quarts of whisky all the time and you have ter drink a little with her;
sides that she cusses nearly every word she speaks; but don't let that
scare you; she will sho get your son up if it kin be done.' Sho nuff
that old 'oman did jest lak Mrs. Yaney said she would do. She had a
harsh voice and she spoke right snappy. When she let me in she said,
'sit down. You lak whisky?' I said, well, I take a little dram
sometimes. 'Well, here take some of this', she said. I poured a little
bit and drank it kinda lak I wuz afraid. She cussed and said 'I ain't go
conjure you. Drink it.' She got the cards and told me to cut 'em, so I
did. Looking at the cards, she said: 'You like ter wait too long; they
got him marching to the cemetery. The poor thing! I'll fix those devils.
(A profane word was used instead of devils). He got a knot on his side,
ain't he?' Yes, Mam, I said. That 'oman told me everything that was
wrong with Albert and zackly how he acted. All at once she said: 'If
them d----d things had hatched in him it would a been too late. If you
do zackly lak I tell you I'll get him up from there.' I sho will, I told
her. 'Well, there's a stable south east of his house. His house got
three rooms and a path go straight to the stable. I see it there where
he hangs his harness. Yes, I see it all, the devils! Have you got any
money?' Yes, mam, a little, I said. 'All right then,' she said. 'Go to
the drug store and get 5c worth of blue stone; 5c wheat bran; and go ter
a fish market and ask 'em ter give you a little fish brine; then go in
the woods and get some poke-root berries. Now, there's two kinds of
poke-root berries, the red skin and the white skin berry. Put all this
in a pot, mix with it the guts from a green gourd and 9 parts of red
pepper. Make a poultice and put to his side on that knot. Now, listen,
your son will be afraid and think you are trying ter do something ter
him but be gentle and persuade him that its fer his good.' Child, he sho
did act funny when I told him I wanted to treat his side. I had ter tell
him I was carrying out doctors orders so he could get well. He reared
and fussed and said he didn't want that mess on him. I told him the
doctor says you do very well till you go ter the horse lot then you go
blind and you can't see. He looked at me. 'Sho nuff, Ma,' he said, 'that
sho is the trufe. I have ter always call one of the chillun when I go
there cause I can't see how ter get back ter the house.' Well, that
co