Mysteries and Family Stories
Uncle Ern dropped in for a visit, and it so
happened that Grampy was there. When you put the two of them together,
great stories were sure to be heard. Time flew as tales were rehashed.
When the clock struck nine, Uncle Ern mentioned he should be hitting
the road. Mum insisted he have a cup of tea and some sweets before he
left.
As they sat around the kitchen table drinking their tea, the two men
entertained one another and the family with their “true” ghost stories.
Grampy claimed, he once knew a man who made a pact with the devil and
ever after had mystic powers with strange happenings on his farm.
I sat on the edge of my chair as Uncle Ern told of walking on the road
on a full moon night. As he approached the hollow, a dog jumped out
from the ditch and grabbed his pant leg. He could feel the sharp teeth
biting into his flesh. His first instinct was to kick the mongrel. He
limped the rest of the way home expecting to find a great gash on his
leg, with lots of bleeding plus torn trousers.
Once he reached the house and lit the lamp, he was surprised to find
not a sign of a struggle between him and the dog. This to him was
another unsolved ghost mystery.
All of these stories really scared me so much that when bedtime came, I
asked Mum if she would sit on the side of my bed until I fell asleep
and could she please leave the hall light on during the night.
If you are interested in haunting tales and mysteries, I suggest you
read, Roland H. Sherwood’s book, “Maritime
Mysteries” that was published in 1976 which tells of the Ghost
of Paddy Hollow on the Saint John River, the message in the secret
drawer in a tombstone in Shediac, the clutching hands at Wolf Point on
the shores of Shepody Bay and stories with settings in Nova Scotia and
Prince Edward Island.
Stuart Trueman’s “Tall Tales and True
Tales from Down East” with eerie experiences, heroic exploits,
extraordinary personalities and ancient legends provides for
interesting reading and could also make you want to leave the hall
light burning all night.
Although family stories have a way of getting stretched, they certainly
add interest to the family tree.
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No queries were published this week in the Telegraph Journal.
