The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

POLLY'S LOVER

IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THIS CENTURY A WITHERED WOMAN OF
NINETY WAS BURIED FROM A NOW DESERTED HOUSE IN WHITE
PLAINS, NEW YORK, POLLY CARTER THE NAME OF HER, BUT
"CRAZY POLLY" WAS WHAT THE NEIGHBORS CALLED HER, FOR
SHE WAS ECCENTRIC AND NOT FOND OF COMPANY. AMONG
THE BELONGINGS OF HER HOUSE WAS A TALL CLOCK, SUCH AS
RELIC HUNTERS PRIZE, THAT TICKED SOLEMNLY IN A LANDING
ON THE STAIRS. FOR A TIME, DURING THE REVOLUTION, THE
HOUSE STOOD WITHIN THE BRITISH LINES, AND AS HER FATHER
WAS A COLONEL IN WASHINGTON'S ARMY, SHE WAS LEFT ALMOST
ALONE IN IT. THE BRITISH OFFICERS RESPECTED HER SEX,
BUT THEY HAD AN UNPLEASANT WAY OF RUNNING IN UNANNOUNCED
AND DEMANDING ENTERTAINMENT, IN THE KING'S NAME, WHICH
SHE FELT FORCED TO GRANT. ONE RAINY AFTERNOON THE DOOR
WAS FLUNG OPEN, THEN LOCKED ON THE INSIDE, AND SHE FOUND
HERSELF IN THE ARMS OF A STALWART, HANDSOME LIEUTENANT,
WHO WORE THE BLUE. IT WAS HER COUSIN AND FIANCE.
THEIR GLAD TALK HAD NOT BEEN GOING LONG WHEN THERE CAME
A ROUSING SUMMONS AT THE DOOR. THREE ENGLISH OFFICERS
WERE WAITING ADMITTANCE.
PERHAPS THEY HAD SEEN LAWRENCE CARTER GO INTO THE HOUSE,
AND IF CAUGHT HE WOULD BE KILLED AS A SPY. HE MUST BE
HIDDEN, BUT IN SOME PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD NOT THINK OF
LOOKING. THE CLOCK! THAT WAS THE PLACE. WITH A LAUGH
AND A KISS THE YOUNG MAN SUBMITTED TO BE SHUT IN THIS
NARROW QUARTER, AND THROWING HIS COAT AND HAT BEHIND SOME
FURNITURE, THE GIRL ADMITTED THE OFFICERS, WHO WERE WET
AND MAD AND DEMANDED DINNER. THEY TRAMPED ABOUT THE
BEST ROOM IN THEIR MUDDY BOOTS, TALKING LOUDLY, AND IN
ORDER TO BREAK THE EFFECT OF THE CHILL WEATHER, THEY
PASSED THE BRANDY BOTTLE FREELY. POLLY SERVED THEM WITH
A DINNER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, FOR SHE WANTED TO GET THEM
OUT OF THE HOUSE, BUT THEY WERE IN NO MOOD TO GO, AND THE
BOTTLE PASSED SO OFTEN THAT BEFORE THE DINNER WAS OVER
THEY WERE NOISY AND TIPSY AND WERE USING LANGUAGE THAT
DROVE POLLY FROM THE ROOM.
AT LAST, TO HER RELIEF, SHE HEARD THEM PREPARING TO LEAVE
THE HOUSE, BUT AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO GO, THE SENIOR
OFFICER, LOOKING UP AT THE LANDING, NOW DIM IN THE PALING
LIGHT, SAID TO ONE OF THE OTHERS, "SEE WHAT TIME IT IS."
THE OFFICER ADDRESSED, WHO HAPPENED TO BE THE DRUNKEST
OF THE PARTY, STAGGERED UP THE STAIR AND EXCLAIMED, "THE
DAMNED THING'S STOPPED." THEN, AS IF HE THOUGHT IT A
GOOD JOKE, HE ADDED, "IT'LL NEVER GO AGAIN." DRAWING
HIS SABRE, HE GAVE THE CLOCK A CARELESS CUT AND RAN
THE BLADE THROUGH THE PANEL OF THE DOOR; AFTER THIS THE
THREE PASSED OUT. WHEN THEIR VOICES HAD DIED IN DISTANT
BRAWLING, POLLY RAN TO RELEASE HER LOVER. SOMETHING
THICK AND DARK WAS CREEPING FROM BENEATH THE CLOCK-CASE.
WITH TREMBLING FINGERS SHE PULLED OPEN THE DOOR, AND
LAWRENCE, HER LOVER, FELL HEAVILY FORWARD INTO HER ARMS,
DEAD. THE OFFICER WAS RIGHT; THE CLOCK NEVER WENT AGAIN.

Submitter comment: YUNK-YUNK HEARD THIS AS AN OLD INDIAN LEGEND. REFER TO
INFORMANTS LIST FOR MORE DETAILS CONCERNING HIM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MACKINAW ISLAND

Date learned: 09-00-1963