Letter From Mrs. Charles L. Wagner to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 17, 1949

Authors

• Mrs Charles L. Wagner

Document Type

Correspondence

Files

Date

2-17-1949

Keywords

witches, superstitions, black cats, Jack-o-lanterns, molasses, pie crust

Description

A handwritten letter from Mrs. Charles L. Wagner addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 17, 1949. Mrs. Wagner describes her mother's use of extra pastry dough to make lattice strips for tarts and recounts tales from her childhood. She recalls a story about a witch using the form of a black cat to steal the breath of night watchmen in Manheim and relates her own experience with dancing balls of light in a field at night.

Sender

Mrs. Charles L. Wagner

Recipient

Alfred L. Shoemaker

Corresponds to:

Packet 3-4

City

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Transcription

Feb. 17, 1949

Dr. Alfred Shoemaker,

Dear Sir,

You will know I am a very interested reader of your columns with an urge to put in "my three cents" on many occasions when this, my second letter reaches you so soon after the first.

I was surprised to see part of letter one in this evening's newspaper. A little flattered also that the contents rated publication. Wondering also what some of your readers will think of our "dipping our pieces" in molasses with fingers, this being a time when even "doughnut into coffee dunking" is so frowned upon. Of course, no true picture of Pennsylvania Dutch life would be complete without a description of everyday customs whatever their effect upon the thoughts of the uninitiated. I only hope that seeing this part of my letter, published under the name of its author, won't cause me to dream that I'm dripping molasses from the ends of ten fingers, over the tablecloth, floor and dress and everywhere else.

There is another comment on pie that Mrs. Siegets' "suspender pie" brought to mind. Mother, when she had too much dough for a one crust pie and too little for two crust pie, rolled out what was left after putting the bottom crust in the pan and cut it into strips for the top with a pastry wheel. These were placed far apart or close together depending on the material available. Sometimes criss-cross in diamond shape, straight across or a combination of the two. Apple, peach, berry, lemon or many other fillings were used and with the lattice tops were called tarts at our house. She also made roly polys from the leftovers. Sometimes I would ask mother or grandmother what they were making and they'd tell me - gwunner nausa und schnecka schwartz.

Mother had a friend, born and raised in Manheim. This lady could entertain by the hour with hexerei legends and ghost stories. I loved this lady and her lively interpretations of folk lore and much regret that only one legend of the many she told is clear enough in my memory to pass on. Mrs. P. gave all her recountings the appearance of truth but I was too young to really know the depth or truth of her superstitious beliefs.

One story concerned the strange death of night watchmen in a Manheim feed storage building or mill. After each death a careful search was made to determine the cause and find the guilty party. None of the victims had any marks of violence on them and all appeared to have died while asleep on a chair in the tiny office. Townspeople were very afraid except one man who determined to find out what had happened to the watchmen. He stationed friends around the outside of the building to watch, then arming himself with a long knife went into the office, sat on the death chair apparently fast asleep to await developments. On the stroke of midnight he heard the partly ajar door creak. Taking a quick peek, he saw two large black cats come in the door and jump up on the little table near him. He kept quite still until he heard one cat say to the other "frock awe, frock awe." Knowing this was the signal to attack he became frightened and lunged out with the long knife he had at hand cutting off the front paw of the cat that had spoken. He shouted for help after which he and his companions searched the premises without seeing any sign of the cats. Nothing was ever seen of the murderous felines but no other deaths occurred in this mysterious way. An old lady, aloof and living alone, was seen ever after wearing a bandage on one hand, trying to keep it hidden under her long black shawl. Deaths were credited to the reputation cats had of sucking the breath of a sleeping person. The lady in the black shawl was of course the old witch.

Forty or more years ago, not only witches but Jack o' lanterns were a matter of concern to the superstitious. I can remember one incidence that no reasoning could shake out of my mind then and perhaps not even now. On the Ephrata car line before it was rerouted several years ago, there was a stop called Cherry Tree. This was where my grandmother who lived at Talmadge had to meet me when I visited her. A path led from Cherry Tree, through a field to the road. On one of these visits early darkness had set in by the time Grandmother and my youngest Aunt came to meet me. Never having good night eyes, the dark peopled with strange and fearsome images, I kept stumbling along trying to keep to the path and at the same time watch out to avoid hidden dangers so real to my childish imagination. Those were the days of boogie boos. At any rate I looked over my shoulder to the right and saw a bright, round ball of light bouncing away over the field. I was frightened and grandmother seeing nothing was sternly impatient in assuring me I hadn't seen anything. Later I learned about the Jack o' lantern myth in school and knew my imagination must have been playing tricks on me. To this day I have never forgotten the appearance of the dancing balls of light. Though Jack o' lanterns are a myth I really did see that light dancing over the stubble field I crossed that night to reach the Mechanicsburg-Brownstone road. I've never learned what would cause a phosphorescent glow to dance in a straight line.

I am interested in learning about "The Pennsylvania Dutchman" and who will handle the agency for it. My daughter who lives in Seattle Washington has a magazine agency and may be interested in a business way.

With best wishes, I remain,

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Charles L. Wagner

Language

English

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

Wagner, Mrs Charles L., "Letter From Mrs. Charles L. Wagner to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 17, 1949" (1949). Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents. 319.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/shoemaker_documents/319