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Indian Lives and Anecdotes ca. 1886 - 1941 part 7

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{At one time lived in Rockland or Thomaston and had ad in papers as Indian doctor - Was the one from whom we got the South Sea Island war club (?) }

Dr. Joe Soccabesin

Dr. Joe was a large, fat, lazy Indian somewhat given to bragging but little inclined to work. At one time being at our house with a white man equally lazy and consequential, old Sam Blake, he got to telling Blake how he could run. Blake thought himself a runner. Joe explained the philosophy of it in this way. "Spose I'm man do thing great deal me get information 'bout it. Me great run, so me got um information in our legs" It was a rainy day & father alive for fun offered half a dollar if they would race from our house to the corner, but they did not rise to the bait.

Dr. Joe used to carry a basket-hilted cane like a sword hilt.

He explained the reason why seal oil sticks wool porpoise oil improves it. (Formerly porpoise oil was used entirely in oiling wool before carding it.) "Porpoise you see 's fish; he live in water, he come up, say