Witchcraft

Electronic mail message from Betty Kuss Schumacher, Valley City, North Dakota

As a teenager in the late 60's growing up in Emmons County, ND, I recall coming down with a skin condition which did not appear to be contagious to anyone in my family but was extremely embarassing for me. It was similar to ring worm only not as hidious and I had these scally rings all over my body.

Rather than take me to a medical doctor, my mother called a lady in Linton and we went to her house. She rubbed all of the markings with what looked to me like bacon fat. Yes the marks went away and I may never know what they were. We only went to her house once. As she was applying the "fat" she also mumbled words I assumed to ward of evil? My mother said that I wasn't suppose to say who this lady was or she could get in trouble. I had never seen her before and haven't a clue as to what her name was anyway.

This was my only experience with this type of "healer" although I know my parents were firm believers in the powers.