Letter From Helen J. Moser to Alfred L. Shoemaker, August 17, 1953

Authors

Helen Moser

Document Type

Correspondence

Files

Date

8-17-1953

Keywords

Poshda Yockel, rock formation, light, cows, window, flowers, blumma gretz, Bally Township

Description

A handwritten letter from Helen J. Moser addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated August 17, 1953. Within, Moser details the story of a strange rock formation dubbed the "Poshdt Yockel".

Sender

Helen J. Moser

Recipient

Alfred L. Shoemaker

Corresponds to:

Packet 410-14 to 410-15

City

Bally, Pennsylvania

Transcription

Aug. 17 1953

Bally Pa.

Dear Sir,

Here at last is that long looked for “Poshda Yockel” story fon Grabba Barrick. The Poshda Yockel itself is a very peculiar looking rock setting on top of a pile of other rocks. Some 70 years ago a man was killed near there, after that every Christmas night between 12-1 o’clock the people on the farm by the name of Ed. Deisher saw a small light come from the Poshda Yockel to their barn and untie the cows. From there it would go over to the Forge Dale School House and unlock a window then it would turn around and go back by the way of the barn to the Poshda Yockel again and disappear and as the light moved on it made a noise like dragging a chain. And no matter how or who tied the cows they were loose in the stable and no matter who locked the window it was open. One night they wanted to see how the cows would get untied but they were to late they were loose already in the stable. Now in those days the people used to say to those who went fishing or hunting “warsht du witter uf der Poshdt” or “warsht du witter uf de Yockel gomma”. Then because this light started at that rock and came back again to the rock, it got the name “Poshdt Yockel”.

We were up to see the rock yesterday and we judged it to be between 50 and 75 feet high.

I got the story from Leo Mutter he was raised and lived in Bally until the last few years. He is a regular listener to your program.

Now if Jonnie Brendle is so fond of flowers as you said the next time you see him you can call him a blumma granny or a blumma gretz either way is said around here.

And here is another saying I just heard for your slip is showing “Du bisht om shlippa”.

I thought I had told you everything I knew but I guess there is no end to it.

The man who gave me that rhyme, “Der mesht mackdt es nesht” etc. can give you some stories and maybe some more things of interest to you. I talked to him and I guess if he is started once, he is a man in the 70 years they are the ones who can date pretty far back.

So-long

Your Friend

Helen J. Moser

Bally Box 91

Penna.

Language

English and Pennsylvania German

Rights Statement

This item is available courtesy of the Ursinus College Library Special Collections Department. It is not to be copied or distributed for commercial use. For permissions which fall outside of educational use, please contact the Special Collections Department.

Recommended Citation

Moser, Helen, "Letter From Helen J. Moser to Alfred L. Shoemaker, August 17, 1953" (1953). Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents. 248.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/shoemaker_documents/248