The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND THEN MY BROTHER TAKEN SICK. THEN
MY MOTHER CAME TO MY BEDSIDE AND STOOD IN THE DOOR ONE MORNING.
I WAS LAYING THERE, I WASN'T SLEEP, AND SHE CALLED MY NAME THREE
TIMES...MARTHA...MARTHA...MARTHA. SHE SAID GO AND SEE ABOUT
BUDDY. BUDDY WAS MY BROTHER, BUT HIS NAME WAS CHARLIE. SHE SAID
HE'S SICK AND I WENT OVER TO SEE ABOUT HIM AND HE WAS SICK.
HE WAS LYING THERE SO SICK, I ASKED HIM, BUDDY, WHY DIDN'T YOU
LET ME KNOW YOU WERE SICK. HE SAID, WELL I DIDN'T WANT TO BOTHER
YOU. I SAID THAT'S NOT BOTHERING ME, I'M SUPPOSE TO HELP YOU
WHEN YOU GET SICK AND WHEN I GET SICK YOU SUPPOSE TO TAKE CARE OF
ME. IT HURTED ME SO BAD I CRIED BECAUSE HE WAS SO SICK I COULDN'T
HELP HIM. I WASHED CLOTHES AND IRONED FOR HIM AND DID OTHER
THINGS TOO. BUT HE BECAME MORE SICK AND HE PASSED AWAY AND THAT
WAS THE END OF THAT.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER ALSO TOLD ME THAT HER SECOND HUSBAND HAD VISITED
HER AFTER HE DIED. SHE SAID SHE TOLD THE PASTOR'S WIFE ABOUT IT,
BUT SHE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. MY GRANDMOTHER SAID IT WAS TRUE. SHE
SAID HER FIRST HUSBAND ALSO CAME TO SEE ABOUT HER. SHE SAID SHE
HAD NO REASON TO LIE. IT REALLY DID HAPPEN. SHE SAID THEY BOTH
TALKED TO HER AND JUST VANISHED AWAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; ECORSE

Date learned: NOT GIVEN