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60  The Conjure Woman

ter Mars Dugal' McAdoo, -my ole marster,- en dat's how de ole school'ouse happen to be on yo' place.W'en de wah broke out, deh school stop', en de ole school'ouse be'n stannin' empty ever sence, -dat is, 'cep'n' fer de ha'nts. En folks sez dat ole school'ouse, er any yuther house w'at got any er dat lumber in it w'at wuz sawed out'n de tree w'at Sandy wuz turned inter, is gwine ter be ha'nted tel de las' piece er plank is rotted en crumble' inter dus'."
Annie had listened to this gruesome narrative with strained attention.
"What a system it was," she exclaimed, when Julius had finished, "under which such things were possible!"
"What things?" I asked, in amazement. "Are you seriously considering the possibility of a man's being turned into a tree?"
"Oh, no," she replied quickly, "not