The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE HOUSE ON GUINE

MY MOTHER AND I WERE DOWNSTAIRS AND I HAD JUST BEGUN TO GO UP
AND DOWN STAIRS, SO I WENT UPSTAIRS AND IN A LITTLE WHILE MY
MOTHER HOLLERED TO ME. I WASN'T MAKING ANY NOISE SO SHE WONDERED
WHERE I WAS. I YELLED BACK THAT I WAS UPSTAIRS WITH A PRETTY LADY
WHO HAD JUST GIVEN ME A DOLL. MY MOTHER RAN UP TO GET ME, BUT
WHEN SHE GOT THERE THE LADY WAS GONE AND I WAS STANDING THERE
WITH THE DOLL. IT WAS A DOLL THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN ME FOR CHRISTMAS
AND PLACED ON THE TOP SHELF SO THAT I WOULD NOT SEE IT. I WAS TOO
SMALL TO CRAW UP ON A CHAIR AND THERE WAS NOBODY ELSE IN THE HOUSE
WHO COULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO ME. MY MOTHER TOOK ME DOWNSTAIRS AND
WAS SO SCARED THAT SHE LET ME KEEP THE DOLL. AFTER THAT MOTHER WAS
SO FRIGHTENED AT NIGHT THAT SHE WOULD LEAVE THE LIGHT ON IN HER ROOM
EACH NIGHT SHE WOULD TURN IT DOWN AS LOW AS IT WOULD GO, BUT
BY MORNING IT WOULD BE BLAZING.
MY MOTHER HAD A BROTHER-IN-LAW, DAVY HINTER, FROM HAMILTON,
ONTARIO, WHO CAME TO VISIT HER IN THIS HOUSE. SHE TOLD HIM
WHERE TO GO TO BED. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, HE HEARD A NOISE.
HE LOOKED UP AND THE DRAPES WERE PARTING. THIS IS THE TRUTH
HE WAS SCARED STIFF. AND HE SAW A LADY STANDING THERE. HE
COULDN'T MOVE UNTIL SHE LEFT. HE GOT UP AND LIT THE LAMP AND HE
SAT IN BED AND SMOKED HIS PIPE TILL DAYBREAK. HE NEVER CAME BACK.
IN FACT, HE SAID I'LL NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS HOUSE AGAIN.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HEARD THESE THINGS FROM HER MOTHER, JENNY TORRANCE,
IN ABOUT 1877 IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Data entry tech comment: CORRECTED SOME SPELLING

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Keyword(s): MANIFESTATIONS

Date learned: 00-00-1885 ; 05-12-1965