The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HAUNTED HOUSE

AS LONG AS I HAVE LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE
HAS BEEN A TWO-STORY, WHITE HOUSE ON FIFTY-FIRST AVE.,
NORTH JUST OFF CHARLOTTE THAT WAS HAUNTED BY A MAN
WHO SLIT HIS THROAT WITH AN OLD-FASHIONED RAZOR. IF
YOU WERE IN THE ROOM NEXT TO THE ONE WHERE HE KILLED
HIMSELF AND THE DOOR WAS CLOSED YOU WOULD HEAR A
SWOOSHING SOUND. WHEN YOU LOOKED DOWN, YOU WOULD
SEE A GREAT PUDDLE OF BLOOD FLOWING UNDER THE DOOR.
ONCE I WAS TELLING THE CHILDREN IN MY CLASS ABOUT
THIS HOUSE WHEN A LITTLE GIRL BEGAN TO WAVE HER
HAND FRANTICALLY. THIS IS WHAT SHE TOLD:
WE USED TO LIVE IN THAT HOUSE. NOBODY HAD EVER
TOLD US ABOUT IT BEING HAUNTED. ONE EVENING JUST
ABOUT SUNDOWN, I WENT IN THE FRONT DOOR. I DIDN'T
KNOW THERE WASN'T ANYBODY AT HOME WHEN I OPENED THE
DOOR. IT WAS ALMOST DARK BUT YOU COULD SEE YOUR WAY
AROUND A LITTLE. I WAS AFRAID TO GO ANY FURTHER.
THEN I THOUGHT I SAW A LIGHT UNDER THE FRONT ROOM
DOOR. I RAN OUT SCREAMING. THE NEIGHBORS CAME BACK
WITH ME AND ABOUT THAT TIME MY FATHER AND MOTHER
CAME HOME. THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD JUST SEEN THE
SUNSET REFLECTED IN THE WAX FLOOR. I KNOW THEY WERE
RIGHT, BUT IT LOOKED JUST LIKE BLOOD AND I SURE
WAS SCARED.

Submitter comment: THE GIRL'S NAME WAS JEAN CROUCH. I HAVE NEVER HEARD
OF ANYONE ELSE SEEING THE BLOOD.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE