The Red Flannel Rag

was able to figure out her family tree. It was just a generation removed from my own

family tree, and I hadn’t found any Cherokee in my background. I asked Mom about the

Indian blood, and she told me with a snort, “Aw, Goldie’s always wanted to be special.”

Because Aunt Goldie liked to go to dances and wear big floppy hats, she was often

called a “high stepper” or, it was said she was “kicking over the traces.” She bore the

brunt of other women's jealousy and gossip; but I admired her and spent many hours

watching her dress and helping get her stocking seams straight. She let me play with her

hats, too.

Aunt Goldie told me the story of my great grandfather, Adam Morris. He was a

small man and his wife, Jane, was a large woman. He needed to be in charge of his

family, so he bossed Jane around even though she could have snapped him in two pieces

with one hand. He told his family that he was going straight to hell when he died so he

wanted to make a grand entrance. He wanted a special casket made for him so the devil

would know when he arrived. He wanted the meanest man in Hopkins Gap, Luther

Kirkpatrick, to build his casket. The sides were to be made of chestnut, the top should

be made of hickory, and the bottom should be made of wood from a gum tree. “That

way,” he said, “I can go through hell a bouncin’ and a crackin’.” His wish was granted.

Luther Kirkpatrick built Ad Morris’ casket when he died and carefully followed his

instructions.

Aunt Goldie was full of witch stories and knew many remedies and who in the

community could heal diseases. Her specialty was herbs, and she informed me about

red sassafras and yellow sassafras, where to find them and how to use them. She took

me with her many times when she went digging for sassafras roots. She said, “Tea made

from yellow sassafras r oots is good to thin the blood.” She had high blood pressure, and

128