The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

IN THE BARRIO (CORK TOWN), THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS WOULD
GATHER TOGETHER, AND GO TO THE COUNTRY. THEY WOULD TRY
TO EARN EXTRA MONEY PICKING CROPS IN THE SUMMER WHILE
SCHOOL WAS OUT. ONE GROUP WENT UP TO TRAVERSE CITY,
MICHIGAN TO PICK THE CHERRY CROPS. THEY BUNKED IN SHACKS
WHERE THE PICKERS WERE HOUSED, OUT IN THE COUNTRY.
ONE STILL, QUIET, BLACK SUMMER NIGHT FRAN HEARD A SCREAMING
OR CRYING WOMAN. FRAN ASKED HER BROTHER ERNIE TO
INVESTIGATE. ERNIE WOULDN'T GO, HE WAS SCARED TOO. IT
WASN'T A WOLF, AND IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A DEER OR RACCOON.
THE CRYING LASTED FOUR TO FIVE MINUTES; THEN IT WOULD STOP.
AN HOUR LATER THE CRYING WOULD START AGAIN FOR ABOUT
FIVE MINUTES. THE NEXT DAY, FRAN AND ERNIE ASKED ABOUT THE
CRYING WOMAN. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS ONCE A MURDER
IN A COTTAGE NEARBY, AND THAT YOU HEAR THE CRYING ONCE A
MONTH. THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA HAVE BECOME USED TO THE
CRYING SOUND. THE POLICE WERE TIRED OF COMING OUT TO
INVESTIGATE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1950