I was born in Fort Bend County, about de year 1863. My daddy's old master by name of Armstrong brung my folks from Tennessee. My own daddy and mammy was named Preston and Lucy Armstrong . Mammy's granddad was Uncle Ned Butler , and he 'longed to Col. Butler , in Knoxville, in Tennessee. Old master sold he plantation and come to Texas jos' befo' freedom, 'cause nobody think day'd have to free de slaves in Texas. My great grand-dad fit in de Rev'lutionary War and my own daddy fit in de war for freedom, with he master, for bodyguard. He had some fingers shot off in de battle and was tooken pris'ner by dem Yankees, but he run 'way and come back to he master and he master was wounded and come home. Den he moved to Texas befo' I's born. My old grand-dad done told me all 'bout conjure and voodoo and luck charms and signs. To dream of clear water lets you know you is on de right side of Gawd. De old voodoo doctors was dem what had de most power, it seem, over de nigger befo' and after de war. Dey has meetin' places in secret and a voodoo kettle and nobody know what am put in it. maybe snakes and spiders and human blood, no tollin' what. Folks all come in do dark of de moon, old doctor wave he arms and de folks crowd up close. Dem what in do voodoo strips to de waist and commence to dance while de drums boats. Day dances faster and faster and chant and pray till day falls down in a heap. De armour bearers hold de candles high and when day aways and chants day seize with power what sends dem leapin' and whirlin'. Den do time dat old doctor work he spell on dem he wants to conjure. Many am do spell he casts dem days. Iffen he couldn't work it one way, he work it 'nother, and when he die, do he stay buried? No, sir! He walks de street and many seed he ghost wavin' he arms. De conjure doctor, old Dr. Jones, walk 'bout in de black coat like a preacher, and wear sideburns and uses roots and sich for he medicine. He larnt 'bout dem in de piney woods from he old granny. He didn't cast spells like do voodoo doctor, but uses roots for smallpox. and rind of bacon for mumps and sheep-wool tea for whoopin' cough and for snake bite he used alum and saltpeter and bluestone mix with brandy or whiskey He could break conjure spells with broth. He take he kettle and put in splinters of pine or hickory, jes' so day has bark on dem, covers dem with water and puts in de conjure salt. A good charm bag am make of red flannel with frog bones and a piece of snakeskin and some horse hairs and a spoonful of ashes. Dat bag pertect you from you enemy. Iffen dat bag left by de doorstep it make all kind misfortune and sicknesses and blindness and fits. De big, black nigger in de corn field mos' allus had three charms round he neck, to make him fort'nate in love, and to keep him well and one for Lady Luck at dice to be with him. Den if you has indigestion, wear a penny round de neck. De power of de rabbit foot am great. One nigger used it to run away with. His old granny done told him to try it and he did. He conjures hisself by takin' a good, soapy bath so de dogs can't smell him and den say a voodoo over he rabbit foot, and go to de creek and git a start by wadin'. Dey didn't miss him till he clear gone and dat show what de rabbit foot done for him. O, Molly Cottontail. Be sho' not to fail, Give me you right hind foot, My luck won't be for sale.' De graveyard rabbit am de best, kilt by a cross-eyed pusson, De niggers all 'lieved Gen. Lee carried a rabbit foot with him. To keep de rabbit foot's luck workin', it good to pour some whiskey on it once in a while. If you has a horseshoe over you door, be sho' it from de left, hind foot of a white hoss, but a gray hoss an better'n none. Conjures am sot with de dark or light of de moon, to make things waste or grow. Iffen a hen crow, it best to wring her neck and bake her with cranberry sauce and gravy and forgit 'bout her growin'. Everybody know dat.

I larnt all dem spells from my daddy and mammy and de old folks, and most of dem things works iffen you tries dem.

I was born in Ft. Bend County Texas, about de year eighteen hundred and sixty three. My daddy's ole Marster by de name ob Armstrong brought my folks ter Texas from Tennessee. My own daddy an' mammy was named Preston an' Lucy Armstrong . On my mammy's side her gran-dad was ole Uncle Ned Butler an' gran-mammy Betsy Butler was slaves ob Colonel Butler in Knowville, Tennessee. De ole Marster sold his plantation an' cum ter Texas jes befo' freedom an' settled first in Fort Bend County whar my daddy met my mammy. My great gran-dad Ned Butler was sold ter a Dr. Varnie who moved ter Robertson County, ter de town ob Calvert. My great gran-dad fought in de Revolutionary War an' my own daddy Preston Armstrong fought in de Civil War, he went wid his Marster as his body guard. My gran-dad had some fingers shot off in de battle, but I does not member which one 'twas, my daddy was taken prisoner by de Yankees an' took keer of de horses in de Calvary, but he run away an' cum back ter his Marster an' his Marster was wounded an' cum home, den he moved ter Texas jes' befo' I was born. My ole gran-dad was de one dat tell us so many things, 'specially 'bout what de niggers did an believed, fer he was a Hardshell Baptist preacher an' too ole ter go ter de Civil War an' so stayed home an' helped ter take keer ob us, he had twenty gran-chillun an' I was de first one ter be baptized into de church. He preached 'bout de way ob de wicked leadin' folks ter hell an' dat what become of dem effn dey didn't repent an' turn from dey sins an' be saved. His favorite song was "On Jordans Stormy Banks I Stan'", w'en dey git religion dey call hit "comin' thro'". Den w'en dey cum thro' wid dey being converted dey sing "Free at Last," an ole slave song, w'en dey cums ter de mourners bench dey sing "Rock Daniel, w'at yer cumin' here fer? "I cum here fer ter Rock Daniel, my Lord, Rock Daniel," an' dey den goes inter de shoutin' songs w'en dey sing hit.

I kin 'member him tellin' 'bout de revival meetin' w'en de stars fell, w'en he jes startin' ter preach he holdin' one ob his first big meetin's an' de young folks pay no 'tention much ter him, he was tryin' ter get dem ter cum ter de mourners bench an' gib dar hearts ter de Lawd, w'en dey had been preachin' an' prayin' an singin' till dey mos' ready ter quit an' still dey would not cum, he tellin' dem 'bout de fire an' brimstone cumin' down from hebben ter destroy dem an' all ob a sudden hit git dark an' pretty soon a star shoot like a sky rocket, den 'nuther an 'nuther, an den hit look like de whole ob de hebbenly stars goin' ter cum down. Den de sinners an' de church members bof' cum as fas' as dey kin git dar an fall on dey knees an' goes ter prayin'  Oh Lawd don't shoot me fer I'se gwine ter do right from dis day on, please Gawd don't let me be kilt," an' dey goes on dis way all de night, de Lawd was a showin' dem what he could do ter dem effen dey would not do what he say do. De Bible tole dem 'bout de fire an' brimstone an' dey has ter be shown. Yes my gran-dad say dat de Lawd had him ter preach ter dem an' dey would not do like he say, so he sen' down de fire ter show dem who is de boss, an' dey can't fool wid God, hit was a long time befo' dey quit bein' skeered ter fool wid de Lawd w'en he sent dem word ter cum ter de mourners bench an' git religion. Did he tell me anything 'bout conjur, voodoo, luck charms an' signs an effn dey believed in dem in de days dat we talkin' 'bout? Yes'mam he knew all 'bout dem, his church 'members would go ter dem an' den dey cum ter my gran-dad whar dey ought ter cum at first, an' dey tell him all 'bout hit, an' want him ter break de spells dat has been put on dem dey think by dem dat is dar enemy thro' voodoo or de charms by de conjur doctor. First, I'se heard him tell 'bout de candy-dates fer baptism rollin' on de groun' all night an' fast an' pray ter git help ter "cum thro" ter be converted. W'en dey do dis 'til dey so weak dat dey kin hardly talk den God an his angels was believed ter have shown demselves ter de sinner an' talked ter dem an forgiven dem. His was w'at dey call de vision seein' stage, an' effn a candydate chokes w'en he is bein' baptized, no matter how cold de water den he has not really got religion.

Yes'm most everybody believe in dream signs, I will try ter 'member dem, he tole us so many, ter dream ob thing or person is a good sign, ter dream ob black thing or person is er sign ob de evil speerit, ter dream ob fallin' shows an need ob more prayin' an effn a christian does wrong he will dream de debbil is after him. "Ter dream ob clear water lets yer know dat yer is on de right side ob God, an' ter dream ob an angel is er sign ob good luck, effn he is cumin' ter yer, but effn he is goin' erway from yer hit a sign fer de person dat a seein' him ter reform. 'Nuther thing dat I members, was gran-dad tellin' 'bout de footwashin' in de church. De members wash each udder's feet ter show dey is humble, ter do as Jesus did, den after dey git thro' wid dis, dey have de dance, an' de shout songs like "Rock Daniel," like I tol' yer 'bout at first. Den dey has de Sanctified church dat dey call de "Holy Rollers" now, dey believes dat dey can't sin after dey been save. In Alabama dey had de Sheep Callin' Baptist, whar de preacher dress as a shepherd an' call his congregation like de shepherd call his sheep an de congregation answer back, "baa, baa?" Like dey sheep. I has not seen dem myself but my ole gran-dad knew dem all. He went down inter Alabama, an' Mississippi too, w'en he hold de 'vival's. Yes, de ole voodoo an conjur doctors was de ones dat had de mos' power hit seemed over de nigger in de days befo' an after dey free. Dey one dat lived in Knoxville befo' freedom I dismember his name, dey talk 'bout him w'en I was little an' tell 'bout de things dat he did. Some times he would have a meetin' place in secret, w'en dey cum ter git him ter work de evil charms on dey enemies. Maybe pretty soon dat enemy take some strange sickness and die. He had a voodoo kettle an' nobody knew jes what he put into hit, maybe snake, spider, human blood, no tell-in' what. Den sometimes de ole doctor hold ceremonies at night on de square, after midnight; folks all cum, hit be de dark ob de moon, ole doctor cum's out an' wave his arms an' de folks all crowd up close; dem dat in de voodoo strip ter de waist. Voodoo docter hol' up his han's an'd dey commence ter dance while de drums beat. Dey dance faster an' still faster; dey chant an' pray 'til dey falls down in er heap. De armour bearer's hold de candles high ter light dem up, an' w'en dey swayed, chanted, an' shouted, dey was seized wid power dat sent dem leapin' an' whirlin'; den is de time dat de ole docter work his spell on whoever he wants ter conjur. An' many is de spells dat he casts in dem days; many is de schems dat is worked ter put a spell on some one dey wants maybe ter win dey love, git out ob de way, or what he has been paid ter do. An' effn he could not work hit one way he would 'nuther, an' w'en he died, does yer think dat he stay buried? No, sir! he walks de street or de square whar he held dose ceremonies w'en he gits ready; an' many is de one dat has seen him after he died, his ghost a wavin' his arms an all like he did afore; an' dey was all skeered ter go ter de square after midnight. In de days jes' befo' de war I kin 'member hearin' my dad an' gran-dad tell 'bout ole Dr. Jones , who conjured folks too. He walk 'bout de streets like he in a deep study, an' he wears a black coat like de preachers wear; he wears side burns fer whisk- ers, an' he uses roots an' sich fer his medicine. He learns 'bout de medicine w'en he was a slave boy in de piney woods from his ole granny, befo' he went ter live in de city an' be a conjur doctor. Dis ole doctor used roots an' herbs fer his medicine an' did not cast de spells like de Voodoo doctor did, fer smallpox he used poke root; fer mumps de rind ob de bacon; fer whoopin' cough he used sheep-wool tea; fer snake bite he used alum, saltpeter an' bluestone mixed wid brandy or de bes' whiskey. Ter break de conjur spells, he gives dem broth ter drink He takes his kettle an' puts in splinters ob pine or hickory jes' so dey has bark on dem ter make de steam; cover dem wid water; put in de conjur salt; de broth widout de salt would break de charm, and dis was a sure cure fer de conjur spells cast on de patient. He could tell fortunes an' talk wid de ones dat have done gone ter hebben. He charges small fee, maybe fifty cents, but dat time done gone on, de conjur doctor pass away mos' wid free- dom, but de luck charms stay on wid de nigger, as a matter of fact de mos' ob dem wearin' dem today 'specially effn hit be de ones dat was livin' in de days ob slavery. Effn yer'll look on dey necks, I speck yer find a luck charm or two now. A favorite charm bag is a red flannel cloth wid some bones ob a frog, a piece ob snake skin, some horse hairs, an' a spoonful ob ashes, dis bag was used ter proteck one from his enemy. Effn hit was left anywhere aroun' de place ob de person ter be affected mos'ly under de doorstep, hit caused all kind ob misfortunes, sickness, blindness, fits and other diseases. De remedies de doctors sold ter break de charm was de way he made his livin', but what he took fer his pay. Mos' ob de slaves wore de charms ter guard against sickness, bad luck or accident, other charms was worn fer good luck. Fer instance, a big black nigger in de corn fiel' an' look at his neck, he mos' allers wore as many as three charms aroun' his neck ter make him fortunate in love, nuther ter keep him well, an' nuther fer Lady Luck at dice ter be wid him. An' de way de charms acted ter keep dem well! Of course dey take de medicine by de conjur doctor too. Fer instance, take indigestion, a penny worn 'round de neck will kill hit. Den dar is rheumatism, dat ole debble dat creeps inter de jints, a flannel strap aroun' de arm or leg will stop de pain. De power ob de rabbit foot ter bring good luck is de oldest ob de luck charms, de left hin' foot is de one dat is supposed ter be de bes'. I 'members hearin' my grandad tell 'bout a nigger dat used de rabbit foot ter run away. His ole granny tole him ter try hit an he did. Dis is de way he did hit; ole Massa had some chasin' dogs an' so he conjured himself by takin' a good soapy bath so's dey couldn't scent him, an' den he said de hoodoo obber de rabbit foot, an' went ter de creek ter git a start by wadin' in de creek so dey could'nt track him. An' dey did not miss him 'til he was clear gone an' dat showed what de rabbit foot charm did ter him. Oh, Molly Cotton Tail, won't yer be shore not ter fail, Ter gib me yer right hin' foot, My luck jes' won't be fer sale. De graveyard rabbit de bes', w'en killed by 'er cross eyed person. During de war de stories kep' de rabbit foot charms fer sale. De niggers believed dat General Lee ob Virginia was elected Governor kase he carried a rabbit foot wid him.

An' de story was dat President Cleveland wore a rabbit foot killed on de grave ob Jesse James . Ter keep hit's luck workin' good, hit was a good thing ter pour whiskey on de rabbit foot once in er while. Whoo-oo-o, whoo-o-o, w'at does yer think dat means? It is ole owl a hootin' in de tree, an' hit means dat effn yer hear de sound ober de right shoulder dat hit bring good luck, an' over yer left shoulder hit bring bad luck. Now suppose dat yer go in de front door ob de cabin an' sit befo' de fireplace an' suppose dat yer decides ter go an' see de pigs or sumpin' out de back door, does yer think dat de way ter go? No, sir! De way ter go is jes' like yer cum in at de front do' kase effn yer goes in one door and out de udder den dat bring bad luck ter yer. Anybody knows dat de ole sayin' 'bout carryin' a hoe thro' de cabin, dat hit bring bad luck; an' effn a dog howls at night, de speerits are cumin' fer some one. Don't turn yer back afore yer start fer a place, if yer mus' go back afore yer go, cross yer fingers an' walk backwards ten steps, dat de way ter stop de bad luck from gittin' yer; an' don't sing out 'fore breakfast; don' sing 'fore yer eat, or yer'll cry out 'fore midnight, you'll cry 'fore yer eat. An' don't tell yer dream afore breakfas' unless yer want hit ter cum ter pass. An' I must not fergit ter tell yer 'bout de black cat, effn hit crosses yer path, bad luck. De way ter do is ter go aroun' de cat. An' don't fergit de horse shoe obber de door, dat ought ter be from de left hin' foot ob a white horse, an' be sure ter nail hit ober de cabin door, effen yer does not have a white horse, den a gray horse will do better den none. I has not told yer 'bout de moon, hit has more power dan mos' any ob de hebbenly bodies fer luck charms. Effn yer show money ter de new moon yer will have money all de month; some show de money ter de moon an' throw five kisses an' make five wishes. De wishes are supposed ter cum true befo' de month is over. Sometimes yer pray ter de moon fer de good luck, an' effn yer wants somethin' ter show de moon dat yer don't have, jes' borrow hit from a neighbor an' show ter de moon an' dat will do jes' as well. Whatever yer is doin' w'en yer see de new moon yer will be doin' all de month. Wishes will cum true if made ter de new moon effn yer does not tell dem. Conjurs are set wid de dark or light ob de moon ter cause things ter waste if in de dark, an' ter grow effn in de light. In sickness, all tonics should be given at de full ob de moon, an' de same way wid what yer plant, some plants as de moon is gittin' bigger, but de bes' time ter plant root crops, like taters, is on de dark ob de moon, but de plants like corn, peas, beans, dat is planted on top ob de groun', should be planted on de light ob de moon.  Soap should be made, an' hogs killed on de full ob de moon. Meat killed on de dark ob de moon will draw up w'en cooked, or be tough or not make any lard.

Den dar is de New Year luck signs. Hit is lucky ter eat black-eyed peas an' hog head on New Years day. Yer is suppose ter have plenty ter eat all de year, an' dat yer will have as many dollars as peas ter eat. "Dose black-eyed peas is lucky, W'en 'et on New Years day, Yer allus has sweet taters, an possum cums yer way. So what yer do on New Years day means what yer do all de year, an' so everybody tries ter do de right things dat he wants ter do all de year. De first twelve days ob January is what yer will be doin' all de year. Dey is all kinds ob signs like de horse shoe signs ob good luck an' keepin' de evil speerits away; signs about horses, dogs, an' birds, an' de rooster crowin'. I mus' tell yer 'bout de rooster, effn he crows after sundown yer will hab trouble, an' effn he crows at dinner time yer will have news; den, effn he crows befo' midnight hit means sudden death; effn he crows twice, a death will cum in two days; effn he crows on de fence hit is a sign ob a quarrel wid yer neighbor; effn he crow 'bout 'leven o'clock, hit is a sign de debbil is a laffin', effn on Sunday, yer will kill him on Monday. Den I mus' tell yer 'bout de hen. Effn she crow anytime hit a sign ob bad luck or death; 'specially effn she crow. Any time hit be a black hen, de bes' thing ter do den is ter wring her neck an' bake her wid cranberry sauce, an' gravy an fergit 'bout her crowin', fer she done gone whar she can't crow any more. Everybody knows dat.  A whistlin' woman an' a crowin' hen, Never cum ter any good end. Now I has tole yer all I knows 'bout de Conjur Doctors, de Voodoo de signs fer lady luck, so I will try ter tell yer a little hallowe'en story about three ole witches.

On a dark hallowe'en night dar was three ole witches er sittin by de fire er cookin' dey supper, de wind was a howlin' like hit does sometimes on hallowe'en nights an' de witches sit close ter de fire an' talk 'bout de spells dey is going' ter weave at midnight. Jus' afore midnight dars a knockin' at de door, goes like dis, rat-a tat-, rat-a tat-, who dar? Calls de ole witches? "One dat is hongry an' cold, who-o-who-o, whoo, said a voice? Den de ole wimmen commenced ter laff an' say, "We's a cookin' fer ourselves, an' who'll cook fer you? Who-oo-o whoo, whoo?" Den dar cum a groanin' an' er wailin' an' de voice say "Let me in, doo-oo-o, I'se cold thro' an' thro' an' I'se hongry too-oo-o." Den de ole witches kep' on a laffin' an' singin' "Git along do-oo-o, w'es a cookin' fer ourselves, who'll cook fer you? Whoo-o-o-, whoo-oo-o? De voice did'nt say anymore, but de knockin' kept up, den de ole witches hitched dey cheers ter de fire an' 'et an' 'et, de voice did'nt say nothin' but de knockin' kept on an' on, de ole witches called out ergin' "go way doo-oo-o, w'es cookin' fer ourselves, who'll cook fer you? Who? Who? De voice didn't answer but de knockin' kep' on, 'til finally dey decided ter gib hit sumpin' 'fore hit break de spell, so dey take a little piece ob dough an' put hit in de fryin' pan an' hit begun ter swell all ober de fryin' pan, an' all ober de stove, an' all ober de kitchen floor, an' de voice still didn't say anything, but de knockin' kep' on, an' de dough swelled all ober de kitchen and de witches run ter de door, an' hit was shut tight, de knockin' kept on an' de witches begun ter scrooge up smaller an' smaller an' de ole witches eyes got bigger an' bigger, dey so skeered an' dey called, "Who dat a knockin', whoo-o? who-oo-o? "Den de knockin' stopped, an' de voice say, "Fly out de winder, doo-oo, doo-oo-o, an' dey fly out de winder an' off inter de woods a callin' "Who'll cook fer you-oo who'll cook fer you-oo-o, whoo-oo-o, whoo-oo-o, whoo?" An' now effn yer go inter de woods a callin' "whoo-oo-o", yer will se de old lady owls effn hit on de dark ob de moon an' hear dem callin', "Go, way doo-oo-o, we'll cook fer ourselves an' who'll cook fer you-oo-o? Whoo-oo-o, whoo-oo-o?" Only on de hallowe'en nights yer don't want ter go 'roun' dem fer dey turns ter witches a weavin' dey spells from de midnight 'till daylight. W'en I was a little gal, I went ter de school an' dey had de hallowe'en nights fer us ter have our parties an' we play de hallowe'en games, threadin' de needle an' eatin' de apple tied an' hangin' ter a string an' de one dat got ter de apple furst got de prize, an' de paring ob de apples, an' all de games like dey do now; den we dance 'round an' 'roun' an' choose our partners an' dat kind ob games, den we tell stories, an' 'member one dat I say 'bout de ole owl.

W'en I was a little mite, I uster lissen at night, Kase de ole gray owl, in de sycamore tree, used ter hoot an' hoot an' hoot at me, whoo', whoo', whoo', I trimmel all ober, I surely do, w'en I growed up, I tell yer true, dat same ole owl makes me shiver clean thro' W'en I goes down de road in de dark yer know, Whoo-oo-o, whoo-oo-o ah, who cooks fer you'll? Den we be sittin' roun' de fire a tellin' de ghost stories, an' we hear dis ole gray owl from de chimbley tops dis time, an' he say dis ter us, "Whoo- whoo- is- you? I'se cumin' after you-oo-oo," We say, "Good Lawd hits jes' us, an' we ain't quite ready fer ter go wid you-oo-o. We pore an' sinful as yo' lowed we'd do-oo-o, we'd like ter stay 'til our time is free, oh wait good Lawd 'til tomorrer an' happy we will be." An' de owl say, "to whit, to wee, to whit to wee, wait an' see, wait an' see." So we jes' waits an' we see de Jack-o-Lanterns as dey cum a marchin' in de room ter skeer us, all made wid de hollow pumpkins wid de candles fer de light, an' de white robes er wavin' dey arms, an' de eyes so bright from candlelight, dey dance an' walk 'roun' an' 'roun', den dey gets little slower, until dey stops an' looks at us, den dey giggles an' we say,  Looks like Billy, cum on an' march 'roun' ergin, an' bring yer playmates an' pumpkins too." An' dats de way de hallowe'en ended w'en we had de party long, time ago, 'en I was a little gal, way back yonder in de days jes' after freedom.