Subject:Palmistry
Entries
Entry 595
To begin with in that I have been abnormally mistreated by. superstition what we call hoodoism. See. Well, in that my family was torn to pieces and I was just wrecked and jest now recovering from that. Now, when it come ah went to a hand reader to read mah hand. (Where did you go - here in town?) Yes - she read my hand - a white lady, and she told me of dese things without coming in contact with any of them. Being a minister I found what she said about people being torn in mah congregation - I found that to be true. She told me that I wouldn't be able to get along with 'em - ah found that true. Now, ah been married three times. This wife I have now - ah was told that they did not want me to have her, and hear say to de cause and de reason why they did not ["want me to have her"] and what they done to prevent me from her and have her return back home. Ah married her against her people's consent - they didn't want me to have her. Then they put in to take her from me and to kill me - that was, she said, because of my age, you see. They wanted me out of de way so she could come back home, and in that they give me all kind of trouble. A friend of mine, who was in my church at dat time, somehow or another got onto it and told me it was best for me to go see about it mahself. I'd done got into a kind of a wreck some way - my mind wasn't nuthin' and ah couldn't remember nor think nuthin' long - couldn't do no one thing completely - ah'd start and stop. (What did this woman do to tell you to get rid of this? Did they tell you what to do?) They told me what to do and give me something to protect myself - ah kin show you some of the things now - got 'em in my pocket. See 'em [he shows them]. (This white woman gave you this to carry ~ a white fortune-teller - a hand- reader?) Yes - a reader of cards. (It's a little tin box with - it's a large quinine capsule with red powder of some sort in there. Do you know what is in there?) No, ah don't.
(What is that supposed to do - you carry that?)
Well, that is supposed to give me success and prosperity and get by. Now, this dime was given - she told me to get a dime and put in mah pocket and handle it as much as ah could fo' three days. Now, it wasn't as colored as it is now, and at that time it was real bright as you could see. And she said whatever they Was trying to do, the dime would ketch it and turn like a copper cent. And sure as I sit here today and tell you, this is the same dime - only it jest like a copper cent. And den again, I could tell just as good when the thing was going to strike me and was on me, as I can tell I'm sitting here.
(How can you tell that?)
By mah feet - by de way ah felt, and I had kind of strikes in mah toes - big toes, each one of them - and I couldn't hardly stand the blow. Well, I had a strike de side of de head like somebody struck me - it was sore for several days.
[I repeat one thing he said while machine was off for lack of interest:]
(Six people made a wish for you - gave you this bad luck?)
Yes - made a wish fo' me - an' then they was intendin' that ah'd die and mah wife come back home - right heah in dis city. Ah's pastor heah.