The Stories That Haunt Us (13 page)

With good intentions, his family buried John Hooper in the field behind his house next to the very pond where had ended his life. Here, they erected a large tombstone to commemorate him. In life, he had stated time and time again this was the last thing he wanted. In death he'd let them know just how upset he was.

Not long after he was buried, people passing by his grave noticed the tombstone lying on the ground a few feet from his grave. Naturally, they reported it to his relatives. His relatives, in turn, had workmen put it back, this time more securely. All of this to no avail. Every time workmen put the stone back, it would end up a few feet from the grave, lying on its side.

Stories began circulating that old John Hooper's ghost was upright and restless. It became so upsetting to island residents that soon they avoided the area altogether.

Meanwhile the family, as feisty and stubborn as John himself, thought they would fix crazy old John for good. They decided to put something there that could not be moved or pushed over. They had the workmen lay a concrete slab first, and then set the marker in it. When family members went to check days later, they found the tombstone split in half with one section lying flat on the ground.

As far I know, John Hooper's ghost hasn't been seen around lately. As I understand it, there is a small and simple stone marking his grave. He finally got his way after all.

Let this to be a lesson. It's wise to respect the wishes of someone who has gone over to the other side. If you don't, the power of the deceased may come back and haunt the you-know-what out of you.

The Mystery of the Grey Lady

T
here are many versions of encounters people claim to have had with the mysterious Grey Lady. My own research places the Grey Lady in Seaforth, for two very good reasons: Firstly, the south shore version has always appeared to be the most authentic account to me. And secondly, Dr. Helen Creighton places the Grey Lady in Seaforth as well, in her book
The Folklore of Lunenburg County
.

The facts were told to Professor Carmen Stone, of the University of Kings College in Halifax, and her mother by Reverend Robert Norwood, the son of Reverend Joseph Norwood, who had several encounters with the Grey Lady.

Sometimes ghosts attach their spirits to one person. In this 1931 story, the Grey Lady's attachment was to Reverend Joseph Norwood, the rector of the Anglican church of New Ross, and she wouldn't let go. She appeared everywhere, disturbing him so profoundly that the good reverend asked to be transferred to another parish. He got his wish, and was posted to Seaforth. Of course, that didn't end his problems with the Grey Lady. No sooner was he in his new surroundings than—lo and behold—the Grey Lady appeared on the landing of the rectory. In frustration, Reverend Norwood spoke to the apparition. He made the sign of the cross and said, “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, speak.” And what was the Grey Lady's reply? She looked the good priest in the eye, and told him that a great wrong had been done in which she had played a part. She instructed Reverend Norwood to go to a certain house on Morris Street in Halifax and deliver a message.

Reverend Norwood went to the Morris Street address the very next day, and discovered it was the home of the ghost's sister. To make absolutely sure there was a relationship between the two, he asked to see a family album. He turned over the pages until he came to a picture of the apparition he had seen and he said, “This is her.” He then delivered the Grey Lady's message.

The Grey Lady wanted to tell her sister where an important document was hidden, and ask for forgiveness over a quarrel they'd had. The sister said she had forgiven her a long, long time ago and was thrilled to receive the information about the document. For his part in this, the reverend was never bothered by the Grey Lady again.

Irma Gets Even

M
ary Kate waved goodbye to her children and stood watching in the doorway until they were safely on the school bus. Returning to the kitchen, she poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table, enjoying the peace and quiet. She thought of her husband, who was out of town on business but would be home by the weekend.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Mary Kate saw something move. She froze. Slowly, she turned her head toward the stove. Drawing a sharp intake of breath, Mary Kate stepped back. Right beside the stove, a blurry form was slowly taking shape. As the apparition became clearer Mary Kate could see what appeared to be a tall, thin woman in her late fifties. There was some grey in her hair, but it was mostly black, and she wore it high in a bun. She was wearing a black dress with a white collar. Mary Kate shook her head.
It has to be my
imagination
, she thought.
Either that or I need a new prescription for
my glasses
.

Mary Kate stared at the form for a long time, transfixed. The apparition had her hand on a copper kettle on the woodstove. Mary Kate blinked and looked again at the stove. It was the woodstove that had been in the kitchen before Mary Kate and her husband had modernized everything. She recognized it from before the renovations. Mary Kate looked around. The kitchen and everything in it was from another time, as was the apparition.

The ghost was fading in and out, and Mary Kate could make out the sound of water boiling in the kettle.

She was torn between two options. Should she run like mad, or make contact with the spirit? She was surprised to note that she wasn't afraid. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, and she wondered how to address the ghost. Would the ghost acknowledge her?

Her dilemma was solved when the ghost slowly turned her head towards Mary Kate and spoke directly to her. “It was deliberate, you know. He pushed me. He shoved me down the stairs and my head hit the banister and that was it. He killed me to get me out of the way. The next thing I knew I had been waked with all those hypocrites pouring out their pack of lies. Of course, him being mayor at the time, there wasn't much of an investigation. Tripped and fell down the stairs was what he told the investigators, and they bought it, lock, stock and barrel. But I swore I'd get even with him. So, here I am!”

Mary Kate wanted to be as friendly as possible—the last thing she wanted to do was upset a ghost. So she smiled and said, “It was your husband then, who pushed you down the stairs?”

The apparition nodded. “Indeed, it was. I've waited all these years to catch up with him and finally get even with the old coot. People should know what he did. He shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. With your help he'll get what he deserves.”

Mary Kate's eyes narrowed. “My help? Meaning what?”

“Well, as a spirit, I'm limited as to what I can do and where I can go. Ghosts have different abilities, as do humans. Unfortunately, I'm not the travelling kind of ghost. I can't go where I please. I'm stuck in this place. Can't leave the house by myself. But I can if I become part of you. Kind of piggybacking, you might say. I'll be invisible and you won't even know I'm there. Think of me as an extra sweater.”

Mary Kate shook all over just thinking about it. “You want me to help you do away with your husband?”

“No, no, of course not. No violence of any kind. I just want to face him one more time before he dies, which I'm hoping won't be long. As a matter of fact, today is his one hundredth birthday. I'm sure there'll be a birthday party for him, and I'd like to be there.”

“And where is he?”

“Oh, I've been keeping tabs on his whereabouts. I can still read the papers, you know. Sometimes even over your shoulder. He's in a nursing home. So…you'll help me then?”

Mary Kate raised her eyebrows at the ghost. “Do I have a choice?”

“Not really. I can cause some real problems if you decide otherwise. You know, move things around. Flood the bathroom. Scare the children. You want that?”

“No, of course not. Let's get on with it then. I'm Mary Kate and you are, I mean, you
were
…?”

“Irma.”

“Well, Irma, when do you want to go?”

“This afternoon. I want to get to him before he up and dies on me.”

Mary Kate agreed, and Irma disappeared, stating she'd be back in the afternoon. In her absence, Mary Kate made a few phone calls and found what she was looking for. A friend at the local newspaper read the story to her. Irma had been telling the truth: “
Fall Kills Mayors'
Wife
.
Foul Play Not Suspected
,” read the front-page headline from forty years ago.

It was about ten past three when Mary Kate drove into the nursing home parking lot. She quickly crossed the parking lot to the main entrance and went inside. She scanned the lobby until she found the ladies' room. Following Irma's instructions, she walked briskly towards it and went inside. As soon as she was inside, Irma's ghost stepped away from Mary Kate.

The apparition told Mary Kate to stay in the ladies' room until she returned. “Once I leave here,” she told Mary Kate, “ I'll be invisible and only my husband will see me.” Then, Irma disappeared.

A sign with bold red letters above the solarium door wished Seth a happy one-hundredth birthday. Irma stepped inside. There were several residents seated around the brightly lit room. At one end, some of the residents were playing cards, other were watching television. There was chatter and laughter coming from the other end of the room, and Irma moved toward the sound, floating across the room and coming to stand behind a woman. Irma stole a look around. He was sitting in a wheelchair, grinning from ear to ear. Irma had to admit that he looked pretty good for a hundred.

All heads turned when a young woman carrying a birthday cake followed by a group of nurses came into the room singing “Happy Birthday.” Those gathered around Seth moved away to make room for the birthday revellers. Irma stepped right in front of the table where the birthday cake was placed. The cake had ten lit candles. One candle for each decade, Irma supposed. A heavy-set woman who appeared to be in charge suggested Seth blow out the candles and make a wish. “Take a deep breath now,” she told him. He did…and it turned out to be the last one he ever took. As Seth was taking the breath, Irma suddenly appeared behind the cake. She bent down so only her face showed between the flickering lights of the candles. It was only seconds, but Irma saw the look of disbelief on Seth's face.

Once they were back in the car, Mary Kate asked Irma if everything had gone as planned.

“Oh, yes, yes indeed,” she replied. “The old coot got the biggest birthday surprise of his life.”

When they got back to Mary Kate's house, Irma told Mary Kate that there was no need or reason for her to stay any longer. With that, Irma's ghost was gone.

The following morning, Mary Kate again stood in the doorway until the children were safely on the school bus. She went into the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee, and picked up the morning newspaper. When she opened it, she noticed an article in the corner right away: “
Former mayor dies suddenly during his 100th birthday
party
.” Mary Kate couldn't help but smile when she read the concluding line: “An employee of the nursing home observed, ‘It was as if he had seen a ghost.'”

The History Lesson

G
rade four teacher Miss Goss stood at the window watching her students enjoy recess, at a school in Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, in the early 1940s. She noticed a lone child standing on the sidelines, watching. Miss Goss noticed something else highly unusual: The child was dressed head to toe in very odd clothing. The style was outdated, as though from another century.

Miss Goss decided to find out who the little girl was and why she was dressed that way. She made her way through the schoolyard, but by the time she reached the other side of the playground, the child was gone. Miss Goss asked the children where the little girl had gone, but they didn't seem to know who their teacher was talking about. The bell rang and the children filed inside.

Miss Goss instructed the children to read their favourite stories. All was quiet in the classroom. The teacher, too, was intent on her reading until a movement in the back of the class caught her attention. When she looked up, the same little girl in old-fashioned dress stood in the back of the classroom, staring at her. There was something strange about the child. It was as if she was in some kind of trance. The children, Miss Goss noticed, were not aware of the girl's presence. Was she the only one who could see her? What should she do? She decided to confront the student, but when she looked up again the child was gone.

Miss Goss had to shake her head because what happened next was beyond belief: An invisible hand was writing a message on the blackboard. The letters slowly came together. They formed two simple and terrifying words. “FIND ME!”

The teacher turned and looked at the students but all heads were buried in their books. “Excuse me class,” she said. “Can you see what has been written on the blackboard?” Puzzled, the children shook their heads. One student replied with a smirk, “Are you seeing things, Miss Goss? There isn't anything written on the board.” The teacher was now truly perplexed and responded, “No. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention, that's all.” Just then the bell rang and with a sigh of relief, she dismissed the class with a reminder not to forget their homework.