Browse:TO KEEP PERSON ASLEEP (Volume 4, entries 7057–7187)/Part 2
TO KEEP PERSON ASLEEP
Volume 4, entries 7057–7187. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7137
Yo' could take one of 'is shoes an' turn it down jis' somewhere at de side of de bed, an' den he sleep a long time. An' a woman kin take her skin- piece an' put it up ovah'at dis end of de bed, jis' hang it up ovah dere. Dey'll sleep sound lak dat.
Entry 7138
Ah tell yo' whut a woman kin do. Jis' lak if 'er an' 'er husban' gone tuh baid an' she wanta step out, she'll git up an' she'll take his shoe, turn 'em bottomside upwards in undah de foot of de baid. See, he cain't wake up until she come back an' turn dem shoes ovah. Den a man kin - he kin, jis' lak if he wan's tuh go out an' leave her dere asleep, all he's gotta do, jis' git up yo' know an' take his pants off or some of 'is drawahs, yo' know it's dirty, an' hang: 'em ovah de top of de baid ovah 'er haid dere, an go on off about 'is business. An' she won't wake up until he come back an' move dem things.
Entry 7139
Wal, dey take de lef' of yo' shoes an' turn it bottom upwards on any kinda piece of bo'd, an' nail it bottom upwards. An' dat's de way yo'll be, jis' lak dat shoe. (How is that?) Becuz de shoe is bottom upwards. Why when yo' turn dat shoe bottom upwards, feet up an' de - in dat way yo'll be down. De only way yo' kin be right is pull dat nail out an' turn dat shoe back up.
Entry 7140
Take a person's left shoe when he goes to sleep, hold over his nose about 10 minutes. He won't wake up.
Entry 7141
Take man's shoe an' pass over his face, then hang on bed; then her underwear pass over his face an' hang over bed.
Entry 7142
She'll take the left foot shoe an' jis' pass it over his face three times an' put it down...
Entry 7143
Ketch a man asleep an' take yore right-foot shoe an' carry it ovah 'is face nine times. An' yo' kin go on where- evah yo' wanta an' come on back, an' he won't wake up until yo' come back. (How do you put that shoe over his face? Show me how you do that.) Jis' lak he's layin' perhaps on 'is back. Yo' take yore shoe an' yo' turn it. Yo' know, maybe it smell inside of it, he inhale dat. Yo' jis carry it ovah 'is face lak dat [demonstrates].
(In a circular motion.)
Nine times in a motion, nine times.
Entry 7144
Turn person's shoe upside down an' leave on chest or stom- ach. Keeps him asleep.
Entry 7145
Tell yo' whut dey do wit yore shoes. Lak if yo' go out an' stay out late at night, or sompin lak dat, an' dey wanta keep yo' home. Dey don' wan' chew tuh go out too much at night. Or if yo' layin' down sleepin' an' dey wan chew tuh sleep soun' an' don' wan' chew tuh wake up, take an' put some black peppah an' salt in de shoe, an' turn it bottomside upwards an' put it undah yore bed - both de shoes.
Entry 7146
She'll take his shoes an' turn 'em upside down...take his hat, pin it [up] over his head.
Entry 7147
Turn de shoes bottoms upwards - his shoes. (Where?) Well, jis' lak he's pulled dem off an' gone tuh bed, she take 'em an' turn 'em bottoms up - turn de' sole up an' de top down. Say dat'll make him sleep until she come back.
Entry 7148
Turn yore shoes upside down, if yo' tuh bed. Turn yore shoes upside down an' walk on out, an' yo' won' wake up until he come back an' turn de shoe ovah.
(Do you use both shoes or just one?)
Use both shoes. Put it crossways lak dat [demonstrates].
(On top of each other crossways.)
Entry 7150
She take the left shoe off his foot...she turn it upside down under- neath the bed, an' then take his sock an' lay it across that shoe [making the shape of a cross]; either one of the socks, but she got to take that left foot shoe.
Entry 7151
Jis' take de shoe an' turn it down...den take an' turn his pockets wrongside out.
Entry 7152
If she gwine out - mean if she goin' tuh 'er girl fren' - dey kin jis' turn yore shoe upside down an' turn de toes undah de bed, an' he won' wake up till she come back.
(He turns his shoes upside down?)
Dat's right, de man's shoes.
(Both shoes, both pointed under the bed.)
Undah de bed.
(He won't wake up until she gets back?)
No, no!
Entry 7153
Dey tell me dat de women kin - 'fact a woman tried it on me - take her shoes an' turn 'em right undahneath de head of 'er bed, an' put a half a dollah undah each shoe, an' go out an' stay out, den come in, an' yo' won' know it. Yo' won' wake up until she come back an' move 'em.
Entry 7154
Take both 'is shoes an' turn 'em undah de head of de bed, upside downwards, fo' an' aft. (How do they turn them?) Foah an' aft. (That's the toe, one. And the heel?) Dat's right. Heah's a toe an' heah's a toe. See, dats de way. Undah de head of de bed. (Toe and heel, and heel and toe?) [Shoes are together upside down facing opposite directions.] Dat's right, an' he cain't wake up until she come back an' turn 'em up. An' he kin go an' do her de same way, if she's got low quartahs or top.shoes. But if she's got top shoes, dose high-top shoes, yo' have to put de tops undah, fold de tops undah, yo' see, so dey'll set straight. Jis' put 'em undah de head of de bed.
Entry 7155
Home at night? Take yore shoes, turn one tuh de head an' de othah back tuh de foot; yo' know, jis' de opposite ways, yo' see, wit sugah in each one of dem shoe, an' sleep lak dat. Tie one knot in 'uh undahskirt or 'er chemise, whatevah she has, an' sleep until she returns. She jis' has tuh keep it on, de one she has on. (Put one shoe with the toe pointing to the head and one to the foot. You put the shoes upside down, together, or one at the foot and one at the head?) Upside down, one at de head an' one at de foot. Set 'em nex' tuh each othah right in a row, right foot at de head of de man; one fo' de head an' one fo' de foot.
Entry 7156
After he's gone to sleep, look, she takes one of his shoes an' turn it to the head [of the bed] an' the other one to the foot, see, tying three knots in her underslip, an' he'll sleep there until she return back an' re- move those shoes.
Entry 7157
Heard 'em say dey kin take dere shoe from de right foot an' turn it up by a do', an' if dat person 'sleep, he'll sleep dere till yo' remove dat shoe 'fo' he wake up.
(You turn it up by the door?)
Yo' have tuh turn it up on de flo' facin' at de do' on de side.
(You turn it upside down?)
Yes sir, like dat.
(The right-foot shoe?)
Yes sir, an' say he will sleep until yo' remove dat shoe.
Entry 7158
Now, dat goin' in devilment trick. A woman takes yo' stockin' an', if [she] do dat 2 or 3 weeks, she take yo' stockin' an' she'll put it - no dis heah 'er stockin' whut ah'm tryin' tuh explain now. Ah ain't heard about 'is stockin' but 'er stockin'. She'll take dat an' she kin put it aroun' yo', roun' where yo' wouldn't know it's dere. An' den she'll take den 'er piece dat nex' tuh 'er, somewhere next tuh 'er skin, an' she'll put dat ovah yo'. An' yo'll sleep den, right on den, an' she kin go out an' do any kinda business she wanta, an' yo' won' wake up. DAT JIS' DE SAME AS MORPHINE YO' KIN TAKE IT.
Entry 7159
Well, ah heard dat yo' could take yore sock, if yo' wants tuh git out anywhere at night wit'out yore ole lady knowin' it or somepin lak dat. Or if she Wants tuh git out wit'out yo' knowin' it. Well she takes 'er stockin' an' while yo' sleep, she puts it ovah yore nose, see, an' yo'll nevah wake up until she come back an' move dat stockin'.
Entry 7160
Sock - kin take a sock. A SOCK FER TRUE HAVE COME DOWN FROM HISTORY. If yo' kin take a stockin' an' if a person is asleep - has plenty of money - yo' kin take it an' lay it, yo' sleepin', an' heah: s yore nose heah, an' yo' kin lay it right dere in fron' of yore nose. AN' YO' KIN TRY IT ANY TIME YO' WANTA, AN' YO' WOULDN'T WAKE UP. Ah kin be right dere when yo' woke up. Well ah been out de house, done been evahwhere, an' ah'll come back an' yo' sleepin' right on. An' den ah'll come dere an' take dat sock, an' soon as yo' commence drawin' long breaths, ah'll remove dat sock. Look lak yo' sawin' inside - look lak a saw. Minute dat sock is gone yo' don't heah dat. Reckon ah'll shake yo' an' wake yo' up, but ah done got whut chew got an' gone wit it. Done carried it somewheah, but ah wake yo' up. Me an' yo' lay down tuhgethah. Yo' couldn't sweah ah took it. Well, yo say dere's nobody else in de house but us two. How could it be gone? Well, if yo' didn't know, [who knows]?
Entry 7161
Well, dey always say, dat if a man asleep an' yo' wan' 'im tuh sleep till yo' come back, take yore [his] dirty socks an' hang 'em ovah de head of 'is bed an' he sleep till yo' git back. Take one of 'is dirty socks, de right foot, as neah as yo' kin see. Yo' kin see how de toe is printed in de sock. Yo' take dat sock an' yo' hang it ovah de head of de bed.an if he sleepin', he sleep till yo' come back.
Entry 7162
Well, she could take her undahweah an' jis' put it up ovah de head of de bed. Or eithah take a sock - her stockin', yo' know, a dirty stockin' an' tie three knots around it - like he's layin' in de bed, see, an' jis' lay it right cross 'is neck. AH (She takes her dirty stocking, and it has three knots in it, and puts it right around his neck?) Jis' lay it right ovah 'is neck [demonstrates]. (She puts the three knots right on his throat, and just lays it right over his neck. And he won't wake up until she gets back?) Until she gits back an' unloose de stockin'.
Entry 7163
Dey kin git de footbo'd or de headbo'd at least an' come an' put it undah yore house an' yo' can't wake up. (You can't wake up? Why would they put that under the house to keep you asleep?) Dey put yo' tuh sleep lak de dead man is. (Why would they put you to sleep? What was their idea of doing that?) De idea tuh put chew to sleep, den yo' nevah wake up.
(Oh, this is to kill you.)
Entry 7164
Take dat an' put 'em undahneat' chore house in de midnight, but yo got'a do dat on de young moon. An' take one of dem headbo'ds an' bring 'em an' put 'em, right jis' lak it wus yore bed here, an' shove 'em undahneat' dere. If yo' wanted tuh git up in de maw- nin' on time, YO' WOULD SLEEP AN' SLEEP UNLESSEN SOMEBODY WOULD WAKE YO'. Yo' can't - yo' wanta git up but choo can't. Yo' go back tuh sleep.
Entry 7165
Take some graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it ovah de house. Dat will put 'em fast asleep, dey say. Ah nevah experienced it but ah jis' heard whut dey would say.
(You mean it would put this man asleep?)
Puts 'im fast asleep an' she kin git up an' go jis' where she wanta.
(Where does she sprinkle that stuff?)
Sprinkle it ovah yore house.
(Oh, all around the house - inside the house.)
Yeah.
Entry 7166
She'll go in de graveyard an' git 'er a li'le graveyard dust an' use it. An' when she come back she take it from undah dere an' he wake up. (Oh, you do the same thing if a woman wants to step out, put that graveyard dirt underneath the bed.
Entry 7167
Git a li'le graveyard dirt an' put on a person, an' when yo' put it on 'em - git a li'le graveyard dirt an' carry it, tie it up real tight, an' put it up undah de pillah an' let 'em sleep on it at night. An' if he's got a wife an' 'is wife wanted tuh go out, she could put it up undah dere an' let 'im go tuh sleep. If he's got whiskey in 'im or anythin' - anythin' at all lak whiskey on 'im, she kin go on off an' stay jis' long as she wanta. An' when she comes back she'll pull it out an' he wakes up.
(That is to keep him asleep while she is gone.)
Entry 7168
Take graveyard dust...sprinkle it...over your hair...that will make you sleep.
Entry 7169
A woman kin have her husban' an' jis' go - it's lak he's workin' at night, an' he be here sleepin' an' she may wanta go off, yo' see, wit some other man or somepin othah. An' she - aftah he goes tuh sleep, she wan's tuh keep 'im asleep. She kin take a plate an' a knife an' fork, an' put it undah de head of dat bed right dere. De knife an' fork cross- ed in de plate undah de head of de bed. She kin put a candle undah de foot of dat bed an' light it, an' take her shimmy or 'er petticoat or somepin lak dat, an' hang it right up ovah 'is face - say prob'ly eight or ten inches from 'is face. An' he'll be sleepin' right dere when she come back home an' wake him up. He won' even wake up while she's gone. She be gone all day an' he'll sleep all day.
(She puts the candle on the foot of the bed?)
Yes, sir, puts de candle right on de foot. Yes, sir, he'll sleep.
(A candle of any particular color or just any kind of candle?)
Oh, jis' git dese big white - two for a nickel candles. [This was back in 1937 during the Great Depression!] Go dere an' buy a candle.
(All right, I see.)
See, she's going tuh make it back dere befo' dat candle goes out.
(I see.)
NOW, DIS IS BY EXPERIENCE. I SAW MAH BROTHAH'S WIFE DO DIS. See. An' she tol' me, say, "Brothah, he don' wan' me tuh go up tuh 'is mothah, " she say, "an' ah'm goin' an' ah know whut tuh do tuh keep 'im asleep." I SAY, "WELL, DO ANY- THIN' YO' WANTA DO ONLY DON'T KILL 'IM." An' ah sits dere an' looked at 'er do dis an' ah walked out an' set on dose row boats right ovah dere across de river in Bellpoint 'till she come back. An' when she come back, I come on ovah dere an' meet 'er an' went in de house, an' de candle done burned down about dat much [demonstrates]. An' he jis' alayin' dere dead to de world. An' she did all dem thin's.
(What did you say? Bell - where is that?)
Bellpoint. It's a li'le small town jis' across de rivah.
(Over in Louisiana?)
Yes, sir - tothah [the other] end of de bridge.
(I see.)
Entry 7170
[This is my resume' of rite transcriber failed to copy.] "Cross knife and fork under his pillow or under mattress. Shimmy over head. Broom stood in corner with brush part up. Keep asleep."
Entry 7171
Yo' take three matches an' cross 'em undah 'is haid - right up undah 'is haid. He'll sleep right dere until she come back an' move dose matches.
Entry 7172
I have heard them say sometimes you [a woman] take a lady's difficulty and put it under a man's nose [while he sleeps] and he won't wake up until she removes it. And she can get this money and do anything.[Ocean City, Md., Ediphone.]
Money is a reported opportunity in a hearsay account, not a required material or a verified result.
Entry 7173
De ministratin' rag an' put it undah- neat' de mattress where he sleep at, an' den take a nightgown or sompin an' throw in 'is face.
(What will that do?)
Den she kin go out an' stay out all night long an' come in de nex' mawnin'. She kin stay out all mawnin' too, from whut ah heard.
Entry 7174
Well, yo' kin place three names, yo' undahstand. Take it an' put it in 'is pajamas ovah 'is heart, an' he'll sleep sound until de nex' mawnin', slap [right to the moment] until yo' come back an' wake 'im up tuh git dat [piece of paper with the names] outa his pajamas. (What three names do you use?) Any three names dat choo know personal. Dose three names jis' lak yo' said John, Henry, Mary or Jane, anythin' lak dat. Yo' write it down on a piece of papah. Excuse me, ah'll show yo' how's it [how it's] done [demonstrates]. [Here I probably push my Numbers Book (numbers of inform- ants) over to speaker.] Oh! Ah kin show yo' here. Yo' see, write de three names; one dere, one dere, an' one dere. Den yo' fold it an' put it jis' ovah in 'is pocket dere, or if he is sleepin' in pajamas or undahsuit, or anythin' lak dat. Jis' lak yo' be playin' wit 'im an' slip in 'is, intuh where it would git ovah 'is heart. He'll go off tuh sleep. An' den he won't wake until yo' come back. [I suggest that these 3 names could originally have been the 3 Holy Names.]
Entry 7175
Write his name three times an' take it an' stick it into his shoe an' put it under his head.
Entry 7176
Yo' know de time de snake's sheddin', yo' know, well yo' kin take an' use his shed an' grind it up into powdahs - right fine powdah-lak dust an' sprinkle it roun' in yore hat. He'll jis' make yo' sleep all de time.
Entry 7177
A man say, fo' an' instan', if he got a wife an' he wan'a go out at night an' wan'a keep 'er home. Well, say fo' instan', if de night is real hot, she will perspire. Ah do dis now mahself. Well, ah tell yo' jis' lak yo' come tuh me dis way. Well, all right. Yo' go home now an' sleep wit chore wife, sleep on one side of de baid. Now, heah's whut chew wan' do in case if yo' wan' chure wife tuh stay home at night. Like yo' wan'a go out an' have a nice time or go out wit some othah woman, maybe. In othah words, yo' won wanta hurt 'er or anythin' but chew goin' out. All right. Well, now, yo' let 'er sleep on one side of de baid fo' three nights an' be shore she slept dere long enough so dat puspire [perspiration] would go through de mattress. In othah words, her scent go through de mattress an' git into de cotton. Well, natchly [naturally], yo' know, she git up an' yo' tell 'er tuh go fix breakfas' - anythin', jis' tuh git 'er out de room fo' a short uhile. An' when she do dat yo' git a small 'mount of de cotton - not a big piece, jis' a small 'mount.
(How do you get that?)
Well, YO' JIS' SPLIT DE MATTRESS, an' yo' jis' take yore fingahnail an' jis' do lak dat on de mattress. Quite natchel [natural] de lint'll come up jis' fas' as yo' do dat. Well, when it come up lak dat, yo' jis' git a small 'mount of it. In othah words, sompin 'bout lak dat. Den yo' brings it tuh yo' place, den yo' puts it in a piece of wool cloth, see. An' aftah yo' put it in a piece of wool, sew it up, an' go up undah de house in de same direction where she sleeps an' bury it. In case, maybe, it's a house dat a li'le on de ground, sometimes - say fo' instan' lak she sleeps heah [in house where we were sitting], yo' can't git up undah heah. Well, yo' kin git roun' de house on dat side dere, an' put it on dat side tuh de restin' of 'er haid. Maybe she sleep tuh both end, but one end of de baid she sleep tuh mo' den de othah one. Put it tuh dat end. An' den she'll continue tuh stay home until yo' come back. An' de minute yo' git in de bed she wakes up. Long as yo' stay out she'll always sleep. (In other words, all you have to do is to get some of this cotton out of the mattress and bury it under the house, under where she sleeps, and that'll keep her asleep while you are out?) Dat's right.
Entry 7178
If she has connection wit 'im an' take her a towel - use a towel an' hang it ovah de baid an' she kin go an' he'll sleep dere till she comes back.
(But she has connection with him first though? Then she hangs that towel over his head?)
Yes.
Entry 7179
She kin take a dishrag an' wet it fairly good wit 'er chamber lye an' slip it intuh de pillah or de cotton where he really sleeps on. An', why he'll go in dere [the cotton he sleeps on]. Well, de fac' [fact] about it, stay in dere. An' he'll nevah come out regardless tuh whut she even doin' on de outside. Let i sleep dere till daylight.
(He's going to sleep while she's gone out?)
Yes sir.
Entry 7180
Take an' cross 'is han's across 'is breast.
(Cross his hands across his breast when he's asleep?)
Yes, sir, an' take a li'le bottle of watah. Yo' cross ovah 'im, step all ovah 'im an' he'll stay asleep fo' hours. Jis' take dat li'le bottle of watah an' set it somewhere neah de head, anywhere near his head. Dat keeps 'im asleep.
Entry 7181
An' dey kin [go] right straight along ag'in, an' yo' kin go tuh sleep. An' yo' have any money, yo' kin go tuh sleep, an' if ah kin git tuh yo' - yo' done dead tuh de worl' when yo' drop tuh sleep. Dere's dis han' layin' on de kivah [cover], dis han' - dere's de right han' [demonstrates]. De lef han' is jis' lak dat [demonstrates]. An' yo' sleep dere till ah git anythin' dat ah want in yo' home.
(What do you do with that left hand?)
Git a basin of watah - an' yo' be sleepin' now - an' set it right side de baid an' lay yo' han' in it jis' lak dat [demonstrates] in yo' sleep, an' yo' sleep right on dere until dey git jis' whut de wants. Den when dey gits whut dey wants, dey'll make a li'le racket an' throw de watah out an' yo'll wake up. Ah knowdat, mahself.
Entry 7182
She could take her step-ins an' hang 'em up ovah de head of de bed. Wash 'em an' hang 'em up ovah de head of de bed an' put 'is han' down in a cold pan of watah. He'll sleep dere until she come back. (She must wash those things first?) No sir, jis' hang 'em. An' den she kin take her undah- Weah an' spread 'em ovah 'is face, an' put 'is han' in a cold pan of watah an' he'll tell evahthin' he done dat night.
Entry 7183
Take some clear water an' put it underneath of his bed, while he's sleepin', an' see he won't be able to wake up.
Entry 7184
Take de watah an' sweeten it an' have salt in it an' set it by de bed, an' he'll stay asleep until yo' come back. (You put each of these in a separate thing or?) No, yo' put a little watah in a little bottle eithah a little glass an' set it undah yore bed. Dat'll keep 'im asleep.
Entry 7185
Yo' kin take yore drawahs, yore bloomahs, an' hang 'em ovah de head of de bed, an' yo' take a pint of watah an' yo set de pint of watah down tuh de foot of de bed. Den yo' kin go on out an' go anywhere yo' Wanta, an' come back in an he's still asleep, 'cuz ah've tried it.
Entry 7186
Git chew some whiskey, some anvil dust an' vinegah jis' where he lay down. Yo' lay down wit 'im an' leave it up undah 'is bed, an' he won't wake until yo' come. Jis' undah de bed. [Memphis, Tenn., (949), 1530:15.] [This fifth and final subsection of section FOLK MEDICINE gathers fragments either from doctors themselves or from patients or their relatives or friends talking about doctors. Actually, similar fragments scattered throughout Hoodoo, show that many of these brief statements could have been placed elsewhere.]
Entry 7187
Yo' uses High John an' yo' uses five fingahs grass an' yo' make charms outa dem, an' den yo' put lodestone all on dat. An' if yo'd make a seal an' wear dat - when yo' read parts of de Bible. "Co'se [of course] dat's de way a lotta people do, but ah go by de Bible. See, whut ah do, ah based on de Bible - prayahs, see, an' sech. [The preceding word charm rarely appears in Hoodoo. For the word seal, see SEALS AND HANDS, p.643 and elsewhere.]
(How would you use this High John and five finger grass?)
Oh, yo' jis' put it in a li'le bag.
(Put it in a little bag and that piece of lodestone with it?)
Yes. An' den put it wit - wet it wit dis lodestone perfume, yo' see, an' weab it.
(And what about the seal?)
Or yo' kin weah a seal. De seals are made outa de Six an' Seven Books of Moses. (And then what do they do with this little bag they wear? That is something separate again, isn't it?) Dis li'le bag, dat's somepin sep'rate.
(What do you wear this little bag for?)
Dat's fo' pertection [protection]. An' prayah too. All de othah [people] weah a prayah. Prayah'll pertect chew too.
(What kind of prayer do you use while you are wearing that bag?)
Well, yo' kin weah a prayah at any time [not only while wearing that bag]. Yo' kin weah a prayah outa de Bible, de 91 Psalms on parchment papah. An' yo' have it wit certain kinds of ink. Yo' write dese prayahs outa de book of de 91 Psalm; mos' any prayah dat's suitable. An' yo' weah dat prayah all de time an' God'll pertec' chew. Yo' kin even put a prayah behind - on parchment - put it behin' jore do' an' no one cain't come an' do yuh any harm. (You say they have to write with certain kinds of ink. Can you tell what kinds of ink they have to use to write that?) Well, ah fergit de kinda ink. Dey have reg'lah ink fo' dat. Ah tell yuh - dove's blood.
(Do you get the blood from a dove or do you buy this?)
Well, yo' cain't very well git it from a dove, yo' have tuh buy dat. See, EVAHBODY CAIN'T GIT DOSE THIN'S. DEY SEN' TUH CERTAIN PLACES.
[Is dove's blood ordinary or special red ink with a dove label on bottle?]
(They send to some firm.)
An' git dose thin's an' dey even make dose parchments. (What firm do you buy these things from? Do you happen to know the name of any firm? There were several down in Memphis and one in Chicago.) Ah know one in Chicago.
(What one do you know there?)
AH DON'T LAK TUH CALL DESE NAMES, AH DON'T KNOW WHETHAH AH'D BE DOIN' RIGHT DEN.
(Oh, I'd just send and get a catalog, that's all.)
Well, de Lawrence [Laurence]. (What is their address? What street do they work on? State Street?) [A penciled note of mine, made soon after the transcription was typed, reads: Use with caution. Later I write in red ink: How cautious I was in the earlier days of collecting!!! This informant is O.K. (signed) H. M. H.]