The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WIDOW MURPHY

THERE WAS A TERRIBLE CAVE-IN AT A MINING TOWN, IN WHICH
ONE MAN WAS KILLED. THE SURVIVING MINERS, ALL IRISH,
WERE PERPLEXED AS TO HOW THEY WOULD INFORM THE WIFE.
EVENTUALLY, PAT SUGGESTED THAT MIKE SHOULD PERSONALLY
GO TO THE MURPHY HOUSE AND BRING THE SAD NEWS TO
MRS. MURPHY. SO MIKE NERVOUSLY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR
AND WHEN THE WIFE ANSWERED, HE ASKED, "MAY I PLEASE
SPEAK TO WIDOW MURPHY?" MRS. MURPHY REPLIED, "BUT
THERE IS NO WIDOW MURPHY HERE." TO WHICH MIKE SAID
'DIPLOMATICALLY,' "THERE IS NOW!"

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 08-00-1964