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"The Conjured Kitchen"

4/16/2021

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  • Not published outside of the collection apparently. Neither McMichael nor Dougan indicate any previous publication. 
  • While this story is included in the Dougan collection, McMichael doesn't discuss or review it in the biography.
  • Character connection: Mrs. Francis--presumably the wife of Mr. Francis mentioned in "Otto the Knight." Mr. Francis and young Caroll are mentioned as the owners of the plantation on p. 8) is the one who hires Aunt Callie (Caldonia) to run the plantation kitchen.
  • The premise: "Every one in Arkansas knows how wicked negroes can conjure other negroes by charms, or spells, or diabolical potions" (p. 64). Callie declares the kitchen is conjured because the bread fails, the butter won't churn, etc. 
  • Jinny Ver, Caldonia's daughter, is hired on as well, and Jerry falls in love with her. He takes off with a wild horse borrowed from Mr. Francis to take to Old Man Maggart so he can slap him and end the conjuring (p. 80): "aims t ' go see Ole Man Maggart an ' unconjure you all" (Thanet, p. 81). He apparently accomplishes the task and wins the girl.

Notes: 
  • Recently, this story was featured on Jerry's House of Everything. The blog includes a plot summary and indicates the story did run in Harper's, but the date of publication is unknown. There's a bit of commentary on Thanet's anti-suffrage stance as well.
  • Conjure stories by Thanet might be an interesting research thread--how does her work fit (or not) in the larger context of southern folklore/conjure tales?
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    About this project:

    I've been saying since 2004 that I was going to write a critical biography of Octave Thanet (Alice French). This blog is the start of that work and will include notes, links to research, and other OT related tidbits.

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