| The Whistling Tea-Kettle |
| In the 1980's, trains had begun to run on the Santa Fe Railroad in Ardmore, Oklahoma, a train was held up by several robbers. Afterwards, the bandits retired to an old house where they split up the loot.In this argument, a robber was shot and killed. It's said that some or all of the loot is hidden in the house and that the ghost of the robber still roams there trying to find his money. For a long time, no one would live there. About seven years ago, the Lynch family moved in. One summer afternoon, Mrs. Lynch left her children home alone so she could visit neighbors. An hour later, she heard the children screaming and crying so Mrs. Lynch and the neighbor went to check on them. The children were in hysterics, and were shouting that someone was tearing the kitchen apart and the tea-kettle was laughing and singing. When the adults went to investigate, the tea-kettle was steaming in the middle of the kitchen floor. A fire was burning on the stove even though none had been light before. Their mystified looks changed to horror when they noticed the drops of blood sprinkled around the room. The Lynches moved out and no one has lived there since... Ellis Perkins, who lives in the area, had the latest known experience in the old dwelling. One afternoon, approx. four years ago, he was caught in a heavy rain storm while hunting. The only shelter was offered by the haunted house. He and his bull dog ran into it to dry. Looking around on the second floor, he found no sign of its inhabitants. Shutting the door, he slowly decended the stairs. As his left foot hit the last step, the dog sprang around and looked toward the top, his hair standing on end. It bagan to bark as thought it scented the presence of a stranger. Mr. Perkins said that he also turned to look back. Under his gaze, the door knob turned and opened, as if to let someone out, then closed silently. The hunter and his yelping dog ran out of the house into the rain. His friends said it must have been the wind, but how did the wind open the door? --From the New York Times reprinted in a textbook, Basic Writing By Harold Y. Moffet and Wiloughby H. Johnson Harper & Brothers, N.Y., 1937 |