e."

MRS. EMMALINE HEARD

[TR: This interview, which was attached to the interview with Mrs.
Celestia Avery, is also included in the second volume of the Georgia
Narratives.]

On December 3 and 4, 1936, Mrs. Emmaline Heard was interviewed at her
home, 239 Cain Street. The writer had visited Mrs. Heard previously, and
it was at her own request that another visit was made. This visit was
supposed to be one to obtain information and stories on the practice of
conjure. On two previous occasions Mrs. Heard's stories had proved very
interesting, and I knew as I sat there waiting for her to begin that she
had something very good to tell me. She began:

"Chile, this story wuz told ter me by my father and I know he sho
wouldn't lie. Every word of it is the trufe; fact, everything I ebber
told you wuz the trufe. Now, my pa had a brother, old Uncle Martin, and
his wife wuz name Julianne. Aunt Julianne used ter have spells and fight
and kick all the time. They had doctor after doctor but none did her any
good. Somebody told Uncle Martin to go ter a old conjurer and let the
doctors go cause they wan't doing nothing fer her anyway. Sho nuff he
got one ter come see her and give her some medicine. This old man said
she had bugs in her head, and after giving her the medicine he started
rubbing her head. While he rubbed her head he said: 'Dar's a bug in her
head; it looks jest like a big black roach. Now, he's coming out of her
head through her ear; whatever you do, don't let him get away cause I
want him. Whatever you do, catch him; he's going ter run, but when he
hits the pillow, grab 'em. I'm go take him and turn it back on the one
who is trying ter send you ter the grave.' Sho nuff that bug drap out
her ear and flew; she hollered, and old Uncle Martin ran in the room,
snatched the bed clothes off but they never did find him. Aunt Julianne
never did get better and soon she died. The conjurer said if they had a
caught the bug she would a lived."

The next story is a true story. The facts as told by Mrs. Heard were
also witnessed by her; as it deals with the conjuring of one of her
sons. It is related in her exact words as nearly as possible.

"I got a son named Albert Heard. He is living and well; but chile, there
wuz a time when he wuz almost ter his grave. I wuz living in town then,
and Albert and his wife wuz living in the country with their two
chillun. Well, Albert got down sick and he would go ter doctors, and go
t