The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HAUNTED HOUSE

THE HOUSE IN WHICH DAISY, HER SISTERS AND BROTHERS, HER MOTHER
AND FATHER LIVED WAS A TEN ROOM HOUSE WITH SIXTEEN WINDOWS. IT
WAS BUILT BY A RICH OLD MAN WHO WAS THOUGHT BY THE FAMILY TO HAVE
LEFT SOME MONEY SOMEWHERE IN THE HOUSE. THE OLD MAN DIED, LEAVING
HIS MONEY, WHICH HE WANTED FOR POOR PEOPLE.
THE MOSES FAMILY MOVED INTO THIS HOUSE TO SHARE CROP THE FARM. THE
OLD MAN, AFTER HE DIED, TRIED TO COME BACK AND TELL THEM WHERE THE
MONEY WAS. HE FIRST ATTEMPTED TO FRIGHTEN THEM AWAY. AFTER HE
COULDN'T SUCCEED, HE CAME BACK IN MANY FORMS. THE FIRST WAS AS A
BABY CRYING. AND, EVERY TIME THE MOON WOULD CHANGE, HE WOULD COME
IN DIFFERENT FORMS: MULE AND WAGON AND A HORSE AND BUGGY WOULD
APPEAR TO COME ACROSS THE CEILING OF THE HOUSE. STILL, HE
COULDN'T FRIGHTEN THEM AWAY. BUT WHEN THE SOUND OF A BABY CRYING
CAME FROM UNDER THE PORCH AND CARRIED ON FOR THREE WEEKS, THE
MOSES FAMILY FINALLY LEFT.
DAISY SAID THE OLD MAN DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO FIND THE MONEY, AND
SINCE THEY WOULD IF THEY LIVED THERE, HE NEVER LET PEOPLE LIVE
THERE LONG BECAUSE OF HIS FRIGHTENING WAYS. THREE FAMILIES HAVE
ATTEMPTED TO LIVE THERE SINCE THE MOSES FAMILY.

Submitter comment: ORIGIN: CHILDHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD