Home Remedies

"My ears hurt," cried Rena and crawled into Ma Minnie Ledford's lap.


Ma rocked her little girl and sang, "Hush little baby, don't say a word..."


But Rena bawled louder.  Nothing could console her. Ma told Ralph to get the sewing machine oil.  She put a few drops into Rena's ears and soon she fell asleep.  Ma put her to bed.


About that time, Reuben raced through the living room coughing like a steam engine.  He let loose and coughed in Reba's face.


"Ma, Reuben coughed in my face.  I'll get the flu.  He has no manners at all."


Pa interjected, "Stop that, Reuben.  If you ain't got no sense, you could have some manners."


He didn't mean to do that," said Ma.  "Come here, baby."


She hugged Reuben.  About the time she started to kiss him, Reuben reared back and sneezed.  He sprayed her face with spit.


Ma rubbed lard and turpentine on Reuben's chest.  For extra protection, she tied a dirty black sock around his neck with the heel centered over the Adam's apple.


"Shoo! I can't stand that stink," yelled Reuben and started untying the sock.


"Leave that sock on your neck," said Pa.  "That will cure your cold.  Now go to bed."


Ma dragged to the kitchen to fix supper.  She hoped none of her other children got sick.  As she kneaded dough, Robert pulled her apron strings.


"My head hurts," he said.


Ma felt his forehead and it was hot as coals of fire.  She sent him to the chest-of-drawers for a flour sack.  Despite his protests, she tied the sack around his head.  "That will cure your headache," she said.


Next Robenia whizzed through the kitchen to see if supper was ready.  "I hate my freckles," she said.  "I look like a beagle pup!  Do you have anything I can rub on my face, Ma?"


Ma caressed her red-headed daughter's face.  She assured Robenia that she was beautiful, freckles and all.


But Robenia wouldn't accept that.  She grabbed the bucket and headed to the spring to fetch water.  Reba had told her to put stump water on her face to get rid of the freckles.


Robenia found a stump where Pa cut wood for the fireplace.  It had rained that morning and was full of water.  She splashed stump water on her face to clear up the freckles.


To make sure the home remedy worked, Robenia got baby Ray's rabbit foot from his crib.  She put it around her neck for good luck.


Finally, Ma Minnie finished her chores and it was bedtime.  Her feet cramped from standing all day.  She recalled her granny's old-time remedy.  Minnie turned her shoes upside down before she went to bed.  She also put a Bible under her pillow to prevent nightmares and said her prayers.


by:  Brenda Kay Ledford