The Gypsy's Blessing

The Gypsy's Blessing

Most of us have interesting, bizarre, or exciting stories in our family history.  One of the strangest in my family is the story of a Gypsy's blessing.

My grandparents, Dave Miller and Hazel Hughes, married in 1934.  They were both from the hills of Casey County, Kentucky.  He was twenty-three, a crack shot and an avid hunter; she was seventeen, a crack shot and third cousin to Davy Crockett.  They were both fiery, hot-tempered, and very much in love.  This was a time when people married young and had lots of kids.  As the years went by, they became disheartened, however, for they could not seem to have children.

My Great-grandma Hughes was of a mystical bent, and would meet with gypsies when they travelled through the country.  In 1940, an old, bent gypsy lady came to her door.  She asked my grandmother if she would be interested in any charms poultices or such.  My grandmother jokingly laughed and said only if she had something to help a barren woman become pregnant.

The old lady laughed and said as a matter of fact she did.  She sold g-grandma Hughes a poultice.  It was to be placed under the bed, every night for one month.  Not really believing, but ready  to try anything for a grandchild, she bought it and gave it to her daughter.

Neither my grandmother nor grandfather believed in gypsy curses, blessings, or cures; but to humor g-grandma Hughes they placed it under their bed.  At the end of the month Grandma Miller started having severe cramps.  After several hours she passed what she described as a huge nasty looking blood clot. 

Grandma was bed ridden for several days as the nausea and sickness passed.  As she got better, she and my grandfather went on about their normal lives.  Ten months later my mother was born.  Seven other children followed.  Strange, but true.