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Story:
A large percentage of the negroes, particularly the old ones, firmly believe that ghosts, and spirits of the dead exist
on this earth in life-like form. Some of them are emphatic in their denial of this belief, while others are just as
emphatic in saying that they do exist. The following story is typical of the conversation of those in the former
category, and is quoted almost verbatim as an old negro mammy gave it:
"Does I believe in de spirits? No suh, I doesn't believe in dem things. But I'll tell yo' whut happened right heah a few
months ago. One night, about dusky dark, I was settin' out heah on de front porch waitin' fo' mah husband to return
frum de lodge hall. Lookin' up frum mah knittin', I see somethin' comin' frum between de houses across de street,
straight toward mah house. As it reached de street, I made out dat it was a woman, but Lawdy, whut a woman!
Almos' six feet tall, it looked, and wearin' a white dress and red stockings, wid some kind of trappins tied aroun' de
ankles dat flapped while it went crow-hoppin' along like a bird. Comin' through mah gate, dat thing started aroun' de
house. I yells at her: "Hey! woman, you can't go through dere, de fences am too high fo' yo' to climb." But dat thing
didn't pay me no mind at all, jus' walked on aroun' de house. I runs to de edge ob de porch, intendin' to stop her, but
Lawd hab mercy, mister! Dat woman had vanished into de air! No suh, I don't believe in dem things, - but whut was
dat effen it wuzn't a spirit?"
Information given by Mrs. Alex Moseley; Place of Residence - 818 Laurel St., Texarkana, Ark.; Occupation -
Housewife; Age - 75.
Robertson, Miss Irene Helena, Arkansas Age: 80 plus (May 11, 1936)
