Daisy Horse
New Ipswich Historical Society
Marion Davis Audio-Tape Transcriptions
Sometime before her death in 1986, Marion Davis recorded her memories at the encouragement of her brother, Walter Buck. The recordings were transcribed by a secretary.
The Friends of Wapack have made these available to the Historical Society. Marion was born on February 8, 1894 in Fitchburg, MA.
Daisy has high blood pressure
It was the next year when we want down with the cattle that we took old Daisy--Daisy Horse--she was a pretty red horse, rather stylish. On the way back we stopped at Mable's cousin's there in Pepperell for overnight. You know, the next morning when Frank went out to the barn to hitch up that horse her legs were all swollen up, what we called "stocked up". Something was never just right about her and he had to walk her around the yard a little while before he hitched her into the wagon. It helped her a little bit, she began to limber up a bit. We drove along pretty careful and slow toward home and it was late that night when we got home with her, but the swelling had gone down; she never seemed to have that trouble again.
I can remember a year or so after that time when we started for Grange one time she began to stagger as though she was going to fall down. We got half way to East Rindge and Fred Stratton came along. He used to run a stable in East Jaffrey for many years. He stopped and said, "What's the matter? I know what'd the matter with her; I'll fix her". He took a penknife out of his pocket. They put a stick in her mouth and they cut a little vein under her tongue. He said, "She needs bleeding; she's what you call high blood pressure. You sit there with her 15 or 20 minutes and she'll be alright". She was, she went on.
Photo Archives
Unidentified young man
James Roger diary entry
8th December 1912
Frosty and fair with high wind and a little snow at night. The minister from Townsend preached in exchange with Mr. Lord. Mr. Whittemore led S. S. Evening service at 7 p.m.; also service at Baptist Church. I was not out all day.
Daisy the Horse apparently found relief from high blood pressure through blood-letting as purportedly did humans, including my grandmother, Sanna (Susan) Kangas. My father said his mother had the “kuppu” (cupping) woman come into the family sauna on Kangas Road with her from time to time. There, the kuppu woman would open one of my grandmother’s smaller veins and drain some blood out, into a hollowed-out cow’s horn. My grandmother claimed, in Finnish, that she felt like a million dollars after such a treatment. No leeches needed.
Did you keep a good supply of that molasses mash on hand for Chico?