The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE LEGEND OF ELMWOOD CEMETARY.

ONE COLD RAINY DAY AS A MAN LEFT THE CAPUCHIN MONASTERY ON MT.
ELLIOT ST. IN DETROIT, HE OBSERVED A YOUNG LADY NEAR A GRAVE SITE
AT THE CEMETARY ACROSS THE STREET. PASSING NEAR HER ON HIS WAY TO
HIS CAR, HE OFFERED HER A RIDE. SINCE SHE SEEMED RATHER HELPLESS
IN THE FACE OF THE ELEMENTS, SHE RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTED. HE DROVE
HER TO AN ADDRESS ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE FOR WHICH SHE THANKED HIM
WARMLY. HE ASKED HER IF HE COULD CALL UPON HER SOME TIME IN THE
FUTURE AND SHE SAID IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT. RETURNING TO THE ADDRESS
SOME WEEKS LATER, HE WAS TOLD THAT NO GIRL LIVED THERE. THE
RESIDENT ASKED FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE YOUNG GIRL AFTER WHICH SHE
ASKED OUR YOUNG MAN INTO THE HOUSE. HE WAS SHOWN A PICTURE
OF THE GIRL AND WAS INFORMED THAT SHE HAD DIED SUDDENLY SOME
YEARS EARLIER. APPARENTLY HE HAD PICKED UP THE YOUNG LADY AT THE
SITE OF HER GRAVE.

Data entry tech comment: THIS STORY SOUNDS MORE AS IF THE INFORMANT WERE READING THE STORY,
INSTEAD OF TELLING A TRUE TALE. THE REASON I FEEL THIS WAY IS
BECAUSE NO ONE TELLS A STORY IN THE PERFECT WAY IT IS DONE HERE.
THIS STORY IS A FAIRLY COMMON MOTIF. THE STORY IS ALSO KNOWN AS
" LILY " OR " THE HITCHHIKER. " BUT BOTH OF THEM END WITH THE
HITCHHIKER BEING DEAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THE GHOST IS LONELY
OR TRYING TO FIND ITS WAY TO SAFETY AND WARMTH.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): GHOSTLY HITCHHIKER

Date learned: 00-00-1950