Drapetomania

A few years ago Addie Faye Stump ran off from her husband Cleavon. When he caught up with her and brought her home she claimed to all who would listen that she was caught up with a disease called drapetomania. She found out about it at the library when she was looking up information on an old relative. Her unmarried name was Caldwell. It seems like back in the days of slavery some slaves sought freedom by running away and taking a route north. This mystified the slave holders because they figured they were providing food and a home for them. They thought the slaves were down right ungrateful. A doctor named Samuel Caldwell come up with a new disease to satisfy this unusual behavior. He called it drapetomania and said it overtook the will of those who caught it and made it almost impossible for them to stay put. With Addie Faye back home and telling everyone about her affliction, Cleavon found it necessary to darken (for the first time) the doors of the library to learn about her disease. He was bragging to some of his friends down at the barbershop that he was prepared to take Dr. Caldwell's advice about a cure for this terrible ailment. Dr. Caldwell had said the remedy was to beat the devil out of the returnee. Several of us told him he would have to answer to us if he went through that procedure. It wasn't right in 1860, it wasn't right a few years back when Addie ran off, and it isn't right today. The things people do to cover up their evil deeds.

Tomorrow: Addie and Cleavon get back together.