The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SOME TIME AGO MRS. HUBER WAS TRAVELING WITH SOME
FRIENDS TO VISIT HER BROTHER, WHO WAS SICK. THEY
HAD TRAVELED MOST OF THE NIGHT AND WERE IN THE
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE SOMEPLACE IN WEST VIRGINIA.
IT WAS NIGHT AND THEY WERE TIRED SO THEY STOPPED
AT AN ISOLATED HOTEL. LATE THAT NIGHT, AS THEY
WERE SLEEPING, THEY WERE AWAKENED BY A CIRCLE OF
LIGHT THAT TRAVELED AROUND THE ROOM SEVERAL TIMES
AND EACH TIME IT STOPPED AT THE HEAD OF MRS.
HUBER'S BED. THIS CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY FIVE
MINUTES. AT 1:00 A.M. THE LIGHT WENT OUT.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, THEY STOPPED AT THE DESK
TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT. THEY TOLD OF THE LIGHT IN
THEIR ROOM BUT THE MANAGER INSISTED THERE WAS NO
POSSIBLE WAY ANYONE COULD DO THIS. THEY LEFT AND
CONTINUED ON THEIR WAY. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR START,
A POLICE CAR STOPPED THEM AND THE OFFICER SAID
HE HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR THEIR OHIO-LICENCED
{LICENSED} CAR ALL NIGHT. HE WAS TRYING TO NOTIFY
MRS. HUBER OF THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER. HE SAID
HE HAD DIED AT ONE O'CLOCK THAT MORNING AND HAD
CALLED FOR HER MINUTES BEFORE HIS DEATH. HER BELIEF
IS THAT THE LIGHT IN HER ROOM THAT NIGHT WAS HIS WAY
OF SAYING GOODBYE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE

Date learned: 09-22-1969