Devil tales

by Virginia Frazer Boyle

“Den de new wife she leabe him, ’case when he able ter set up she pick hit outen him dat he kill de black cat des ter pleasure Ole Miss, an’ Keziah don’ want de bad luck, ’case hit de ten-year luck, an’ de Lord on’y know whar hit gwinter stop. An’ las’ly ’Lish were taken wid de miz’ry in de chist. Well, dat las’ pester Ole Miss mightily, an’ she do what she kin fur bofe de ailments. She try ter git dat gal ter go back ter ’Lish—she try ter ’suade her an’ ter buy her, an’ she mek plarsters fur ’Lish’s chist all de time ’dout doin’ any good—fur dat Keziah she lub good luck better ’n she lub ’Lish, an’ de plarsters uv er good ’oman lack Ole Miss cain’t work ’gin de debil.

“Well, twixt all de things dat ’Lish is got an’ ain’ got, he w’ar so po’ly dat he git rale ashy, an’ hit ’pear lack de skin des sticks ter de bones, an’ he set by hisse’f, ’case he hain’t stout ernough ter work none now, an’ talk ter somebody we cain’t see, all de time. He ’low hit follers uv him, an’ set down by him when he goes ter sleep uv nights, an’ ain’ let him git shet uv hit er minute.

“Ole Miss she git de fambly doctor now ter come an’ physic on ’Lish, fur she hear de singin’ ’roun’ ’mongst de niggers, an’ she know what dey think, an’ she feel ’sponsible.

“But hit ’pear lack de doctor mek ’Lish worser, an’ Ole Miss she ’low she ain’ know what ter do.

“Den ’Lish he w’ar so low dat Abe, what were de carpenter, he gib out dat he gwine mek er coffin fur ’Lish, so’s ter be ready fur him when he die, an’ Ole Miss she feel mighty bad, ’case she ’member now de tales her black Mammy usen ter tole her when she were little. Fur er white chile ain’ ebber gwine ter furgit ’em if dey lis’ens ter ’em right an’ dey got er good black Mammy.

“So when Ole Miss an’ de white folks’ doctor des plum gib hit up, Unc’ Cæsar he limp up ter de Big House, wid his white head bare, an’ ax Ole Miss mout he work on ’Lish.

“Ole Miss know Unc’ Cæsar ’sponsible’ an’ she say he mout, an’ he limp off inter he cabin ’dout sayin’ er word, eben ter Ole Miss, an’ shot to de door, an’ button hit on de inside.

“Er mighty cuis smoke kim outen Unc’ Cæsar’s chimbly dat ebenin’, an’ all de niggers say he fixin’ sumpen; but we ain’ know what, ’case Unc’ Cæsar were er hoodoo an’ work wid charms. But he go inter ’Lish cabin, an’ shot de door to an’ button hit on de inside, an’ do sumpen ter ’Lish.

“Dat night he taken ’Lish an’ set him in er cheer outside de cabin, an’ ’Lish fetch his kivers outside, ’case he ain’ know what Unc’ Cæsar gwine do.

“Unc’ Cæsar ain’ say er word, but he taken er live chunk fum de hearth an’ sot fire ter de cabin, an’ es she blaze up high he mek passes wid his long arms an’ say sumpen low, mumblin’ lack. Den when de blaze ’gin ter die down he taken ’Lish’s kivers an’ flings’ em on, an’ es de fire clomb high ergin he snatch ever’ rag dat ’Lish got on him an’ flings ’em on, an’ swing he long arms ober he head; den, des es de flames lick de highes’, he taken de rope dat he mek ’Lish creep down ter de bayou ter fin’ an’ fling hit on, an’ dar were er power er quare-lookin’ smoke in de Quarters, an’ all de niggers kim er runnin’ an’ b’ar witness.