The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE 1918 FLU EPIDEMIC

MS. BOW'S MOTHER'S PARENTS LIVED IN MISSOURI, IN A SMALL TOWN
NAMED PERRYVILLE.THEIR HOUSE HAD A FRONT, BACK AND SIDE DOOR.
THEIR NEVER USED THEY SIDE DOOR, IN FACT THEY HAD A BUREAU IN
FRONT OF THE DOOR. GREAT UNCLE ANDREW (GRANDPA'S BROTHER) ALWAYS
CAME TO THE SIDE DOOR AND KNOCKED ON IT WHEN HE CAME TO VISIT.
ONE NIGHT THEY WERE ALL ASLEEP AND THE HEARD A KNOCK
ON THE SIDE DOOR.
GRANDMA SAYS TO GRANDPA "MIKE, MIKE GET UP, ANDREW'S HERE." GRANDPA
WENT TO THE DOOR AND NOBODY WAS THERE. THE NEXT DAY THEY GOT
WORD THAT GREAT UNCLE ANDREW AND ANDREW'S WIFE AND THREE OF
THEIR SIX CHILDREN HAD ALL DIED THE NIGHT BEFORE. MS. BOW'S
MOTHER WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD AND LIVING WITH HER PARENTS IN THE
HOUSE WHERE THIS OCCURRED AND SHE SWEARS THAT IT IS TRUE.

Submitter comment: WHAT A STORY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 04-02-1982