Subject:Pokeberry

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Entry 6865

Volume 4 · printed page 3134 · Washington, D. C.

Chip poke salad root fine, wear in shoes for arthritis. [This is my original transcription of informant's statement made soon after it was collected. I identify informant by the words woman sells roots. Here I am listening to a woman who had been selling roots in the public market for years, who had even appeared in a newspaper article, and I took down none of her story, only a few brief remarks about cures! One of the men interviewed was a professional root digger, the man who supplied her with roots! I still failed to realize that my mission should be life itself, not brief beliefs arranged and numbered neatly on a printed page. But soon New Orleans would improve my vision and purpose.

Related subjects: Pokeweed

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Entry 6866

Volume 4 · printed page 3134–3135 · Mobile, Ala.

(You do what?)

Well, yo' take it an' git chew some...

(This bluestone.)

[Informant had said bluestone before I turned on recording machine.]

Bluestone, & an' fish brine an' pork [poke] salad root.

(What kind of root?)

Pork salad root.

(Pork [poke] salad root.)

Pork [poke]... (The kibitzer offers P-O-L-K salad root).

[For this parenthesis see comment later.]

She said polk [poke] salad root.

(Polk salad root.)

An' put it all [in] de watah tuhgethah, an' bathe in it; an' if yo' hurt dat'll take a spell off yuh.

(I see.)

[The preceding parenthesis concerning the kibitzer a person breaking into the conversation with advice or correction is a comment by my transcriber as follows: The kibitzer offers P-O-L-K salad root. Before transcriber discovered word polk, she thought the word sounded like pork and she was not exactly wrong. Many of my informants would have called pork, pōk. Transcriber even transcribes me as saying pork salad root, and later polk salad root. I corrected this on the original transcription, then decided to let the mistake remain. The proof that I was familiar with pokeberry, pokeweed and poke-root-salad - before I interviewed at Mobile in 1938 - will be found in the INDEX of FACI, 1st ed., 1935. There under Poke (berry), so printed, p.707, vill be found 15 entries: Do not gather pokeberries in June...poisonous (1286, p.56); poke root salve for cow's cake bag (2165, p.100); same salve good for coman's caked breasts (2641, p.128); poke roots for warts (4202-4203, p.200), cook poke roots with greens as spring tonic (4585, p.221); poke root tea cures itch (4647, p.224); poke root tea for skin disease (5025, p.244); poke berries, leaves, stems and roots for rheumatism (5362-5367, p.263f.); and pokeberry tea for epilepsy (5731, p.285). This plant has been defined as "a coarse American perennial herb (Phytolacca americana) etc." Actually, under proper growing con- ditions, the racemose white flowers, then dark purple juicy berries, and finally the beautifully colored autumn leaves make this Weed a rare and beautiful sight! Berries and roots are emetic and purgative, the latter really poisonous, but the young shoots off the large main root, carrot-shaped and 4 or more inches wide at the top, were eaten by American pioneers and are still used.]

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Entry 576

Volume 1 · printed page 186–187 · Near Fredericksburg, Va.

I know a fellow, a schoolmate of mine down in King George [County, Virginia], he worked in New Jersey years ago and most everyone took him to be a cunjure and fortune-teller, which he was not. But his father was a Southerner from Louisiana and he [the son] also believed in cunjuration. And while he worked in New Jersey, it was an old colored family and the old man was sick, and someone told him about this man that came from Virginia who was supposed to be a cunjure. And this [supposed] cunjure didn't like to work hard and he thought he would make some easy money. So he went to the home of this old family and had a talk with the old man, and he was convinced that he also believed in cunjuration. And after he talked with them awhile, he said he could cure the old man. The old man was sick. After he found out they believed in him, he went to work and he said he could cure him for fifty dollars and put the spell back on the woman who put it on him. So he went away that night and came back another dark night. Being very late at night, he planted a bottle under the doorsill containing button hooks [hooks and eyes] and needles and pins, and he had a coloring, some liquid in a bottle. He hid it under the doorsill and came back another night. So the next night he brought with him a simlin [or simling] gourd [= simnel, a squash in U. S. A.] which he had sawed in two and sealed up with a live frog inside. And then he told the man he would tell him in a few moments what was wrong. If no one hadn't thrown a hand [Throw for, in Indexl at him, he did not want his money. So the old map was satisfied. Then he laid the gourd before the fireplace with the live frog inside and says, "Gourd, gourd, you have never lied to me, and don't lie to me tonight." Then he put his hand acrost his eyes and he said, "If anything is wrong, move, move, move," three times, of [on] which the frog began to get warm. He [the frog] was a little slow in moving so he [conjurer] stood up [closer to the fire]. And he knew the gourd was going to move because the frog was inside. By that time the gourd got hot and the frog made one jump. And he said, "Move again." And the gourd moved. And said, "Move again." The gourd moved off the fireplace between the old man's legs that was sick. He was setting in a chair. And he says, "Mister, I told my wife I was cunjured. Now I know it and you know it." So he told the cunjure the money was ready whenever he would cure him. So the cunjure said it would take about three weeks, because the person that put the spell on him was a far off. So the cunjure went home that night knowing that he had some easy money coming. He went in the woods the next day and got some pokeberry roots and red oak bark and saxafras [sassafras] roots and cooked it together and made a tea, which is got for rheumatism, [I] don't care how [long] standing, because his father cured himself with the very same remedy. So he came back three days later to the old man's home and brought a pint of this tea that he had made, and told him to take a tablespoonful three times a day before each meal, which he did. And inside of one week he was feeling much better. And the following Sunday this cunjure came back to see how the old man was. And the old man said, "Boy, I'm feeling fine. Come over one night next week and I will give you half of the money." The cunjure didn't wait a week. He came back the third day with another pint and told him to double the dose, which the old man did. And at the end of the second week the old man's rheumatism was gone. And instead of giving him twenty-five dollars he gave him fifty and just spread his name abroad. And the cunjure still lives today and said he made over three-hundred dollars just for this good remedy which his father cured himself. And lots of other people that don't know him go and see him today, for he still lives. He still lives in King George as a cunjure, of which he knows nothing about.

Related subjects: Living frog

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Entry 651

Volume 1 · printed page 220 · Richmond, Va.

You go down in the field and git manure, but you have to git a certain kind of manure. You have to git bull manure, not cow manure. Git that and wrap it in a red handkerchief. He claimed he was tricked. He let someone use his hammer and something they put on his hammer got on his hand and kept him from work. [This proves that he was poisoned.] Some one of these two-headed people that he was dealing with told him he had to git some bull manure. Well, I was jist a boy and they sent me to go git it. I go and git that bull manure and go and git some pokeberry root. Get the he pokeberry root. There's two kinds, a he and a she. The he one is white and the she one is red. The she one has a red skin on it, she come up out the ground. They git that and mix up with this manure together and cook it together and put that on him [his arm] and bind it down. He got so he went to work again.

Related subjects: Roots

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Source passage

printed interview with editorial and production layers · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.

context only; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

I says, "an' when I dress this house," I says, "if it's true," I says, "you will have no trouble."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

An' I goes to work. I goes down to the drug store an' gits me a box of sulphur, goes to the store

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[grocery]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

an' gits me a box of cayenne peppah an' some salt brian. I goes out on the hill.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(What?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Fresh fish salt brian

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[fresh (= unused) brine from salted fish]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

. Gets me botter

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[bottle]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

of vinegar. I goes out dere on the hill an' fields an' I digs mah'erbs. I goes on back an' boils 'em, strip zim

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[strips 'im]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

off, bathe zim from his knees on down.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(What sort of herbs?)

informant · Current interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Whut did I get? Runnin' brier an' pokeberry

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[poke or pokeweed]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

root. An' he's up walkin' an' goin' all up yonder on the railroad track now, pickin' up coal ev'ry mornin' of his life.

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[Theoretically, large lumps of coal fall from an overloaded tender of a steam engine or smaller lumps from coal cars of a freight or coal train; actually, human hands usually assisted the coal. Any walking along tracks was illegal.1

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

An' after no sooner 'an

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[than]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

I got 'im up, the prior

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[proprietor]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

told 'im he wanted his room - he couldn't rent it no longer. An' told 'im he wanted 'im keep me away from there. He

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[proprietor]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

was goin' to these here so-said-to-be cunjures an' gettin' dus'

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[dust]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

an' stuff, an' I found stuff 'tween the mat- tresses

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[while]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

he

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[proprietor]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

out at work. So after I cut mah cards an' find out where de stuff was, why I went on an' get it.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(What do you mean cutting your cards?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Cuttin' mah cards? Run a deck of cards. I kin run a deck of cards an' tell anything I want to know. Yes sir.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(What did you want to find out?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Find out where he had it put.

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[Side one continues.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Now listen. I wan'a tell yah. I take a deck of cards an' tell anybody more than they wan'a know. Not only take a deck of cards, I kin take a cup an' tell anybody more than they wants to know.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(I see.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

See.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(Uhuh.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

I'm out of a family - I'm a son of a mother that could even down-tell

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[out- tell]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

you - she walk in here an' call your name, tell you where you live, tell you the number of your house, how many children you had, whether your wife was livin' or not, w'a' kin'a hair she had, how old she was, W'a' her name is. That's the kin'a mother I had.

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[Side one will continue later.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(Where did she live?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Greensboro, South Carolina. That's where I come from. I come from there where it

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[root working and allied practices]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

is known to be the very best dey is goin'. Yes sir, yes sir.

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[Side one continues.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

An' I don't care w'a' kin'a spell's on a person or how a person is sufferin', I kin walk in the house, I'll be in the house five minutes - not only that, I don' haft, I don't har'ly even, don' haf to ast a person. I kin walk along the street an' lbok at a person an' tell w'uther they's hurt or not.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(Uhuh. Is there anything about their appearance, their face or anything that.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

Well, I tell yuh. A person of that kind kin see it.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

(Oh, I see.

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

[You]

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 936

see it.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Yes sir. A person of that kind kin see it - a person of, like myself. You see.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(I see.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

I knows, you see.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(Uhuh. I see.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

I knows. An' then on top of my knowin', I know whut to do to break it up

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[End of side one.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

- whut to cure it.

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[The last four words are on the cylinder but not on the record.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

An' then on top of that

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[there is]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

sich a things as they call this here witch'ry. You believe in witch'ry?

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(I've heard about it but I don't know. I have never had any experience. I don't know whether to believe in it or not.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[This was about the best answer I could have given to his difficult question. If I had answered, "You believe in witchery, therefore it exists for you; but I do not believe in witchery, therefore it does not exist for me, except in that it exists for you" - if I had so answered, would his second question have followed?]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Well, did

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[do]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

you believe in there

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[is]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

sich a thing as a witch?

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(Well, I don't know.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Well, there is sich a thing as a witch.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(There're the things that ride you, aren't they?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Yes sir.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(How do you keep them from riding you?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Well, you kin take a pair of scissors an' put underneath your head or you kin take a new piece of lumber an' put it underneath your head

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[the latter being unusual]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

(What are these witches?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Well, I'll tell you. A witch is a person that has sold herself to the devil an' he comes in a spirishal

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[spiritual]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

way. See, jis' like you has got your mind on a home wheresomever you live, you worry about your parents, your people, your brother or your father or your wife or your sweetheart or your mother or your daughter an' they rest upon you - in your mind - why it's quite nach'al

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[natural]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

fer something to have happened to 'em an' directly they feel it. You kin feel it. You see, you kin feel the burdens of it. Well, the same way with a person dat's so deeply into anything an' 'twill follow 'em in their sleep. Have you read any such or in your travels? Haven't you already see

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[seen]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

the future out of your work in your sleep?

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[Side two begins.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

Well, that's the way that is. So then, on top of being so interested in it, self confidence is the best of all. Self confident. I walks in a house - if I had someone to send I would go an' say - I could send fo' 'er. I walked in a house up here on Catherine Street in thirty-five

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[1935]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

dat people had come from Petersburg

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[Virginia]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

over here that wus suppose to be root doctors - it's no better than Florence Turner. Dr. E. Turner ou' chere

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[out here]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

wus her doctor. He walked in the house - she'd taken sick. He walked in the house an' ast that

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

[whether]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

she had caused her little boy to call 'im. He said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

"Florence,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

"w'a's the mattah?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

She says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

"I don't know, doctor,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

she says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

"I'm so sick I don't know w'a' to do."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

The doctor looked at 'er. He question 'er an' all. He says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

"I think you've got broken-down nerves."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 937

I saw Florence's sickness that night - she got up five o'clock an' went out with a friend of hers.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

(What was really wrong with her?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

Well, I'll tell yuh - an' so I 'us at mah home. I gets up the nex' mornin', at duh breakvust table, an' tole mah

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[female]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

frien' w'a' I seed in mah sleep. I says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"An' tell Florence when she come to don't go out with"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

- I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"tell Florence when she gets up to don't go out with."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Florence an' Henry are gone out."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She said dat Florence an' Henry lef' here at five o'clock this mormin' I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Well, jes' as sure as God's still in heaven,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Florence is gon'a git 'er dose."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

Den, I went on mah job at work in the coalyard. They brought her in home nine o'clock dat mornin' unconscious. I came in

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[after work]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

to mah supper. She wus rollin' to me. I walks in the room - Dr. Turner'll tell yuh the same thing - I walked in the room an' tol' 'em, I says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Doctor,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee as represented in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"there ain't no need of writin' Florence no 'scription. Florence is poison.

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

The doctor turn aroun' to me, jis' like this here, says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Doctor in the recounted Florence exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Doctor in the recounted Florence exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

How do you know?

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Doctor in the recounted Florence exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee as represented in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I saw it last night.

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[This is my only example of a doctor and doctor confronting each other. It happens in the presence of the doctor's patientl]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I.sit right down side de bed

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[aping the doctor]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

an' tole huh

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[her]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

, ev'ry- where day'd went - I's mah house 'sleep in bed - tole her whut kin'a woman serve de table, how she set, where an' how the glasses wus. She said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Well, God knows, you shore must'a seen somepin,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

she said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"cuz God knows,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

she said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"it's true."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Well, all right,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"now sen' an' git him, sen' an' git chore frien' down here on Secon' an' Canal - South Secon' Street."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She sent an' got 'im. When he come in - he wus about an hour comin' - he come in, he said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Florence, whut's the mattah?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I'm sick."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

He said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Uh,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

he said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"anything that I kin do?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"No."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I got some medicine, a 'scription here,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

she say,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"you got any money to fill it?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

He say,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I'll git some."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

He gits in the car an' goes to the bank an' gits money, come back, fill the 'scription. He

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[doctor]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

gives 'er a dose of that medicine an' made it worser.

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[End of side two.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[Side three begins.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I tole 'im, I says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Don't give 'er no more medicine,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

I says,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I'll take 'er case up mah ownself."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

She's right over here on Catherine Street - I mean on Williams Street, in ten- hunderd block. She'll tell you the same words tonight. I kin go an' call 'er up out of 'er bed. Ev'rybody roun' there tell you who cause her to be livin' today. I went an' got mah stuff an' fixed it for 'er an' I got groun' puppies out of 'er. I got things out of 'er looked like fish lice. You ever see fish lice?

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

(Yes.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

Made mah tea from mah runnin'-brier root. Got mah grain

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[green]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

gourd seed - guts out of a grain gourd. Went up here on Windsors

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

[?]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 938

Farm, paid seventy-five cent fo' one quart of black-cow milk - milk whilest it's hot. Brought it back an' give it to 'er, after I give 'er d'other medicine. An' she jis' as helpless as a newborn baby, couldn't raise her han', an' wus scared to death, scramblin', tryin' to git out de bed. Think ah'm tellin' a lie? Ah'll git me a car and drive ovah dere an' prove it to you. There's another fellah live right chere on Moore Street below me - use to, he

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

don't live there now - call 'im John Ham. John Ham, whut been sick, claimed to have the rheumatism. Him an' his aunt had spent ovah three-hunderd dollahs on 'im. So I tole 'im, I said, one day out dere I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"John Ham, ''

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

there ain't a thing in the worl

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"'

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

- he's showin' me about his leg - I say,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

they ain't a thing in the worl' but some of your womenfolks have put a spell on you.

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

He said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

Look, don' choo know I done been all down South

editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

[where the good doctors are]

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

.

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

He said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

You believe in that mess?

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I boun' to believe in that mess when I do's that mess.

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I kin cure yuh.

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

He call me Lin all the time, yuh see.

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

Kin yuh, Lin?

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person called John Ham in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Interviewee speaking in the recounted exchange; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

Yeah."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

(What did he call you?)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

He call me Lin.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

(Lin.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

Mah name is Lindsay, but he call me Lin jis fo' a short name.

interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

(I see.)

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

Say,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"Kin you Lin?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

He said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"How much you charge me to cure me?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"I'll tell you what I do."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

He said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"What?"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"I'll go here in the hills an' git the stuff an' I'll make you up some tea,"

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"an' I'll drinks a cupful of it mahself to show you that it's not poison, of the same tea."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

I said,

reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Speaker quoted in the local account; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

"I'll make you up a quart of this tea, then I'll give you a bath three times a week."

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

[End of side three.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

[Side four begins.]

informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

context only; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 939

An' when his sistah came - I wus livin' the third do' from 'em - when his sistah came, he tole 'er about it. She said, "The doctor sayed you got plume-itary rheumatism." I said, "Well, I don't care whut the doctor says," I said, "the doctah tells a lie." She said, "Whut!" I said, "De doctah tells a lie." She looked at me as hard, "Huh!" Turn aroun', says, "You ain't no damn doctah." Dem's her words - de's of his sistah - said, "You ain't no damn doctah." His mothah is name Lil. An' his aunt stand' on the porch, she says, "Don't talk like that," say, "you don't know who you talkin' tuh." Kin'a 'fraid of me. I tole 'er, "You damn right, choo don't know to who you are talking." I said, "Bein'st you don't - bein'st I'm no damn doctah," I said, "if Lil says for me to cure 'im," I says, "I'll cure 'im," I said, "an' prove to you tha' I - tha' choo don't know whut choo talkin' about." Lil said, "Well, Lindsay," says, "if John Ham wan' choo to try an' cure him," said, "you can't do 'im no more harm than w'at he is," said, "cause he can't eat nuthin, ev'rything he eats comes back on 'im, he jis' goes crazy with his head, he can't sleep at night, an' he's down on his crutches here an' he can't - he's jis' helpless to hisself, an' I got to work." I says, "In eighteen days I'll have John Ham ou' chere playin' ball." I said, "I'm your black Jesus." Told 'im jis' like that an' laffed at 'im, patted 'im in his chest. I said, "I'm your black Jesus." I said, "God above my God an' your God, too." I said, "Well, I'm your earthly Jesus." An' he laff an' he said, "Well."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 936

"an' when I dress this house,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 936

"if it's true,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 936

"you will have no trouble."

Nested source context: continuing window edge · Vol. 2, p. 936

I says, "an' when I dress this house," I says, "if it's true," I says, "you will have no trouble."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 937

"Florence,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 937

"w'a's the mattah?"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 937

"I don't know, doctor,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 937

"I'm so sick I don't know w'a' to do."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 937

"I think you've got broken-down nerves."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"An' tell Florence when she come to don't go out with"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"tell Florence when she gets up to don't go out with."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Florence an' Henry are gone out."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Well, jes' as sure as God's still in heaven,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Florence is gon'a git 'er dose."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Doctor,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Well, God knows, you shore must'a seen somepin,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"cuz God knows,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"it's true."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Well, all right,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"now sen' an' git him, sen' an' git chore frien' down here on Secon' an' Canal - South Secon' Street."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Florence, whut's the mattah?"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I'm sick."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Uh,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"anything that I kin do?"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"No."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I got some medicine, a 'scription here,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"you got any money to fill it?"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I'll git some."

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"Don't give 'er no more medicine,"

Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 2, p. 938

"I'll take 'er case up mah ownself."