“Daddy, Mama’s low sick and Granny thinks the Reaper will take her this very night,” the child said.
Tyree was a quiet man and let others do the talking for him. This night he would need to speak up and take the reins if he was going to save his wife.
“I best be heading over to the bayou to see Sister Irene,” replied the man.
“You are going over to see that witch? Don’t you know what folks say about her? She’s the daughter of a demon,” cried the girl.
Tyree grabbed his hat and walked out the door without saying a thing.
“Frightfully sorry to bother you, Sister Irene, but the wife is low sick. Granny thinks the cóiste bodhar will make a stop at our home this very night,”
“So it was your home I was feeling earlier this day,” replied the woman.
Sister Irene told Tyree to sit while she prepared the tonic. “Here, drink this,” said the Sister.
“I ain’t sick,” said the man.
“Tain’t for your health. It’s for your courage. Now drink,” commanded the woman.
Tyree gulped down the drink. To his surprise, it wasn’t an evil-tasting concoction but straight whiskey.
“Take this here strengthener and make your wife drink the whole thing. She’ll sleep like the dead. Not to worry, she’ll be fit when the cock calls,” Sister Irene said.
Tyree paid the customary fee, thanked the woman, and headed home.
“Daddy, Mama’s fever is spiking. Granny says the death coach is coming,” cried the child as Tyree entered the room.
Without a word, the man walked to his wife’s side. He poured a large helping of Sister Irene’s strengthener in a glass.
“Granny, hold up her head so I can get this here tonic down her throat,” the man said.
After several spasms and coughing fits, Tyree managed to get the tonic down the woman’s throat.
“Sister says she is to sleep,” said Tyree.
“That witch will kill my child, I know’d it,” cried Granny.
Tyree sat holding his wife’s hand and said nothing.
“Daddy, wake up! Mama’s fever is gone, and she’s sitting up in bed eat’en,” cried the girl.
A small smile crossed Tyree’s face as he rose from his chair. “Glad you’re on the mend, wife,” is all the man said, then turned and walked out of the door.
“I wanted to thank you properly, Sister Irene, for what you did last evening. Here is a fine roaster for your supper,” said Tyree as he stuck out a freshly killed chicken.
“No thanks is necessary, my good man, but I’ll gladly take that bird off your hands,” said Sister Irene with a wry smile.
When Tyree arrived home, he was glad to see his wife sitting at the table shucking peas for that night’s meal.
“I don’t know what was in that tonic, but it sure did the trick,” said his wife.
“Sister Irene’s strengthener is good for what ails you,” is all Tyree said, then joined his wife to finish the peas.
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