The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WHEN WE LIVED AT THE TRIBBLE PLACE, WE COULDN'T KEEP THE FRONT
DOOR LOCKED. IT WOULD CLICK AND COME OPEN. THE CHAIRS,
CANE-BOTTOMED CHAIRS, WOULD TURN OVER. MOSTLY THEY WERE THE
CHAIRS AROUND THE TABLE. AT NIGHT THE COVER WOULD BE PULLED
OFF THE BEDS. MY SISTER DIDN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED UNTIL
SHE SPENT THE NIGHT WITH US. DURING THE NIGHT SHE WAS
AWAKENED BY THE COVER BEING PULLED OFF HER. ONE NIGHT
SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED LIKE A MIRROR BROKE, AWOKE US. WE GOT
UP AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. ANOTHER NIGHT A LITTLE
ROUND BALL OF LIGHT WENT AROUND THE BED AND THEN WENT UP THE
STAIRS AND DISAPPEARED. THIS WAS ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE
ERNEST, MY BROTHER, TOOK SICK. A FEW NIGHTS LATER, I AWOKE
TO HEAR MY MOTHER CALLING, "MATTIE MAE" THREE TIMES. IT
SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS AT THE WINDOW AND I WENT OUT TO LOOK
FOR HER. NO ONE WAS THERE, BUT ABOUT A WEEK LATER ERNEST
AND MAMA BOTH PASSED AWAY.

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; HERNDON

Date learned: 07-23-1968