Says Mr. Holmes: "If anybody comes to your house an' you don't want 'em dere, when dey leaves you take some salt an' throw it at 'em when dey gits out of hearin' you cuss at 'em an' dey won't never come back again."
Following are some songs that used to be sung about conjure, etc.:
"Mother, make my bed down I will freely lie down, Mother, make my bed down I will freely lie down"
"Ransom, my son, what did she give you to eat? Ransom, my son, what did she give you to eat?
"Red head (parched lizard) and speckle back Oh, make my bed down I will freely lie down."
"I'm goin' to pizen (poison) you, I'm goin' to pizen you, I'm jus' sick an' tired of de way you do, I'm goin' to sprinkle spider legs 'roun yo' bed an' you gonna wake up in de mornin' an find yourself dead"
"You beat me an' you kick me an' you black my eyes, I'm gonna take dis butcher knife an' hew you down to my size, You mark my words, my name is Lou, You mind out what I say, I'm goin' to pizen you."
Mrs. Rush says that backache can be cured by rubbing a hot iron up and down the afflicted person's back.
Asafetida tied around the neck will prevent smallpox.
Risings can be cured by rubbing them with a poultice made from House-Leak root.
To prevent a fall while walking from one side of a creek to the other on a log, place a small stick crosswise in the front-teeth and no mishap will result.
Hold the mouth full of water while peeling onions and the onion juice will not get in the eyes.
If a man wishes to make a woman fall in love with him all that he has to do is to take some of her hair, tie it up, and then throw it in running water. In a short while she will fall deeply in love with him.
A man may also cause a woman to fall in love with him by letting her drink whiskey in which he has allowed "Gin-Root" to soak.
If a woman wishes to make a man fall in love with her she has only to take the small bow usually found in the back of a man's cap on the sweatband, or the bow usually found on the band of the man's hat. After this has been secured it must be taken and worn under her clothes next to her body.
Mrs. Betty Brown of 74 Butler Street, N.E. says that when people die angry with someone they usually come back after death in the form of a witch and then they ride the person that they were angry with at the time of their death.