clock you scrub your place with that. And you kin have that old van-van stuff and just throw it all around there every time you come in the house, and the place just going to smell likes it's cologne up in your house. [People come] thinking that you got nothing [but] cologne and such things. Well you - all your customers just going to be coming there and coming there - coming backward and forward and see you. Keep the law - the same thing, off you.
(The same way, I see.)
Entry 2717
If you wants to draw them to you, you goes to the drug store and get you a dime's worth of steel dust. You get that steel dust and you get you a box of cinnamon. You can get a box of cinnamon for a nickel. After you getting the box of cinnamon, you take and get some van-van. This is supposed to be like - you mix that all together and you shakes it well. And you scrub out your place. You scrub out your place with this steel dust, van-van and cinnamon and sugar. You scrubs it out all around your place, around with that. When everybody is out you scrubs it out, and when you come in, as you come in, well, people come in and look like your business done pick up. That van-van done gives it a sweet smell.