The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MAGIC

CARD KEYPUNCHED NOVEMBER, 1972-ALSO IN 5X8 FILES.
MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE OUT WALKING WITH MY BROTHER
WHEN HE WAS A BABY. IT WAS ABOUT SUNSET AND WAS NEXT TO A
CEMETERY. SUDDENLY MY FATHER NOTICED THAT SOMEONE ALL
IN BLACK WAS FOLLOWING THEM. MY FATHER TOLD MY MOTHER NOT
TO TURN AROUND BUT TO KEEP WALKING. BUT MY MOTHER WAS
CURIOUS AND KEPT TRYING TO SEE OUT OF THE CORNER OF HER EYE.
WHATEVER IT WAS, IT KEPT COMING CLOSER AND CLOSER AND THEY
COULD FEEL A PRESENCE OF EVIL. MY MOTHER HANDED MY BROTHER
TO MY FATHER JUST AS THEY WERE BEING OVERTAKEN. SHE OPENED
HER PURSE AND GRABBED A CRUCIFIX THAT SHE WAYS CARRIED
(AS SHE WAS SUPERSTITIOUS). SHE TURNED AROUND WITH THE
CRUCIFIX IN HER HAND AND CONFRONTED THE FIGURE IN BLACK AS
IT WAS JUST A FEW FEET FROM THEM. AS SOON AS SHE DID SO, THE
FIGURE DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR. MY MOTHER BELIEVED THAT IT
WAS THE DEVIL THAT WAS FOLLOWING THEM.

Submitter comment: HAPPENED IN CLEVELAND, OHIO IN 1906.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

Date learned: 09-10-1972