`I was so interested in your story of the lemon
cure for rheumatism,' says a friend who lives in Great Missenden, `that I must send the following account, although I know that wart charms are not so rare. Years ago. as small children, I and my cousins were all afflicted with warts on our hands. After medical remedies had failed, our old nurse took us to the "cottage in the wood" where the keeper's mother lived Witch-like and toothless. We were terrified of her. Nan left us outside and we saw her through the little window in whispered conference. That night (having been told on no account to mention our visit downstairs) we looked out of the window at'the full moon while Nan muttered an incantation and rubbed on our hands raw meat, raw apple and some evil- smelling herb. This was done on three successive evenings. In about a week all our warts dried up and fell off.'
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